Project Summary

Come spend time in a rural community and help empower women on an organic sustainable agriculture initiative in Nepal.

Domestic abuse in Nepal is increasing and the leading cause of death among women of childbearing age is suicide. Widows are seen as witches and are cast away. Sex trade victims are rejected by their families. These women are left with nothing and have nowhere to go. In many cases, they are very skilled farmers since Nepal is a rural, agrarian society with 80% of the population residing in small villages and working family farms.

This project provides vulnerable women that have been abused with a home, food and a plot of land so that they are able to build a future and support themselves and their children. The project teaches traditional organic farming to the villagers including experimental agriculture techniques that increase outputs without the use of toxic chemicals. The women also care for livestock including cows, goats and chickens.

The project operates a women’s farm cooperative in rural Nepal, located only 35km from the capital city of Kathmandu. The women are given a plot of land and a roof over their heads. In turn, they cultivate the land and grow organic fruit and vegetables. This empowers the women as they are able to feed themselves and their children, enhancing their self-confidence and helping them recover from the abuse they have been victims of. Volunteers join in this agriculture and education placement to work the land and support the children at the farm with before and after school care. The project helps the women in this rural community create sustainable futures for themselves and their families.

Why choose this project?

As a volunteer, you will be living on a farm working alongside women farmers to help grow the food that they, and you, will be eating. You may also help in the daily care of livestock. The project needs extra pairs of hands to help the women with their tasks so that they are able to create sustainable futures for themselves. You will also have the opportunity to help support the women with the education of their children. Indeed, the project offers daycare for young children as well as before and after school support for older children. You will be able to help them with homework, organise activities and teach them English as their mothers’ go on with their day. In exchange, you will learn about farming and Nepalese culture. This is an excellent placement in international development to add to your CV/resume.

Role of the volunteer

Your role will vary depending on the needs of the women at the time of your placement. This is a physical placement and you will be able to participate in the following activities:

Farm work – digging land/irrigation tracks, planting seedlings/vegetables, feeding animals/milking cows, maintaining crops or building shelters.

Teaching – Daycare and early childhood education are available for those too young to attend school and offer ESL and computer tutoring for the older youth in the village as well as the women living on the farm. 

You will be working alongside the women, following their guidance about the work that needs to be done. You will gain great insight into subsistence farming and the challenges they face on a daily and seasonal basis. You will also have the opportunity to help out local staff with children in an after-school care.

Skills Required

Volunteers must be healthy and fit to be able to participate in this project, as you will be doing physical activity outdoors in a hot climate. No particular skills are required, though any experience in agriculture or gardening would be useful. Above all, volunteers need to be ready to dedicate their time to helping and learning from these communities. A passion for immersing yourself in the culture and flexibility is a must!

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