Youth and Women Entrepreneurship Development Project Overview

Project Overviews

Youth and Women Entrepreneurship Development Project Overview

The Youth and Women Entrepreneurship Development Project aims to enhance the economic prospects of young people and women in Nepal by fostering entrepreneurial skills. The project focuses on three main pillars: 1) initiating resilient startups or boosting the profitability of existing small and micro enterprises; 2) creating opportunities for integration into downstream value chain activities through partnerships with private sector firms; and 3) increasing access to necessary financial services.

Recognizing that skilled young people have a higher employment rate than their unskilled counterparts, the project partners with existing skill development initiatives from various agencies, including the Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTEVT), the Government of Nepal, and other peer organizations. It aims to boost the economic competitiveness of small and micro enterprises led by youth and women from marginalized communities, enhancing their business networks and relationships with financial institutions, and connecting them with institutionalized markets.

The project is implemented in four municipalities within the Kailali and Bardiya districts through Lutheran World Relief's local partners, the National Environment and Equity Development Society (NEEDS Nepal) and the Dalit Feminist Upliftment Organization (DAFUO). The project directly benefits 500 participants and indirectly supports an additional 2,500 community members.

Lutheran World Relief (LWR) has worked in Nepal since 2009, championing gender equity in the development and implementation of programs that create linkages along value chains to benefit smallholder farming families. Reaching indigenous, Dalit and marginalized communities with programs in livelihood strengthening, food security, climate resilience and disaster risk reduction, Lutheran World Relief is committed to advancing programming to empower and enable women and young people to support themselves financially.

Download Now May 10, 2024