School of Women’s Entrepreneurship

School of Women’s Entrepreneurship ®: Empowering Marginalized Women through Skill Development and Microfinance

Nepal: Poverty, Inequality and Vulnerable Women
As a UN-designated least developed country aiming to graduate by 2026, Nepal urgently requires social and economic upliftment. Its low Human Development Index (146th) and high Gender Inequality Index (116th in 2023/24) reveal significant gender disparities. High poverty (20.27% of 29.69 million, mostly rural) and a stark gender literacy gap (83.6% male vs. 69.4% female) highlight the disadvantages faced by women.

Patriarchal norms restrict women's decision-making power within households and expose them to gender-based violence, early marriage, dowry practices and trafficking.

The School of Women’s Entrepreneurship (SWE), a transformative initiative of Sano Paila supported by Give2Asia, empowers marginalized Nepali women through skill development and entrepreneurship. SWE targets vulnerable women from historically marginalized communities, survivors of violence or trafficking, and differently-abled individuals, providing social empowerment, microfinance and market access. By equipping women with craftsmanship skills, SWE enables them to become skilled entrepreneurs and change-makers, breaking the cycle of poverty and fostering economic independence while addressing persistent gender disparities in Nepal.

At SWE, dozens of women from marginalized communities – survivors of unimaginable violence and human trafficking, women living with disabilities and those long held back by societal barriers – are discovering their voice and power. SWE is more than a training center; it is a space where broken spirits are nurtured and latent talents are ignited.

Through patient guidance from skilled artisans, participants learn the intricate art of jewelry making, the rhythmic craft of basket weaving and other traditional skills that connect them to their heritage while preparing them for the modern market. SWE’s support extends beyond skill-building. True empowerment requires economic stability, which is why SWE provides crucial microfinance support, offering small loans that enable women to launch their own micro-enterprises and take control of their financial futures.

Social ventures such as Kaasya further transform these opportunities into tangible employment. Kaasya serves as a platform where their handcrafted creations reach the market, connecting their artistry with appreciative customers and generating sustainable income.

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Impact of SWE
Imagine a woman, her hands bearing the marks of hardship, now carefully shaping delicate brass and silver into a shimmering earring. Or another, her fingers once trembling with fear, now weaving vibrant threads into a sturdy, beautiful basket. These are the women of Sano Paila's School of Women’s Entrepreneurship (SWE), a space where vulnerability transforms into skill and economic dependence gives way to growing independence.

Every delicate curve of a necklace and every tightly woven strand of a basket represents more than just a product; it embodies resilience, a triumph over adversity, and the unwavering spirit of a woman determined to build a brighter future for herself and her family. At SWE, we witness the blossoming of confidence, the quiet pride in newfound skills, and the tangible shift from dependence to self-reliance. These are not just women learning a trade; they are women reclaiming their lives, one carefully crafted piece and one empowered step at a time.

INFOGRAPHIC
Number of women trained and mobilized and microfinance provided