An overview and further detailed information on all projects supported so far can be found here.
Our focus land: Future for children in Nepal
Situation in Nepal
Domestic political unrest has been prevalent since 1996. For a long time, violent conflicts, strikes, kidnappings and curfews have dominated everyday life in Nepal. The situation of the children is marked by violations of children's rights. Early marriage and motherhood of girls, trafficking in girls, child labour and even child prostitution with a high risk of being infected by AIDS are still widespread.
The health system is underdeveloped and characterised by high maternal and child mortality. More than half of the population is chronically undernourished. Contaminated drinking water, lack of latrines and poor hygiene are contributing to this situation. Education and training are also in great need of development.
The illiteracy rate among rural women is very high. There are too few schools and the distances to school are long. Parents are dependent on the help of their children (especially in agricultural work).
Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world and the people there live in living conditions that are unimaginable for us. Many families live in very simple houses without electricity. ¼ of the population lives in absolute poverty. There are hardly any employment opportunities. The majority is employed in agriculture. Many people live in debt bondage.
In this environment, the Schönebeck Foundation "Future for Children" wants to support the work of Plan in its child-oriented community development.
Our actual projects: Future prospects for young women in Nepal
Limited educational opportunities, poor working conditions and low wages, especially in rural areas, cause young women to leave their home country and migrate abroad. They hope for a better future there, but in most cases they are disappointed. Without an income, they have no chance of a self-determined life. On the other hand, there are economic markets with potential in Nepal. For example, the tourism industry is growing at an annual rate of seven percent. But companies are finding it difficult to recruit qualified workers. This is where we come in with our partner Plan International in this project. 460 young women are to receive training adapted to the labor market. Our particular focus is on women from the rural areas around Pokhara and women from ethnic minorities. We also want to include 60 women with disabilities in the program. In addition to these women, up to 300 employers will participate in the project to ensure safer and appropriate working conditions. Together with the private sector and local authorities, we are initiating a labor market information portal. Employees can use it to find out about job vacancies and the labor market and to network with companies. In addition, we are working with the Employers' Association of Tourism and Hospitality to optimize labor selection procedures. You can find more information here.
