What We Do

Improved Livelihoods

80% of Nepal’s population depend on subsistence farming. In practice that means that almost everyone in the rural areas where PHASE Worldwide works is dependent on the crops grown on their own land, but very often these don’t yield enough to feed the family for the whole year – in many families, there is only a sufficient food supply for 6-9 months:
Because of the tradition of splitting the family land between all sons – and recently even daughters having a right to their parents’ property! – often the land available for one family is getting less from generation to generation, and more and more Nepalese are finding themselves with too little to sustain themselves.

Alternative income options are very few for uneducated villagers, not least because they have very little knowledge of what possibilities they have. Often the only alternatives are to work as a labourer within Nepal, or go abroad (which, in the case of females, often means prostitution).

PHASE Worldwide is hoping to improve the situation of villagers in remote areas of Nepal by increasing their choices of alternative sources of income. – These can be agricultural or non-agricultural, and can be within their village or without.

Education itself can offer alternatives to young people. – Often, there is a possibility of coming back to their own village as a teacher or health worker after a period of professional training.

Small businesses: Even in remote villages, many people do have a little outside income – from portering or selling their produce - and are able to spend this on commodities like radios, small solar panels etc. Anyone with skills in selling and repairing these can make an income, as long as he/she is able to travel between several villages – and this is just one example!

Improved agricultural techniques: by introducing micro-irrigation schemes, or simply better fertilising techniques, the fields can often yield up to twice as much to the traditional methods, and farmers find themselves able to sell some of their produce.

Cash crops: vegetables, tea or coffee or spices (ginger, garlic, cardamom) can offer a good supplementary income to farmers who have access to local markets.

Animal husbandry: In a society where meat is a luxury, and very sought after particularly during the season of religious festivals, having a goat to sell once or twice a year can make all the difference between abject poverty and being able to purchase minimal necessities.

Water mills: Nepal with its mountains and hills has an abundant supply of fast-flowing rivers, which can be harnessed to supply energy for grinding corn and rice, but can also be used to produce electricity.

These are just some of the many examples of how PHASE Worldwide helps in remote villages in Nepal.