This is an inspirational story about Bhimeshowor Digo Krisak Samuha (Bhimeshowori Farmer’s Group), Mandandeupur–7, Ratmate, Kavre, and their inspirational journey that started with a program launched by World Neighbors in 2014. As part of the program, a saving group with 17 women was formed and the members decided that each member would contribute Rs 50 as monthly savings every month. As the women were new to the group approach, members were shy, lacked self-confidence, and were inarticulate while discussing their issues.

They were small farmers without knowledge of modern technologies in agriculture. None of them had a well-managed and organized kitchen garden and their agricultural plots were left fallow. In the morning, the group members would be occupied by chores like fetching water and fodders from the jungle. Women were completely dependent on their spouses even for small expenditures like buying slippers, cloth, and bangles. They were unaware of nutritious food needed by the family and children.

Women never used to visit health clinics but rather depended on medicine that their spouses brought from a pharmacy. After the group was formed, members got opportunities to participate in exposure visits to various program areas where they observed the work of women farmers like them. As a result, members started gaining self-confidence. They religiously practiced newly learned skills and knowledge. They even started an improved kitchen garden, which gradually expanded into a sizable vegetable farm.

They planted fodder and trees near their homes and on fallow/waste/public land around their village. They collected savings every month and provided loans to members of the group to start goat rearing and vegetable farming businesses. Having observed the progress the group made, more neighbors joined in. When the number of members went up to 25, each member agreed to save Rs 100 every month. At present, the group’s capital amounts to Rs 171,600.

The group has planted more than 13,000 plants so that members don’t need to go to the jungle to collect fodder. To develop their community as a pocket area for fruits, each member has planted more than 500 trees of different fruits such as mango, litchi, and lemon. All of them produce vermicom post and have prepared improved animal sheds. Women have added income to the family through goat farming and vegetables. Moreover, the group contributed financially to build a community hall where it convenes for monthly meetings, even on rainy days.

Before the community hall was built, the group would sit for monthly meetings either under a tree or in an open area. The group is also promoting local seeds to replace hybrid seeds and lessen the dependency on the market. The group has a small seed collection center at the community hall where they regularly collect local seeds of 14–15 varieties. The group has registered itself at the livestock development and the agriculture office from where they get subsidized agricultural inputs. New groups from other areas visit them regularly to observe their work and learn from them.

Women continue to generate income through small businesses like vegetable farming, goat farming, and poultry as they can access loans easily from their own group. Some of the members also practice the system of rice intensification (SRI) and have doubled their rice production. Eleven members regularly earn Rs 8,000 to 18,000 per year through goat farming. Likewise, other members sell cow and buffalo milk that provides a steady income.

In seven years, this small community has become a model for others to emulate. As a way forward, the group has plans to expand its work on local seeds, and run a homestay service so that people from faraway places can visit them.