Fund-Raiser Sahayatri Nepal

Sahayatri Nepal is a grassroots level non-profit NGO working to empower marginalized and excluded women, with a focus on female sex workers and vulnerable community members. This organization focuses on creating and initiating local and sustainable activities and education for the communities in which they work. Sahayatri Nepal is registered at the District Administration office, Silgadhi, Doti in FY 2062/063 (2006 AD) and is affiliated with the Social Welfare Council in Kathmandu. It has a head office in Doti and a branch office in Kathmandu.

The mission of Sahayatri Nepal is to empower and aid marginalized and excluded groups of women in order to encourage equality and awareness. Sahayatri Nepal's objectives are:

1)To provide information and awareness through community outreach, especially to female sex workers; during outreach the objective is also to provide condoms, as well as general health information.

2)To facilitate the development of income generating activities for female community members in the Doti region.

3)To encourage the capacity building of female community members and sex workers by provide skill development training to women in various fields, in order for them to gain sustainable skills.

4)To promote gender equality and awareness about the domestic violence and gendered discrimination.

5)To encourage all women to feel empowered through their own personal and professional development.

6)To ensure that marginalized women have support and information available to them.

Areas of Focus:

Health and Awareness,Skill development,Education,Gender Equality,Empowerment,and Advocacy

Women, Children, Ethnic Groups, Socially Excluded People and Conflict Victimized People are the main target groups of the Sahayarti Nepal.

None.

2006

Private donors

How many people at the organization speak English?

4 speak english fluently

Clothing donation: pants, tops, skirts, etc. (ranging from women's SM-LG sizes). Children's clothing (2-5yrs old)

Simple computer for the office

English books, flashcards, dictionaries

Womens health issues books and magazines

Sahayatri Nepal needs volunteers to assist at their Kathmandu location which provides counselling on-site. The focus area is the slum population as well as entertainment sector workers. Sahayatri works with populations affected by HIV/AIDS. They work in women's health issues, HIV/AIDS prevention, community development, and social services. The Kathmandu center also refers clients to other organizations working in the Kathmandu Valley.

Sahayatri needs assistance in proposal writing, administrative tasks, etc. They are eager to exchange ideas with volunteers and build experience working with foreigners. They are short-staffed due to lack of finances. A volunteer that has a background in social work would best apply themselves by counselling the sex trade workers one-on-one (translators available).

What tasks will you be required to fulfil?

Sayayatri is in dire condition the placement director is very versatile and with her capability till now it was running but now its operation has been stopped.

5 days a week

How many hours per day?

Monday-Friday (9am-3pm)

Sahayatri works with 150-200 people in the sex trade (ages 15-30 yrs old) and approximately 50 people in the Doti community (ages 20-35 yrs old).

You need to have good communication skills for this placement. A background in health, education, community development, social work, or public health would all be great assets here. Administrative experience and proposal/grant writing to help build funding would be an excellent contribution to Sahayatri!

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Volunteers should be sensitive to the situation of the women,children, and marginalized populations the organization works with. You should be open-minded, friendly, innovative, outgoing, and eager to help.

A person who is uncomfortable with poverty, sex-trade workers, or sick people.

Kathmandu sits inside a valley where in the winter you can see the Himalaya peaking over the hills first thing in the morning before the smog sets in. With an interesting mix of new and you can find both the hectic city pace at one moment and the next moment you find yourself having stepped back in time.

Narrow lanes of cobble stoned streets brimming with goods for sale, temples and stupas where everyone meets for daily puja and ritual, fascinating old wooden architecture, tea shops where men gather to gossip, festivals and traditional music, colourful sarees hanging from windows, rickshaws, touts, motorcycles, honking horns, cows meandering through traffic, honking of horns.

And then there is Thamel...the world famous backpackers area...a home away from home for many travellers who need some extra comfort and a reminder of the western world, where you can find everything from fresh baked croissants to wireless internet!!

Nepal is as old as the Himalayas, when a great lake filled the valley of Kathmandu. One legend states that the lake was drained by a thunderbolt thrown against the walls of the valley by the Hindu god Krishna.

Nepal is a country of great diverse and rich geography, culture, and religions. The mountains in the north have eight of the world's ten highest mountains, including the highest, Sagarmatha, known in English as Mount Everest.

The history of Kathmandu started with the Newar people, the main inhabitants of the Kathmandu Valley. The history of the valley goes back to the Kiratis, around the 7th century BC, the foundation of Kathmandu itself dates from the 12th century AD. This was the time of the Malla dynasty.

The original settlers grew up around the trade route to Tibet and in early pilgrim resthouses such as the Kasthamandap, which later the city was named from.

Originally known as Kantipur, the city thrived during the era of the Malla, and the bulk of the temples, buildings and other monuments date from this time. Initially, Kathmandu was an independent city within the valley. In the 14th century the valley was united under the rule of the Malla king of Bhaktapur. In the 15th century there was one more division. This created three independent kingdoms; Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur.

The Shah dynasty unified Nepal and brought all 3 kingdoms together and made the expanded city of Kathmandu its new capital. The city has held that title ever since.

Nepal, as of 2010, is the world's most recent nation to become a republic.

Kathmandu is sub-tropical. Hot summers (30+) Mild winters = seldome below zero at night, but warm in the sun through the day. The fog makes the winter night/mornings feel very cold and damp. Monsoon = late June-late Sept.

Oct-March is considered the best time of year to trek, for clearest skies etc.

Just sitting in a tea shop and watching the world go by in and older part of town.

There are many interesting Temples/Durbar Squares and Stupas that are interesting to visit more than once where fantastic photographic opportunity await you. (Boudhanath, Swayambunath, Patan)

Within one hour of Kathmandu is the world heritage sight Bhaktapur, which is a nice place to find some quite and a sample of more traditional Newari rural life.

Day hikes around Nagarkot or Dhulikel give a little sample to trekking.

Pashupatinath, Nepal's holiest shrine on the holy Bagmati river is an interesting place to watch the religious activities and learn more about the Hindu religion.

Yoga and Meditation retreats.

Wildlife Safaris in the Chitwan National Park are a popular weekend getaway.

Fly to Pokhara to get a glympse of the Himalayan Annapura Range. Do the day trek to Sarankot, or visit the Peace Pagoda. Navigate Pokhara's beautiful Phewa Tal (lake) to see the classic view of the famous Machapuchare (Fish Tale Mountain).

Do a Mountain Flight to see Mt Everest and the other massive Himalayan peaks.

Many people go outside of the Kathmandu valley and do larger treks in the Himalaya, but these treks take longer than a weekend and are best planned before or after the volunteer placement.

From BaseCamp, walk to Sorakhutte bus stop where you will take the 23 microbus to Ratna Park. Take the Bhaktapur or Banepa bus and get off at Koteshwor. 15 minute walk from there to Sahayatri.

It will cost you approximately 25 rupees each way.

(The placement coordinator will take you to placement on your first day and show you the route)