Economic Development
Empowerment to be agents of change
In the regions where we operate, the majority of people live in poverty. Unemployment is very high, particularly among women and young people. The inhabitants lack appropriate training, professional opportunities and support.
Some figures : In India, more than 65% of the population lives in rural areas, where it is difficult to find work and food. In Nepal, approximately 80% of the population lives in rural areas where they support themselves through farming and raising livestock , the yields of which depend on the vagaries of the weather.
Economic insecurity, which mainly affects women, has been exacerbated by the Covid-19 crisis, which has pushed millions of people below the poverty line. Economic development programs are now more essential than ever. Our centers provide training to strengthen and further develop skills in crafts, agriculture, IT, entrepreneurship and innovative technologies.
In India, we also provide financial support for the creation of micro-enterprises, while in Nepal, we concentrate our efforts in rural areas that are often very difficult to access, thereby helping people to acquire skills that they can then use to benefit the whole village.
Notre impact en 2024
925 young people in computer classes
374 financial grants for a micro-business
1, 515 farmers trained in agricultural entrepreneurship
261 women trained in crafts
One of our programs in India
Revitalizing traditional crops to promote them
To promote diversification of income sources, we support the development of the horticultural sector, a traditional pillar of Darjeeling’s economy that has been weakened by climate change.
This program supports communities by providing technical training specific to the cultivation of orchids and orange trees. We supply the seeds and equipment needed to start the farms. By mastering cultivation techniques and sustainable pest management, farmers develop a viable commercial enterprise that protects biodiversity.
Our agricultural lands have experienced a prolonged drought that has gradually decreased their fertility. We have sown vegetables, flowers, and fruit-bearing trees distributed by Karuna-Shechen: orange, lemon, guava, and banana plants. The training has helped us achieve a higher harvest than before. We wish this harmony to go on in our family and our village for generations to come.
Kamalful, Bijendra and Stephan, a family of horticulturists, Darjeeling