Target Group:

• 30 women in each class group

Rational:

• The Maoist conflict has left many rural women widows.  There has been over more than 15,000 deaths due to the conflict in the last 10 years. Rural villages have been most affected as the Maoists gained control of these areas.  Many women are without a way to make a livelihood for their families. Many of these women have no basic reading, writing and/or life skills.
• Past experience has built these courses into highly successful training for women. So this is not a new venture for the Women's Development Society.  However funding money from Australia has dried up.

Purpose:

• Rural women need to be taught basic reading and writing skills. Without husbands women need to be educated in basic life skills such as; opening a bank account, services of a bank, benefits of saving, advantages of medical clinics over local "witch doctor", communication skills, problem solving skills, women's rights, women's health issues, how to deal with children's losses, budgeting etc. A woman gains her status from her husband. Without husbands, women, victims of conflict, are often left adrift.  
• The  course is specifically designed to meet the needs of each particular rural area where the course is offered because rural areas in Nepal vastly differ in ethnic and cultural traditions. Thus one course for one rural district may not be suited for another rural area. Courses then are based on available local resources, using local teachers and co-ordinators where possible.  The instructional method is inter-active.  Women participate in the daily classes and work through practical training exercises.

Area :

• Rural outlying districts of Nepal

Cost and what is covered:

• Each class cost $3,500.00 CND for 30 women.
• Six [6] months of literacy and life skills training classes,
• Teacher's salary, co-ordinator's salary [co-ordinator networks with the village heads, co-ordinates exposure field trips to banks, markets, and other services that a woman may need to access], 
• Books, stationary, blackboard, chalk, purchase of kerosene lanterns if there is no electricity, if electricity videos,
• Transportation to places that will be visited during the exposure field trips.
• Meeting room for teaching, mats to sit on [no chairs],
• Mats to sleep on as women come from outlying villages in these rural areas,
• Daily meals

Possible Date:

• As funds are available.

The "THREE R's" brings hope and pride to women of any age !