Nepal

Generating Income that Won't Wash Away

The Situation

Nepal is one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world, and the poorest families often live in the most affected areas. For example, seasonal rains are becoming more intense — causing frequent flash floods that wash away crops, livestock, homes and even people in already poor communities.

Your Impact

A decade ago, Lutheran World Relief began educating disaster-prone communities about disaster preparedness and flood-resilient agriculture.

Today, you are building on this success by supporting vulnerable families to grow their incomes through livelihoods and business skills training.

You Planted the Seed, He Turned It Into a Forest

Jayantri Kewat (above) spent season after season cultivating vegetables, only for them to rot beneath two feet of floodwater. “When the flood came, we were not sure we would survive,” he recalls. Jayantri, his wife and their eight children had to sleep in a tent on higher ground when their house flooded.

Jayantri Kewat's only son, 10-year-old Jay, amongst the banana trees. He helps on the farm when he isn't in school. Jayantri hopes Jay will one day run the family farm.

In 2014, Jayantri began attending Lutheran World Relief trainings on flood resilience. He also received 1,500 flood-resilient banana saplings and training on farming and business. With hard work, Jayantri started turning a profit. And by reinvesting those profits, over time he increased his farm to 20 times its original size.

In 2021, Nepal experienced record-breaking floods and crop losses. But that year, Jayantri made $43,000 USD from his banana farm — an amazing 43 times his original income — because of the training donors like you provided.

Jayantri carries a freshly cut bunch of bananas from one of the trees on his extensive farm in Southern Nepal.

Today, Jayantri has more than 7,000 banana trees and a sturdy house above the floodplain. He hosts his own trainings to help his neighbors increase their incomes through farming. His oldest daughter studies at a university, and he hopes the others will be close behind.

“I wouldn’t have made it this far if I didn’t get the training,” he says. “What makes me happiest is that I can adequately provide for my family now.”

Behind the Scenes

Bishnu Nepali, project coordinator for local partner Dalit Feminist Upliftment Organization (DAFUO) in Nepal is building up her own community.

“I am a Dalit and a woman and a mother. An outsider might not understand our community the same way I do … I thank all of our donors, big and small. We can’t do anything without them.”

– Bishnu Nepali

Your Reach So Far