Nepal - Sandeep Lamsal - 2010 Graduate

Sandeep Lamsal

Kalika Self-Reliance Social Center (KSSC)

Graduate Impact Study site visit, February 2015

by Steven Cutting

“Only saying and saying something is not very effective, but when you do with them…they absorb this very nicely, so I feel this is very good for my leadership development.”

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Sandeep

Sandeep grew up in a farming family. His father migrated down from the hills to re-establish their home in the Terai plains, a much friendlier environment for agriculture, and they live there to this day. Sandeep works in the Kalika Self-reliance Social Center (KSSC) where he manages the Poverty Alleviation Fund Nepal, an ambitious project started by the former prime minister in 2008 to reduce poverty in Nepal by half by the year 2015. Though not on target to achieve that goal, the fund has produced significant improvements in many villages so Sandeep is confident it will continue.

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Street scenes in the Terai plains

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Street scenes in the Terai plains

Operating in 12 districts, KSSC works with Village Development Committees (VDCs) to build groups for savings and credit and income generation and has formed over a thousand to date. Each group contain 15-20 members and grant money from the fund is provided to the group, which then lends it out to individual farmers, creating a revolving fund. Members make their own management rules about such things as interest rates and repayment systems. KSSC also assists them in establishing their income generation projects, examples of which are vegetable farming, pig and chicken rearing, and cottage industries. “In this particular area we assist them with agriculture,” explains Sandeep. “They are doing this very nicely.” Extra money earned by families often goes for education, especially for higher education. Sandeep describes two types of groups he works with primarily, those who have come in from the hilly areas, and those who have migrated from India. The former groups are doing well in terms of their group work, income generation activities, repayment system, and institutional development, whereas the latter groups have faced many challenges, especially in terms of loan repayment.

https://gyazo.com/d7e4d3160d51919f5180069a30e8869d

KSSC Nepal

About a year ago, Sandeep also became involved in program called the Local Government Accountability Facility, which monitors the activities of local government to see that they are in line with the law and advises them in cases where they have deviated. They also empower communities to know what their rights are and what government resources and opportunities are available for them. Thinking of his community involvement, Sandeep reflects, “After ARI the working attitude and approach is very changed. We are more close. Only saying and saying something is not very effective, but when you do with them…they absorb this very nicely, so I feel this is very good for my leadership development.”

https://gyazo.com/e0bc0d0c501c6b1ca3b03658316e80c2

Buddha's birth place

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