She Leads: Life Skills and Livelihood Support for Most Marginalized Women and Girls in Nepal

She Leads is a transformative initiative implemented by Janaki Women Awareness Society (JWAS) in partnership with Street Child of Nepal to empower marginalized married Dalit women through education, skills development, and economic opportunities.

Recognizing the persistent challenges of poverty, caste-based discrimination, gender inequality, and limited access to education and livelihoods, the project adopts a holistic approach that combines life skills education, financial literacy, vocational training, and enterprise support. Implemented through a cohort-based model, the initiative has reached 923 married Dalit women across two cohorts in Janakpurdham Municipality, Dhanusha district, Madhesh Province, equipping them with the confidence, knowledge, and resources needed to improve their socio-economic well-being, exercise their rights, and build sustainable livelihoods. By investing in women's leadership and economic resilience, She Leads is helping create stronger families, more inclusive communities, and lasting social change.

Project at a Glance:

➜ Duration: 20 Months (1st February 2025 to September 2026)
➜ Implemented by : Janaki Women Awareness Society (JWAS) in partnership with Street Child of Nepal (SCoN)
➜ Project Area: Janakpurdham Municipality, Dhanusha District, Madhesh Province
➜ Implementation Approach: Cohort-based
➜ 1st Cohort: 423 married Dalit women (15–25 years)
➜ 2nd Cohort: 500 married Dalit women
➜ Total Participants: 923 marginalized married Dalit women

Why She Leads?

Addresses the interconnected challenges of;
➜ Poverty and unemployment
➜ Caste- and gender-based discrimination
➜ Low literacy and limited educational opportunities
➜ Early marriage and restricted economic choices
➜ Supports women to become confident, economically independent, and active participants in their families and communities.

Integrated Support Package:

Life Skills Education,
➜ Women's rights and leadership
➜ Reproductive health (SRHR)
➜ Gender-based violence prevention and response
➜ Communication and decision-making
➜ Civic participation and local governance

Financial Literacy:
➜ Budgeting and household financial management
➜ Savings Credit and money management
➜ Business planning, enterprise management and record keeping
Livelihood Skills & Enterprise Support
➜ Market-oriented vocational skills training
➜ Business start-up planning
➜ Livelihood support through productive assets such as sewing machines, livestock, and other enterprise tools based on participants' selected livelihoods

Expected Impact:
➜ Increased confidence and leadership
➜ Improved livelihood and income opportunities
➜ Greater financial independence
➜ Enhanced participation in household and community decision-making
➜ Long-term social and economic empowerment of marginalized Dalit women

Information updated on: July 2026
Updated by: Bishnu K. Bhandari, Program Manager, JWAS