19 February 2010
Bal Kumari, 20, is a Dalit, a marginalised caste in Nepalese society formerly known as “untouchables”. But, as well as being a Dalit, Bal is also a vet, a shopkeeper, a student – and a highly respected member of her village.
Life changed for Bal when she joined a work scheme run by a DFID programme aimed at improving transport links in rural Nepal. As well as creating jobs for poor people, the programme provides training, financial services and help with establishing small businesses.
Bal was provided with 15 months of livestock training that enabled her to carry out veterinary work locally. “Although people were originally a bit sceptical that I could do the job because I’m a woman, I proved I could do it,” says Bal.
“I also explain to farmers how to look after their animals,” she says. “For example, many of them didn’t know about tapeworm and wondered why their animals were dying. Since I’ve explained how to treat this problem, livestock deaths have fallen by a half.”
Bal was also able to borrow start-up cash to open a shop selling veterinary medicines and a range of household goods. Profits from the shop help to pay off Bal’s student loan as she pursues further veterinary training. They also pay for her brother’s education and provide her family – who lost their father and breadwinner several years ago – with a decent living. Now even the local Brahmins, traditionally the top caste in Nepalese society, look on Bal with admiration.
Facts and stats
- DFID’s infrastructure support to the government of Nepal has helped to reduce poverty from 42% to 31% in the last decade.
- The Rural Access Programme, which is the programme that helped Bal, has connected over 1 million people in remote districts to the national road network, through the construction of 1,500 kilometres of rural roads and 2,200 pedestrian bridges. It has provided 10 million days of employment for 150,000 poor and disadvantaged people, helping 10,000 households to clear their debts.
- Two-thirds of road building group members are from the socially excluded Janajati and Dalit castes and one-third of them are women.
- The new roads have also helped poor people access health facilities (child vaccinations up from 59% to 93% in RAP areas, since 2001) and helped increase access to education (up from 75% to 92%).
- DFID provided £36 million for Phase I of the programme (ended in 2008) and £17 million for its second phase.