Dressing for Success
The Bhagawati Women's Group of Jharuwarasi Village Development Committee have found a way to make things happen in their community: they dress for success!
A primary goal for ETC is to empower Nepali women to be leaders in their own communities. ETC has helped organize dozens of women's groups in Nepal who work to strengthen their local communities and ensure the sustainability and development of resources in their area. One of these groups recently took a step that no other group had before: they have dressed for success! The fifteen members of the Bhagawati Women's Group of Jharuwarasi Village Development Committee have, of their own initiative, designed and created a group uniform for the purpose of visually establishing their identity as an important organization!
In Nepal, women are widely discriminated against and are often ignored when they speak out about something, even when they do so in a large assembly. The Bhagawati Women's Group decided that had to change; the group has caught the attention of many in the community including an important government agency in their community, the Lalitpur District Development Committee (DDC)
After they made their uniforms, one of the group's first projects was to visit the DDC to request assistance for renovation of a bridge which leads into the village of Jharuwarasi. The bridge was in significant disrepair, limited the mobility of the people, and created problems for the movement of goods to and from the village. The Bhagawati Women's Group, therefore, assembled together, all dressed in the same, vibrant sari and marched to the DDC Office.
When the Committee members saw the women dressed so remarkably, they were astonished and very interested to know for what purpose the women had gathered to meet with them. The group described the state of the bridge and requested their assistance. The DDC was very impressed by the zeal of the women to unify together and aspire to further their community and standards of living. Much to the group's surprise, the committee granted them financial support to the tune of $10,563! Assistance of this magnitude is practically never heard of in Nepal, especially when it is petitioned by female advocates. This time it was the women themselves who were shocked! Other women from the adjoining communities heard what the Bhagawati Women's Group achieved and have been inspired to make uniforms for their groups. Based on Bhagawati Women's Group's example, they've concluded that uniforms are a stepping stone towards positive development and equality for women in Nepal.
