Bhadaure village achieved a significant milestone yesterday: the Bhadaure Women Agriculture Cooperative Ltd. received its official registration in Chisankhugadi Rural Municipality-6 of Okhaldhunga. This marks ViN’s launch of the fourth successful agricultural cooperatives in Nepal, underscoring our holistic women empowerment programs and robust community development volunteering approach.
What Is a Cooperative—and Why It Matters
A cooperative is a member-owned business that pools capital, skills, and resources to deliver services or market products. In Nepal, cooperatives include:
- Saving & Credit Cooperatives
- Multipurpose Cooperatives
- Agriculture Cooperatives
- Specialized Cooperatives (e.g., Milk, tea, coffee, beekeeping)
Today, 31,373 cooperatives serve 7.38 million Nepalis, mobilize Rs. 478 billion in deposits, and create over 57,000 jobs—contributing around 3–4% of Nepal’s GDP. These figures highlight the power of cooperative farming models in Nepal and sustainable agriculture initiatives to stabilize rural economies and drive gender equality in rural development.
ViN’s Holistic Model for Women’s Empowerment
ViN’s women empowerment programs stand out because we combine four pillars:
- Education & Life Skills—literacy, health, and leadership training
- Microfinance for Women Nepal—micro-loans and credit management
- Entrepreneurship Development—business planning and mentoring
- Trafficking Prevention & Rights Awareness—legal literacy and safety networks
We begin by forming 11-member study circles—small, trusted groups of women. After foundational training, these circles transition into legally registered women’s cooperatives in Nepal, equipped to manage finances, governance, and growth independently.
Milestone Cooperatives in ViN’s Portfolio
| Cooperative | Year | Members | Lifetime Transactions | Status |
| Jitpurphedi Women Agriculture | 2009 | 1,100 | NPR 83 million | Fully self-sufficient |
| Taluwa Women Multipurpose | 2016 | 620 | NPR 15 million | Fully self-sufficient |
| Saraswoti Women Agriculture | 2021 | 510 | NPR 6 million | Growing |
| Bhadaure Women Agriculture | 2025 | 500 | — | Newly registered |
Each cooperative shows how empowering women through cooperatives sparks real change: expanded credit access, strengthened local leadership, and improved rural women’s education programs.
The Bhadaure Launch: A Community Celebration
On 27 May 2025, 500 founding members gathered alongside local officials to mark the registration:
- Municipality Chairperson – Nishant facilitated the legal process.
- Ward President- Balaram rallied community support.
- Women of Bhadaure pledged to uphold cooperative principles.
“I can’t express my joy—this moment feels like the sweetest reward after 20 years of dedication.”
— Bhupi Ghimire, Founder President, ViN
Their smiles reflected years of perseverance: from early savings meetings to navigating red tape—and now, legal status.
A heartfelt thank you to our incredible Women’s Empowerment Volunteers, Francesca and Manuela, whose fundraising efforts and unwavering encouragement played a vital role in making this process possible.
National Cooperative Landscape & Its Impact
- Cooperatives in Nepal: 31,373 registered
- Members:38 million (≈25% of the population)
- Total Deposits: NPR 478 billion
- GDP Contribution: 3–4%
- Employment: 57,894 direct jobs
This thriving sector shows that microfinance for women in Nepal and agricultural cooperatives in Nepal offer robust pathways to financial inclusion and community resilience.
Voices from ViN’s Volunteers
“My time in Okhaldhunga taught me that true change happens when you serve alongside locals, not just for them.”
— Anna Müller, Europe (ESC Volunteer)
“Helping establish organic farming cooperatives, Nepal gave me hope for sustainable rural livelihoods.”
— James Smith, USA
“I watched rural women step confidently into leadership roles—that’s the power of our women’s cooperatives in Nepal approach.”
— Emily Carter, UK
“As a microfinance specialist, seeing loans transform families in JitpurPhedi was deeply rewarding.”
— Liam Chen, Canada
“Teaching digital literacy to women in remote villages connects them to global markets—true social entrepreneurship in Nepal.”
— Olivia Patel, Australia
Testimonials from Bhadaure Members
“Now we can access loans at fair rates and invest in our farms. Our daughters can dream bigger.”
— Sita Devi Tamang, Founding Member
“Working together has given me new confidence. We are more than a savings club; we are a force.”
— Shusma Gurung, Secretary
“The cooperative brings stability. For the first time, I feel secure about our future.”
— Kiran Limbu, Treasurer
Future Horizons
Next Steps for Scale
ViN plans to merge Taluwa, Thulachhap, and Bhadaure into a unified rural finance hub, broadening capital access and supporting cooperative farming models in Nepal.
Replication & Partnerships
We invite NGOs, government bodies, and CSR teams to replicate this proven model of women’s empowerment through volunteer abroad. Together, we can expand sustainable agriculture initiatives and gender equality in rural development nationwide.
Get Involved
- Volunteer with ViN’s life-skills and entrepreneurship workshops.
- Donate to support new cooperatives and digital labs.
- Share this story to inspire others.
Join us in cultivating a future where every woman leads, learns, and thrives.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are cooperatives in Nepal?
Member-owned enterprises pooling resources to deliver credit, services, or market goods.
How do they empower women?
Through micro-loans, business training, and leadership opportunities for women in agriculture.
What is ViN’s approach?
Form 11-member clubs → train in literacy & finance → register as cooperatives → achieve self-reliance.
How can I volunteer?
Explore volunteer opportunities in Nepal with ViN for hands-on community development volunteering.
How do cooperatives impact GDP?
They contribute 3–4% of Nepal’s GDP by mobilizing savings and extending rural credit.
What support do new cooperatives receive?
ViN provides complete financial and human-resource support until they sustain themselves.
How can my organization partner?
Contact ViN to adopt our cluster-to-co-op model for social entrepreneurship in Nepal.
About स्वयंसेबी अभियान नेपाल (ViN)
For nearly twenty years, ViN has led holistic women’s empowerment programs, uplifting over 3,500 rural women through education, microfinance, and entrepreneurship. Our cooperative model turns learning circles into thriving community-run enterprises.
Embrace Volunteer Abroad Women’s Empowerment. Support women’s cooperatives in Nepal. Together, we cultivate shared prosperity. Apply now to volunteer
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