20 years of Samunnat Nepal
‘I never thought it would work out.’
Malcolm Moore reflects on 20 years working with the Samunnat project and talks about some of the things that have helped it survive and flourish.
This year is a special celebration for everyone involved with Samunnat Nepal. It’s 20 years since a group of Nepali friends in Birtamod, eastern Nepal, started an organisation to work with women who had experienced violence or abuse. No one thought that, two decades later, Samunnat would be where it is today. It is a testament to the determination and dedication of the organisation’s leaders, and of the many women who have come through its doors and rebuilt their lives.
Almost all of the polymer, tailoring, administration and cooperative workers gathered on Samunnat’s balcony
It isn’t possible, here, to mention all of the individuals who have contributed to Samunnat’s flourishing. The list includes good people from many groups: the Samunnat Board; the women who have come through Samunnat’s programs; local community organisations, business and government; the Birtamod police; and the many international supporters and teachers. You can read more of Samunnat’s story on the website.
I don’t think there’s a ‘model’ that has made Samunnat thrive; but there are definitely some people and qualities that have made its thriving possible. The first is Kopila Khadka. Kopila bahini has such passion, determination and courage, and she uses all of these qualities as she meets with Samunnat’s clients. She fights hard for clients’ legal rights, counsels and supports women in difficulty, and works with individuals and groups across the community. She has a passion for connecting with the community and helping people understand the huge issue of violence and abuse affecting women. She is the heart of Samunnat in eastern Nepal.
It can’t be hard work all of the time: you can find a tea-house after a long morning walk.
Wendy Moore’s influence lies very close to Kopila’s – and I’m not biased! When Kopila asked her to teach the organisation about polymer jewellery in 2006 Wendy was reluctant – but she visited to see what might be possible. Twenty years later she is no longer just a teacher and mentor but a dear friend and sister to Kopila. In fact, she has many friends and sisters across the whole organisation. Wendy lives with Kopila when she visits, twice every year, and they talk many times every week when she is back in Australia.
Sometimes you can get lost in a process…Wendy gets into flow.
Samunnat was lucky to find a good deal of financial independence when its polymer jewellery started to sell internationally. In the first years it needed donations and a small grant from an Australian Government aid program to get established. But the polymer sales have, until recently, almost totally funded Samunnat’s programs. Without the need to report to funding bodies or meet KPIs, Samunnat has been able to grow organically, try things, make mistakes and take its time. This is a luxury that isn’t available to many NGOs and charities.
The polymer artists get stuck into a new design
Having polymer as a key part of its operations has also opened doors to some great collaborations and support. The international polymer community helped raise money to construct Samunnat’s building. This was a great leap forward. It also led to collaboration with some international polymer artists who have visited Samunnat and continue to collaborate by Zoom – particularly Kathleen Dustin and Christine Dumont.
Wendy and I have been so lucky to have been able to work with Samunnat from the early days. After we left Nepal in 2010, to come home to Australia, there were some tricky times. But the huge advance in online technology has made it possible to collaborate in ways we never imagined. We can meet with the Board online and help with strategic planning. New translation tools let us put resources into Nepali, make signs that are hung in the Samunnat office and collaborate on educational presentations. Wendy can talk to Kopila and the polymer team most days. It’s a far cry from struggling with email, frequent power-cuts and terrible phone connections.
Translation tools have helped enormously!
Finally, it’s the women of Samunnat Nepal who make it grow. The board now has more than half its members who are women who came through its programs. There is a thriving tailoring program, trained by Janice Laurent from our Australian organisation, that is maturing and becoming more independent. Samunnat is a small organisation that has done big things because of the women who power it.
The tailoring group is busy making pieces for the local market, and working on designs for international sales.
The challenge, now, is to stay flexible and to change where it’s needed. I am writing this in Birtamod, where we have just met with Samunnat’s Board. They are rightly proud of everything that the organisation has achieved through its programs. We had a lively discussion about how Samunnat might adapt its training programs at a time when it is so difficult for women to find work. They are keen to grow their activity in community education and networking with other community groups. Above all, the women on the board spoke strongly about how they had been empowered, gained self-reliance and become confident and vocal. They know why Samunnat exists.