Susan Muis (center) with the Madesh community. Photo: LWF
(BLOG) – Earlier this year, I visited Nepal to meet with local communities, staff, and partners. This visit reminded me that while development frameworks and global funding were rapidly shifting, the heart of our work remained with the people—their realities, strengths, and voices.
The primary purpose of my visit was to meet the people at the grassroots—the real agents of change. When I see things with my own eyes and speak with community members directly, I learn to understand their realities and how they cope with sudden changes.
I traveled to the Terai region in Madhesh Province, one of LWF Nepal's newer program areas. The field visit revealed the daily struggles of a segment of the Nepali population that has been marginalized for decades. I saw many families living in overcrowded homes, their fragile houses damaged by a rainstorm the night before my visit.
I saw boys and girls lingering in the streets during school hours. When I asked why they weren't in class, they couldn’t answer. Their mothers later told me they were uncomfortable discussing this with the teachers. Some of the mothers couldn’t read themselves, and others did not have the confidence to engage directly.
Discrimination, particularly caste- and gender-based, was a recurring topic in my conversations with people. You hear the pain and see how deeply rooted injustice continues to exist. However, I also witnessed how community members are challenging these injustices, not just for themselves but for others, too. That's powerful as it acts as an example for others, speaking out and stepping up.
Transformative education
A core element of LWF Nepal's response is the Transformative Education Program (TEP). Through this initiative, community members participate in sessions that raise awareness of hygiene, gender-based violence, local governance, and income generation. After participating in the program, the community members often join hands cooperatives and self-help networks.
A woman from the Mayuri Livelihood group running a shop she was able to set up with the project. Photo: LWF/ S. Muis
Many of them also initiate small businesses and engage in local advocacy. It's incredible to see how knowledge transforms into action. Dr. Bijaya Bajracharya, who is the Country Director of LWF Nepal, told me: "We begin by ensuring communities are organizing themselves. Then we provide tools, knowledge, and platforms for them to engage with local authorities and claim their rights.”
I think that LWF’s strength lies precisely in this closeness and engagement with local communities and in the ability to elevate grassroots voices to national and international forums. LWF and partners are based near the people they serve, so they can gather accurate information and amplify these voices through platforms like the UN Human Rights Council and CEDAW.
You hear the pain and see the injustice, but I also witnessed how some community members are challenging these injustices, not just for themselves but for others.
Susan MUIS
That bridge between local and global advocacy is vital. It ensures that evidence, directly derived from the reality of people's experiences, shapes policies and priorities at every level.
Impact of funding cuts
I visited during a difficult time: the suspension of USAID funding, which impact development work in Nepal, including projects run by the LWF. Many projects ended abruptly, which will again increase poverty levels in Nepal. In addition, more than 23,000 people working in developing Nepal have lost their jobs. It's a stark reminder that foreign aid, while essential, is fragile.
These cuts have direct implications for employment, access to health, education, and livelihoods. They remind us of the urgency of building locally led and sustained development mechanisms. This has been and continues to be the LWF’s approach.
As Dr. Bajracharya told me, "This situation highlights the fragility of foreign aid dependency. While we remain committed, it reinforces the urgency of strengthening locally led and sustained development mechanisms."
What stayed with me most was the determination of Nepal's communities, their commitment to change, and their refusal to be sidelined.
I was inspired by the resilience and determination of Nepal's most marginalized communities. Civil society actors have worked tirelessly for years to build progress. We cannot let that momentum fade. Marginalized groups must continue to be heard, supported, and included—locally, nationally, and globally.
