Mechinagar/Baitadi, June 29: Two municipalities in Nepal have taken significant steps toward promoting self-employment and entrepreneurship by investing in skill development centers and training programs aimed at empowering women and youth.
In Mechinagar Municipality of Koshi Province, a state-of-the-art Women Skill Development Centre has been constructed in Ward No. 8 with the objective of transforming women from rural, marginalized, and economically disadvantaged communities into self-sufficient entrepreneurs. The centre was built at an investment of Rs 350 million, and is jointly funded by the federal government, provincial government, and the municipality.
Deputy Mayor Mina Upreti shared that the initiative is one of the municipality's pride projects, designed to empower disadvantaged women by imparting skills they want along with practical skills for income generation. The municipality has assured that it would also facilitate market access for the products made by trainees.
The training programs offered at the centre include decorative item production, bag making, flower vase crafting, Dhaka weaving, and computer training—all aimed at fostering entrepreneurship and self-dependence among women.
Meanwhile, in Dasharathchand Municipality of Baitadi district, 47 young individuals have been trained in traditional skill-based crafts through a 52-day training program. The initiative covered bamboo craft, leather processing, and woodcraft, and was conducted with the support of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies.
According to state-owned Rising Nepal Daily, a leather processing centre has been established in Jhokaali-1, where 15 local youths received specialized training. The remaining 32 participants from Dehimando-2 and nearby areas were trained in bamboo and wood crafts. The municipality is distributing necessary tools and equipment to the trainees to help them establish their own businesses.
Participants have already started producing items such as bamboo stools, chairs, racks, and wooden crafts, some of which were exhibited and sold at Nepal-India trade fairs. Trainees expressed confidence in building careers within Nepal, thanks to the support received.
“This training has given me the skills and confidence to start my own woodcraft business in Dehimando Bazaar,” said Prem Bhandari, a trainee from Ward 3. Similarly, Uddhav Lawad, who previously engaged in traditional bamboo work, said he can now produce more marketable bamboo products using newly learned techniques.
These projects underscore the growing role of local governments in fostering entrepreneurship through skill development, ultimately contributing to the economic empowerment of women and youth in rural Nepal.
