From Kingston to Kathmandu: Women empowering women through travel
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Empowering women and girls to live with hope, dignity and independence after trafficking and violence – that’s the goal of the Canberra-founded, volunteer-run organisation Project Didi Australia.
Founded by three Canberra businesswomen in 2014 after they wanted to support survivors of trafficking to finish their schooling, ten years on Project Didi works in partnership with locally-led organisations in Nepal to provide holistic care, education and opportunities for safe employment for those who need it most.
After seeing the disruption of short term volunteers on survivors’ wellbeing, Project Didi started to run trips to Nepal as a way to connect their Australian supporters meaningfully with their local partners. The Women Empowering Women trips – by women and for women – focus on shared learning and celebrate women leading change in their communities through visits, workshops and genuine connections with Nepali people.
Anne is one of several Canberra women who joined Project Didi Australia’s Women Empowering Women trip to Nepal earlier this year.
“I knew that political upheaval, earthquakes and COVID must have taken their toll on Nepal but was amazed and inspired by the resilience and creativity of the people we met, especially the women of Asha and Samunnat, Project Didi’s local partner organisations,” she says.
“They were doing the empowering, we felt lucky being able to witness it.”
Anne had backpacked in Nepal when she was younger and, like many, was attracted to the opportunity to revisit Nepal’s spectacular scenery. Her recent trip offered a new side of Nepal travellers rarely see. Anne and nine other women, accompanied by Project Didi’s co-founder and an experienced local Nepali guide, travelled to Eastern Nepal, where they met with artisans, social entrepreneurs and family enterprises.
Travellers make a tangible difference to the lives of the women they meet, through a donation to Project Didi’s local partners. Anne joined several of the women who travelled this year in hosting a curry night for their community to raise their donation.
But travellers also learn as much as they give. In Kathmandu, the group is invited into the homes of Asha Nepal’s housemothers to cook alongside them and learn about the critical care they provide for trafficking survivors. In the east, the group learns to make a piece of jewellery from the Samunnat ladies, whose creations are sold internationally and reinvested back into helping women overcome poverty and violence. And despite the different languages, there’s lots of laughter, colour and shared understanding.
Jill came away feeling inspired by the women’s resilience and confidence.
“The Sammunat women remain committed to upskilling in their polymer clay jewellery making, acquiring independence, teaching other women skills and supporting women escaping domestic violence.” she says.
Moved by her time in Nepal, Jill and another member of the group, Heather, are opening up their Griffith and Campbell gardens in October in support of Project Didi’s partners. They, along with several of the group, are putting on markets, flowers and momos (Nepali dumplings). You can even purchase your own piece of Samunnat jewellery!
Jill, Anne and Heather also encourage Canberra women to take the leap and join a Women Empowering Women trip. There are two running in March and November next year.
While Anne was a bit apprehensive about joining the trip at first she reflects that the group were “an adventurous bunch of emotionally intelligent women, led by very experienced guides, so I had a fun trip plus the bonus of making new friends!”
For more information visit projectdidiaustralia.org
Images supplied.
