Partnership Overview

The Jyoti Community Development Service is a church-based ministry operating on the border in the south of Nepal. It was established in 2021 with the aim of empowering underprivileged women and helping them achieve self-reliance as well as stopping and preventing human trafficking. Their primary focus is to identify economically disadvantaged communities and implement programmes designed to generate income and build skills, ultimately promoting self-sufficiency. 

With this aim, the list of things they are involved in is extensive and includes:
a) A child development centre in a remote area where the children are far from a school and cannot go until they are at least 9 years old by which time, they are so far behind so many do not go at all.
b) Savings and credit groups – there are 9 groups with 362 participants. They mainly do agriculture, chickens and buffaloes.
c) Scholarships – there are two groups, younger and older and there are 21 being assisted.
d) Shoe making and sewing – they have run several projects and workshops
e) Business start-up – other groups do the training and find funds to support the first 3 months of operation.
f) Vegetable farming and goat farming training
g) Distribution of education materials for children at the beginning of the school year
h) Food distribution at critical times mainly among the Chepang people
i) Free medical camps from time to time where there is need
j) Anti trafficking activities – the border with India to the south of them is a major route for trafficking. This is not just sex trafficking but mainly for work. Everyday hundreds of Nepalis, mainly women cross the border. Many of them are being trafficked and there are brokers actively helping them. The team has set up a booth at the Treveni border that people can come to if they are in danger or not sure if they want to go. Through this they contact 80–100 people per month. Often the police will contact them, even late at night, to come and talk to a person. Sometimes the police catch the broker and prosecute them. For the girls that decide to stay, life becomes difficult. If they are runaways their community often does not want them back. If their parents have sold them, then they return to the border later. They refer the girls that do not want to return home to some NGOs that train them in skills and help them. 70% of the women are between 16 and 25 but they come as young as 12 and as old as 50. 

Jyoti would love to have their own skills training and restoration centre sometime in the future but currently their priority is to establish a sewing training programme for the girls they intercept and also for others from rural communities. 

History of Partnership

BHW's new partnership facilitator was first introduced to Rajan by another of our Nepalese partners in 2023. Rajan and his son Joseph travelled five hours by bus each way to meet him in Kathmandu. At that stage, he was impressed both with Rajan and Joseph, and also their ministry. 

On a subsequent trip to Nepal in 2024, the facilitators visited Bharatpur and many of the activities they are involved in. A discussion commenced about how BHW could commence a partnership with them in the most appropriate way. In April 2025 a proposal to commence a sewing programme was presented to the BHW Executive and approved. 

Jyoti is a church-based organisation with an NGO to enable them to do humanitarian work. They have a holistic understanding about development which aligns nicely with BHW values. 

Beneficiaries

The primary beneficiaries are the 24 girls on the sewing programme.

What We Like About The Partnership

They are church based.
They are already very involved in the community and impacting many lives.
The work they do builds good relationships with people and the community respects them for this. 
They have a clear understanding of the holistic nature of the gospel, and they talk in terms of development.

Key People

Leadership Profile

The father and mother, Rajan and Santa, are lovely people and leaders of the work. They have been working in this area for many years and have a significant network of people they have worked with. In one place we visited they have established a significant micro-loan programme benefitting hundreds of families. They are responsible for rescuing hundreds of women from trafficking activities. They are extremely hospitable and welcoming. 

Rajan and Santa have two sons working with them. Jeevan (John) speaks very good English and is an extrovert. Joseph is quieter and both are musical. 

All the family members are involved in the ministry. This is a labour of love for them all. They are passionate and skilled at what they do. 

Other People Involved

Currently in all the work they do there are 9 staff, all part-time, and many volunteers. Some of the part-timers are pastors of churches. 

Vision And Annual Strategy

Vision

Their vision is to empower individuals, especially women from disadvantaged backgrounds, and elevate their living standards through skill-based, income-generating programmes. They believe in the potential of every person to break free from the shackles of trafficking, poverty, and inequality, and to build a brighter future. 

Strategy

The sewing training course will run for 5 months, for 6 hours per day, divided into three classes each lasting two hours. Each class will have eight girls participating. In each class, four girls will use the sewing machines to learn sewing for one hour, while the other four girls will learn measurement and cloth cutting design. After one hour, they will switch roles.

After completing the training, out of the 24 participants, they will select three talented girls and support them in starting a joint business. They will provide them with three sewing machines, cover three months of rent, and supply other necessary items to help them start their business. After three months, they are expected to be able to sustain themselves independently.

Some of the remaining participants will be able to find sewing jobs in nearby towns or cities, as they will have the necessary skills after the training. This will enable them to sustain themselves. Some of them will sew clothes from their homes while staying with their families. They can earn money by sewing clothes for their neighbours, and by making clothes for their own families they will also save money, as they will not need to spend on outside tailoring services.

Annual Budget

The initial budget to establish the sewing centre is US$6,726 which will cover:
- costs to set up the centre (5 sewing machines, table, chairs, scissors, rent, trainer fee etc)
- funds to set up a business for three girls at end of course
- sewing machines and scissors for the remaining 21 girls