More than 170 earthquake affected low income families representing 16 groups from 13 Municipalities in Kathmandu Valley are benefitted from the financial grant in Kathmandu to re-start their income generating activities that have been affected by April Earthquake. The grant support was distributed on 24 April 2016 in a program organized by Lumanti Support Group for Shelter in partnership with Community Women Forum. The grant is provided under the project titled 'Access to livelihood gaining hope' supported by MISEREOR. Total of 1.5 million rupees is distributed to individual (maximum NRs 9000) and group (maximum NRs 150000) identified by the community networks and women groups through thorough assessment.

Addressing the gathering at the program, Senior Social Development Officer at the District Development Committee (DDC), Kathmandu Deepak Kumar KC praised the efforts of Lumanti and its stakeholders to start the project that aims to relieve people from the pains of April 2015 earthquake. He advised the beneficiaries not to take the support as a small amount but use it as the seed money in the intended income generating activities. He also recalled the study findings which showed that investments made in women are less likely to be misused and hoped that the project support will also be utilized to the maximum. Talking about the need of coordination with government agencies, he assured that the DDC will provide all necessary support to make the project successful.

Speaking in the program, Officer at Social Welfare Department in Kathmandu Metropolis office Sanumaiya Maharjan expressed her happiness on the launch of the project that intends to revive disrupted income generation activities after the earthquake. She talked about the instances of irregularities in many other earthquake relief program in the Valley and praised Lumanti's  efforts of making the project more transparent by coordinating with different government agencies. She hoped that the project benefits will help to solve financial problems of the beneficiaries to some extent.

On the occasion, Executive Director of Lumanti Support Group for Shelter Lajana Manandhar shared the project objectives to bring hope in the lives of people severely shocked by the disastrous earthquake. She highlighted that the project intends to support about 170 families from 13 municipalities in the Kathmandu Valley whose livelihood was disrupted by earthquake of April 2015. She told that the beneficiaries were selected in coordination with different saving groups or cooperatives in the Kathmandu Valley affiliated to Community Women Forum. She also talked about training component of the project which intends to increase income of the beneficiaries with their skill upgrading. She hoped that the project  will  help all the beneficiaries to re-start their disrupted livelihood and regain the pace of life forgetting the pain of earthquake. 

Beneficiary representatives Nani Devi Maharjan from Thecho, Mr. Gyanbhakta Maharjan from Khokana and Ms. Sunita Dangol from Sankhu talked about the difficulties they are facing in the absence of family income after the earthquake. They shared their happiness to receive support from the project and assured that they will utilize it to bring new hope in their life by restarting their income generation activities.

Representing the beneficiary selection cooperatives chairperson of Shree Ganesh Agriculture and Multi-purpose Cooperative, Thaiba Sangita Napit thanked Lumanti and Community Women Forum (CWF) for implementing the project to benefit the people in real need whose livelihood is totally disrupted by the earthquake of April 2015. She recalled earlier earthquake relief works by Lumanti in several communities soon after the earthquake to bring hope in people. She committed to ensure full utilization of the support by the beneficiaries and re-start their income generation activities.

Chairperson of Community Women Forum (CWF) Bindu Shrestha had presented the welcome remarks.  She highlighted the importance of income for economic development of family that starts from earnings by women. 

Concluding the program, Chaiperson of Lumanti SupportGroup for Shelter and chair of the program Prafulla Man Singh Pradhan talked about the government's plans to reconstruct the damages caused by the devastating earthquake. He explained the project as a small effort towards economic rehabilitation of the earthquake victims. He also expressed best wishes to all the beneficiaries so that they could bring in new hope in their lives with this small but important support.