Exchange and learning visits have always been an integral part of the peer learning process within Asian Coalition for Housing Right Network and has helped to further strengthen the community process across the region. As part of the Collective Housing Project, our colleagues from Platform for Community Action and Architecture (POCAA) and key community leaders from Korail Dhaka and Jhenaidah, Bangladesh visited Nepal from 17th-21st of Feb, 2025. The visit was facilitated by Lumanti Support Group for Shelter. It was deeply impactful experience for everyone involved. The exchange allowed for meaningful insights into the role of women’s cooperatives in both social and economic empowerment.
 

They had a very interactive and insightful exchanges with the women leaders in Godavari and Mahalaxmi Municipalities in Kathmandu Valley. The long-standing work of groups like Thecho Mahila Jagaran Cooperative and Didi Bahini Cooperative is especially inspiring, as they have demonstrated how women’s collective action can create lasting change for marginalized communities. They also had an opportunity to visit and observe some of the initiatives which the Women Coops that taken for community development in their respective areas. To gain a better understanding of how the community led finance system works here, the team also visited Kalaiya Sub Metropolitan to see the work of Deep Shikha Women’s Cooperative and Urban Poverty Alleviation Forum, an active youth network in the city.  The collaboration between Deep Shikha Women’s Cooperative and the Urban Poverty Alleviation Forum, provided important insights into how collective action can address urban poverty. They also visited a number of housing project being implemented by Lumanti in partnership with communities in Kalaiya and Jeetpursimara Sub Metropolitan Cities. The team also interacted with city government authorities in Mahalaxmi and Kalaiya to understand how they are  partnering with community organizations and supporting the communities in accessing housing and other basic facilities.
 

It was a horizontal learning experience for not just the team from Bangladesh but also for our teams in these cities. Exchange visit was a truly enriching experience for the participants, fostering valuable peer learning and community engagement. The interaction between teams was inspiring, highlighted the power of women’s cooperatives in driving social and economic empowerment.