Women's Enterprise Initiative

Constructing earthquake resistant buildings is vital in order to ensure a safe future for communities in Nepal. A large portion of men have emigrated from villages in search of better job opportunities, leaving women and their families left behind in villages that still need to be rebuilt. We believe that it is crucial that women are given the support needed to rebuild their communities by using an earthquake resistant technology, since the it is not a matter of if a new earthquake will hit, but when it’s going to hit.

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Providing women with the right tools

The Women’s Enterprise Initiative’s main objective is to provide women in Nepal the education they need to start their own construction business. By supporting our work, you help a woman get the education and the support she needs to start her own micro-construction business. It takes 6-12 months to start the business, and during this process the woman receives construction training, quality assurance and long-term rebuilding support. It is estimated that one micro-business will build 15–25 houses per year, which will increase the amount of job opportunities available to people and therefore benefit the entire community.

Educating future female construction entrepreneurs results in earthquake-proof houses, and also contributes to an increased gender equality in the communities of Nepal. Providing women with the tools and the resources they need to start their own construction business allows them to take a bold step into an industry that traditionally is considered to be one where women simply do not belong. This educational program empowers women to build themselves a better future.

Compressed Stabilized Earth Bricks

Participants are taught to use the earthquake resistant technology called Compressed Stabilized Earth Bricks (CSEB). It is a method recommended by the Nepalese government, and also the one that traditionally has been used in the earthquake affected areas of India, Pakistan and Iran.

CSEB were used in the project to reconstruct Alaiche Kedar Primary School, proving to be a highly functional and sustainable technology. 

 

The advantages of CSEB, compared to other building methods

The use of local material

The earthquake resistant technology makes use of locally extracted material, which strengthens the local economy and reduces transportation costs and emissions.

Sustainable

Compared to the more traditional method called Country Fired Bricks, CSEB releases 60% less carbon dioxide, and is therefore a very environmentally friendly technology.

More job opportunities

It is a simple technology that does not require advanced skills. This allows unskilled and unemployed villagers to increase their skillset, which results in the creation of more job opportunities.

Cost efficient and fast 

Thanks to the use of locally extracted material and the technology being fairly easy to produce, the method is both cost and time efficient.