1. Background 

The Nepal Association of the Blind (NAB) and the Danish Association of the Blind (DAB) have been working in a partnership since 2020. Thus far, the partners have carried out two projects: a one-year pilot collaboration which ran from July 2020 to July 2021, followed by a three-year project titled “HP 317-278 Empowerment and Inclusion of BPS Persons in Nepal”.  

Project onset was in August 2021 and it is scheduled to conclude at the end of July 2024. The total budget allocated was DKK 2.999.594. The expected long-term impact is that “Blind and Partially Sighted (BPS) persons in Nepal have access to rights and services on equal terms as other citizens”. Three outcomes are envisaged: (i) Outcome 1: the NAB organisational structure is further developed and new municipal branches are capacitated to function as active and democratic levels of the NAB organisation.  (ii) Outcome 2: NAB branches are supporting their members in accessing services and opportunities (financial and political) and (iii) Outcome 3: Strategic duty bearers are addressing relevant BPS issues politically and financially. The project operates through an office in Surkhet since the pilot phase, with outreach to 15 municipalities in four districts (Surkhet, Dailekh, Jajarkot, Salyan). Project interventions include data collection on Blind and Partially Sighted (BPS) persons , organising them into municipal branches and providing training on issues such as orientation & mobility (O&M), daily living skills (DLS), community-based rehabilitation, basic leadership, fundraising, organisational development, advocacy, mentorship and financial management. In addition, there are Income-Generating Activities (IGAs), such as selling soap, dry snacks, phenyl, others. Finally, the project includes advocacy towards municipal authorities and representation in the local Disability Coordination Committees.  

2. Effectiveness 

Six of the eight outcome indicators have made satisfactory progress. 

Regarding the first outcome (NAB’s organisational structure is developed), two out of three outcome indicators saw satisfactory progress. One target has “partly satisfactory progress”: while the target was to produce two documents (as part of a handbook), four have been prepared, among others, information and communication guidelines, microproject planning, and the mentorship manual and advocacy toolkits. However, not all documents are yet known or used broadly by the relevant municipal/national structure. Two targets were achieved: 15 of NAB’s 53 municipal branches have been formed under this project (including the pilot project). All of them have elected boards – which was the target. Also, 13 branches now mentor each other (the target was that five branches would mentor five new branches), although according to the new Mentorship Manual, the approach to this matter is about to be changed 

Regarding the second outcome (“NAB branches support members to access services”), two of three outcome indicators have made satisfactory progress. A total of 104 blind and partially sighted (BPS) persons accessed economic opportunities (the target was 100). Further, 426 (47.7% women) BPS persons are participating in the current project (769 if the pilot project is included, with 46% being women). Of these, 73% have received an ID card and 68% have a social security allowance (the target was 40% for each of these). On the other hand, only eight NAB municipal branch members were able to access local schemes (the target was 60), so this is unsatisfactory.  

As for the third outcome (Strategic duty bearers are addressing relevant BPS issues politically), the two outcome indicators are by and large satisfactory: 11 municipalities have BPS members on the disability coordination committee (the target was 10), although not all got there with support from the project. There is an indicator regarding whether NAB is recognized as the legitimate representative of BPS. The current situation is that duty bearers in 15 project municipalities (the target number) have been in contact with NAB branches/or members regarding the disability card. At national level, NAB has very good contact with key ministries and their departments. While formally satisfactory overall, there is one (sub-)target that is important and was not reached, namely to have five of the priorities listed by NAB branches included in the municipal budget (“Red Book”) (status is zero). Of the 18 output indicators, the status of 7 is “satisfactory”, 7 are considered “partly satisfactory”, and 4 are found to be “not satisfactory.”  

3. Efficiency 

Costs-inputs: Costs for salaries, project expenses and allowances are within reasonable limits. Of the total expenditure in Nepal, 89% of the budget was spent on project actions and activities, and 11% on its administration. This indicates a modest level of expenditure on administrative matters. Cost-outcome: The investments in IGA groups should lead to access to economic opportunities and improved living conditions for BPS. However, almost half the members have dropped out, so there is a need to adjust the model.  

Set-up: Overall, project management has been set up as planned. In Nepal, staff in Kathmandu includes a director (33% of his salary is paid by the project), an accountant (31%) and a programme officer (35%). A full-time team of seven persons (a project coordinator and six social mobilizers, supported by an administrative officer and driver), who are based in Surkhet and the municipalities, implement the project. In general, the project staff is doing a good job. The work of the social mobilisers is highly appreciated and the local coordinator is committed to organising the interventions. However, the project has been affected by high turnover among key staff, as well as the passing of the previous director. There seems to be a need for strengthening coordination between Kathmandu and project interventions. This could be done by carrying out the envisaged monthly meetings and visits to the field. 

4. Sustainability 

The sustainability of the municipal branches is not yet guaranteed. In order to be able to continue some of the activities, it is crucial to increase organisational and advocacy capacity, as well as to forge links to the municipal local governments, so they can access resources. The SMs may be the best positioned to identify key persons at municipal level that can continue the branch activities. While some training is sustainable (O&M, DLS), other, more complex training (advocacy, leadership management) needs follow-up. Many activities focus on IGA, and it is also important that IGA does not “shadow” for the organisational development process of local NAB branches. 

The IGA provide a contribution to income, help the branch to offer a service to members and bring branch members together, as well as showing the Nepali people that BPS can be productive members of society. However, for most of the IGA groups, the model should be adapted in such a way as to increase their sustainability and to ensure members earn more than 1.25 USD per day (UN upper limit for extreme poverty). It is assumed that having such an income would contribute to members beginning to escape the extreme poverty trap. Fundraising is a key element for sustainability. Income diversification of income is key for sustainability of both the IGA groups and the branches. The latter should continue presenting proposals to and possibly suggest MoU with i) the municipal government and corresponding wards, who can provide different types of support (financial, in-kind, equipment, land, etc.; ii) the Provincial government; iii) NGOs (SAC Nepal, KIRDARC). In addition, other sources are iv) income from sales of products; v) private companies; and vi) contributions from citizens and members in support of the branch.  

5. IGA 

There were a total of 195 BPS members (46% female) enrolled in IGA. Of these, 75 have been involved since the pilot project, whereas the remaining 120 (56% female) joined once the project per se got underway (60 in the first year and another 60 in the second year of the project). Among the 195 IGA members, 91 (47%) dropped out (57 members in the pilot phase and 34 in the regular project period). The main reasons given for this dropout rate were i) a high level of dependency on partially sighted persons to steer the business who later migrate to India or other places in search of better earning opportunities; ii) geographical remoteness (it may take up to six hours travel time to attend group meetings); and iii) poor market opportunities (for example, noodle production in the Bheriganga and Chingadh IGA groups). Several other challenges were mentioned. 

The pilot phase members and first-year IGA members, and even more recent IGA group members, are found to have moved on to individualised businesses. Average per capita daily income was found to be US$1.32/day, the range being from the lowest, at US$0.5 (at the meat store in Gurans municipality, and Phenyl business, Narayan municipality, Dailekh district) to the highest, at US$ 3.27 (the highest, a petty vendor in Panchapuri). Income earned through the IGA groups have been very important for members, mainly because it helps solve their daily livelihood issues, have some pocket money, or buy school utensils for their children. Those IGA members with the best incomes now felt their daily life has improved and most IGA members found that their social position too is now better. They are perceived as “members of society” who can actually be productive and make things, not only for themselves but also to help their families. All IGA members found it to be a fair practice to repay the first 6 months 50% of income to the Branch Committee. Market assessments for IGA have been made. However, these need to be improved in terms of assessing actual market demand and absorption of particular products (e.g. for bamboo stool production). 

6. Mentorship approach 

The mentorship model involves two municipal branches who agree to share what they have learnt (or to receive a visit from a person or persons living in another municipality). Generally, it is a good idea to learn from each other. Several branches have already had such exchanges. A new mentorship manual has been prepared, and two training events, one for NAB Karnali province, district and municipal branch members and NAB/DAB project staff in November 2023 and another for NAB board members and NAB central staff and NAB rehab project staff in March 2024 for the purpose of presenting the mentorship manual and to provide ideas and knowledge about mentoring. 

There are some good examples of branches learning from each other, for instance, how to access municipalities when investments are considerable; issues concerning fundraising; and marketing strategies. On the other hand, there are also many branches whose members cannot indicate exactly how the mentorship exchange has been useful for them, or how they have used it, although their response to the idea of holding these events is positive.  

Other gaps: If a new project/programme is formulated, some gaps that need to be bridged may be considered. There does not seem to have been any training on gender, despite the slight bias found in the training (a few more men than women). Some income-generating groups consist solely of men, as “women are more in charge of households”. There also seem to have been little training on disability rights (although there was training on the UNCRPD in general). This is important for the advocacy.  

Training could also be more pedagogically oriented and practical. 

DAB and NAB have used OCTAGON once as an assessment tool. It can also be used going forward to identify issues to be addressed in each municipality. Further, NAB as an institution has not an overall M&E set-up, which is done on a project-by-project basis. NAB is currently preparing a new strategy. It will be important to include lessons learnt from the project (for example a revised IGA model, the use of the mentorship model, etc.). 

7. Conclusions  

The project has been “moderately satisfactory”, having reached an acceptable portion of outcomes and output. There is still a need to both reach some of the targets not yet achieved and consolidate results further. The IGA model has not been entirely successful, as a little less than half of its members have dropped out. There is therefore a need to adjust the model if it is to be replicated elsewhere. Further, it seems that IGA has shadowed for the organisational development process of local NAB branches. However, IGA should only be one of the NAB branch priorities. Others could be education, advocacy for rights, accessibility, and so on, in line with the UNCRPD/Disability Act.