From discrimination to determination
When Sita's husband passed away, she struggled to provide for her four children and was shunned by her community. With the support of people like you, she participated in training, gained financial independence and earned the respect she deserved.
This tax time, you can light the spark that creates real and lasting change for people like Sita.
From rejection to acceptance - Sita's story
Sita lives in the Bagmati province in Nepal with her four children.
When her husband unexpectantly passed away, Sita struggled to provide for her four children and was shunned and isolated by her community.
Her wage as a labourer barely covered the cost of day-to-day expenses, and she feared she would be unable to further her children's education; leaving them vulnerable to the same poverty and discrimination she was experiencing.
Food shortages and gender inequality leave many women in Nepal highly vulnerable to malnutrition and financial dependence on their partner or family.
Thanks to the generosity of people like you, Sita was able to join the Nepal Livelihoods and Resilience Program, run in partnership with Caritas Nepal. Through this program, she participated in agricultural training and gained access to a low interest loan to purchase dairy cows.
Over time, she began to develop the life-changing skills she needed to diversify her income, through the sale of milk and other goods, and gain financial independence.
Sita can now produce enough food to feed her family, send all of her children to school, and has become a respected member of her community.
This tax time, you can support more people like Sita to gain the skills they need to triumph over discrimination and escape the cycle of poverty.
Donate now to transform the lives of people like Sita
How your support can create real and lasting change
Increase the food security of households at-risk of food shortages
Support microfinance initiatives that help fund small businesses
Increase peoples' incomes through diversified livelihoods
Provide education programs to help break the cycle of poverty for future generations
Now, I can stand on my own two feet. I don’t have to ask for support in the community. I have been able to earn more money and send my children to good schools. With these improvements, people in my community have changed their perspectives towards me as I have been able to achieve this all by myself.
Support women like Sita today
Q&A with Sita
We sat down with Sita to talk about her life and how the program has changed her life.
We are truly humbled to share her incredible story with you. It is a testament to the impact your generosity can have on the lives of vulnerable people like Sita.
I have three daughters and one son. The eldest daughters are in college – one is studying education, the other is studying accounting. My youngest son and daughter are in school.
All my daughters have taken, as their priority, to stand on their own two feet. I want to see them being self-sufficient. I want them to progress their education so they’ll have a brighter future.
My main challenge was that I could not go out freely. I have to sell milk, I have to go from house to house. I have to talk with people. But some people, I used to hear them
say, "she doesn’t have a husband…" That was very hurtful to me.
It was mental and emotional torture during that time, and I think I can see the same situation for other single women in the community.
I can stand on my own two feet. I don’t have to ask for support in the community. I have been able to earn more money and send my children to good schools. With these improvements, people in my community have changed their perspectives towards me as I have been able to achieve this all by myself.
I would not have had any training, the support I received from other women in the
community, and I would probably have had to continue working as a hired labourer.
We would be in quite a dire financial situation so my children would probably also have to join me in my work as a labourer.
There are a few single women nearby who have started rearing cows and buffaloes... Before, they did not do these types of things.
They have recently bought some cows and they’re following what I have been doing. They have been able to replicate what I’ve done and have been able to do pretty well for themselves too.
I would advise other single women to get a skill of their own, whatever they like, and to explore that skill and to start earning. Do whatever you want to do, but don’t be solely dependent on your husband and your family. Because we are all happy, we are all alive today, but then tomorrow, what will happen? Nobody knows.
If it happens, people are unprepared or they don’t know what they’re going to do. And that struggle is a very difficult thing.
I would like to kindly request that they support other single women like me in the community. They need this type of support and this type of help. However you have been helping, whatever you have been doing, is very helpful for us.
I'm very thankful to Caritas Australia and its supporters.
Join us - Together we can create change
With your support, we were able to reach millions of people worldwide this past year. Through 67 partnerships, we supported 57 long-term development programs in 18 countries.
87% of funds are spent on life-changing local and international programs.
3% of funds are spent on essential administration costs, including our talented people.
10% of funds are spent on fundraising activities to extend the reach of our programs and humanitarian work so we can support more people living in poverty.