Empowering Women through Equine Welfare Group

Empowering women through equine welfare group

Idulnisha Manihar and her family resides on an unofficial land at the bank of the river in Tangastand of Bardiya. The only source of income for her family is transportation by horse cart. The cart is used for transporting people and goods from Gulariya to Murtiha (Border of Nepal and India). Idulnisha Manihar belongs to the Muslim community where women are strictly confined to household chores with limited outdoor involvement. Furthermore, women in her community are deprived to experience freedom in most form and are dominated by the male in every aspect of society.

It was tough for AHTCS to work in that equid community in the earlier days, and engaging the women in the equine welfare group was even more challenging. As roles of women in equine husbandry and care are obvious, forming a women’s equine welfare group was the most necessary step for AHTCS. Taking into consideration the scenario, AHTCS formed a group “Jama equine welfare group” in the year 2018. The women of the group are engaged in a monthly EWG meeting and sensitized on equine husbandry and practices, contemporary issues, leadership, entrepreneurship, livelihood, resilience, etc. through various events. Through various community engagement activities and building trust with the community, the women of the group were seen to be motivated, empowered, and aware of their role and proper husbandry practices.

Idulnisha Manihar is involved as a treasurer in a Jama women’s equine welfare group in Tangastand. She actively participated in every EWG meeting with enthusiasm. She shared her experience of engaging with EWG and AHTCS to be very fruitful and eye-opening. She shared to AHTCS that involvement in the group has developed her leadership skill. She is now working as an office attendant in a school and looks greatly empowered. Majority of the the husbands of the women in the equine welfare group seem supportive nowadays and are well acquainted with the importance of such engagement of their wife in the various session of proper equine husbandry, nutritional management, leadership, entrepreneurship, etc.