idealist.org

VIN is a non-governmental, not-for-profit organisation which was founded in 2005 by a diverse group drawn from development workers, educationalists, social activists and other professionals.

VIN’s mission is to empower marginalised communities, with a focus on women and children, through enhanced educational programs and community training to promote equality, economic wellbeing and basic human rights.

Unlike many other development NGOs, VIN serves to directly put efforts for change in the hands of local people. It actively encourages people to volunteer within their communities, aiming to unite all sectors of society in working together to set up and run local projects.

VIN has a board of advisors and a board of directors, of whom Bhupendra Ghimire is the Chief Executive Director. VIN also works in partnership with like-minded national and international governmental and non-governmental organisations.

VIN’s main community-based pilot project is located at Jitpur, a rural community surrounded by woods, hills and fields. It lies 11 kilometres from the capital on the outskirts of the Kathmandu Valley near the beautiful Nagarjuna forest reserve.

There are also projects located elsewhere in the region and VIN is currently working to expand its scope to a second community-based site, Okhaldhunga, in the north east of Nepal.

VIN’s main focus is on five key projects. These are:-

- Women’s Empowerment
- Children’s Development
- Youth Development
- Teacher Development
- The Health Program

In addition, VIN helps to place volunteers in monasteries and nunneries, and there are many additional smaller-scale projects including how to apply for grants, fundraising, computer technology and construction and manual work. Details for all of these can be found on the VIN website.