Nepal: IFAD and Heifer International


GALS was introduced in Nepal by IFAD in the context of the Joint Programme “Rural women Economic Empowerment” and in partnership with the IFAD funded investment “Samriddhi -Rural Enterprises and Remittance Project”, implemented by the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supply.

Between 2019 and 2021 a total of 1,569 rural members (f-1020, m-549) of self-help groups of Rautahat and Sarlahi districts learnt how to use GALS basic tools and practiced the Happy Family Review.  

The methodology helped rural women to enhance their self-esteem; improved planning, decision making and working together; fostering stronger relationships, and increasing the income and overall well-being of households. GALS households have now adopted more diversified livelihood options and economic activities for women. GALS exercises facilitated the family members’ reflections of their own aspiration, thinking, behaviour, actions, and a more enlightened perspective of their families’ context. When women and men learned to set goals and actions, they began to change their behaviour and actions to achieve the goals they set for themselves and families.

This blog page has been sponsored by IFAD and supported by the implementing team in Nepal including Tribhuban Paudel and staff at Heifer International.

It brings together resources and links to support the deepening and upscaling of GALS in IFAD programmes in Nepal.

Images on this page are by Tribhuban Paudel.

All errors are the responsibility of the lead author, Linda Mayoux.

Session Overview and Resources

Session 1: Friday Overview

Updated Overview of the GAMEChange Methodologies and Toolkits available.

Session 3: Tuesday: Gender
Happy Family and Challenge Action Trees

Happy Family Tree

Challenge Action Tree

Session 4: Thursday Leadership, Upscaling and Sustainability: Empowerment Maps

Change Leadership Map

Session 5: Action Learning System
Documentation and MandE