b'The Women of Bihani Dairy Give Back to Community, Adapt to NEPAL Pandemic ChangesBy Jason Woods and Regeena RegmiPhotos by Joe TobiasonFOR MANY YEARS, TULSI THAPAWe realized thatFELT LIKE SHE WAS ALONE. Like most women in Kopuwa, Nepal,we couldnt work her husband did not allow her tosinglehandedly,leave home often, and she was dependent on him for income.that we had toBut she was far from aloneshe found five other women in herwork together. community who felt similarly and TULSI THAPAwanted to do something about it. After starting to work with Heifer Nepal, Thapa and her neighbors formed aour sisters. It unites us. Soon after, with BOTTOM group dedicated to sharing labor and64 savings groups formed, the women The leadership team for Bihanisaving money to invest in themselvesunified further by starting a cooperative, Dairy standsand the community. Then theywith Thapa serving as chairperson.outside their facility severalhelped other women do the same. To put back savings, the women months beforeWe realized that we couldnt workneeded a steady source of income. We the COVID-19singlehandedly, that we had to workshould become entrepreneurs, we pandemic reached Nepal. together, Thapa said. We got to knowrealized, Thapa said. The cooperative HEIFER.ORG |25'