b'for the record FACTS & FIGURESTHE FIRST STEP TOWARD A BRIGHTER FUTUREPersonal growth is central to ourIn time, people and work. When individuals believecooperatives create new success is possible, they can chartways for their work and a pathway toward it. Through afarms to function more like series of trainings that establishbusinesses, planning for the How our Community Developmententrepreneurial capacity, improvefuture, saving for high-value Model Drives our Mission: A Casemental well-being and buildequipment and supplies Study from Nepal community cooperation,and packaging andTulsi Thapa, center, and the women of individuals are better equipped toprocessing their products inBihani Dairy Cooperative in Kopawa, Nepal.Heifer Internationals Values-Based Holisticachieve their goals and maximizeresponse to the needs ofPHOTO BY JOE TOBIASONCommunity Development model is a driver oftheir collective potential. their customers. change in Heifers project communities. The modelIN 2015, TULSI THAPA AND FIVE creates an enabling environment for farmers,OTHER WOMEN IN RURAL NEPAL DEVELOP especially female farmers, to collaborate, challengeformed a savings group to increase COMMUNITY limitations, envision potential and build a future oftheir incomes and jointly save prosperity, together. money to invest back into their families and their community. PERCEPTIONThe savings group then joined PASSING ON THE GIFTOF OTHERS with other groups to form a cooperative, which today is made up Our work with communities begins on the groundof 73 groups totaling 1,351 members, by encouraging women to form self-help groups ofwith Tulsi serving as chairperson.ORGANIZE TRANSFORM 10 to 25 women, regardless of their socioeconomicCIVIC & INTERCULTURAL Together the groups created GROUPS & EMPOWER status, religion or caste, who meet regularly to makeCOMMUNITY SENSITIVITY & Bihani Dairy Cooperative, a milk decisions and save money together. ENGAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT collection and processing center Group members build savings and support eachborn from ambition and an eye for other to become successful entrepreneurs. With thisopportunity. foundation in place, the women evolve intoBefore the COVID-19 pandemic, community leaders and transition to working as aEMPOWERMENT Bihani Dairy was selling 2,000 liters cooperative, a group-owned business model. of milk per day. Daily sales decreased Heifers signature cornerstone, Passing on theduring the dicult months of the Gift, encourages these groups to share assets andpandemic, but the cooperative is BUILD OPTIMIZECAPACITY RESOURCES knowledge and form additional groups, multiplyingSELF\x1dIDENTITY COMMUNICATION adapting to better serve farmers and the impact of Heifers work. COMPETENCY customersand build a resilient tomorrow for its members.COOPERATIVES\' PROGRESS IN NEPAL LEADERSHIP2021 NUMBERS We are in the process ofdiversifying the milk into various products. We are hopeful that the future holds better prospects for us."238 150,000 3,700+ 458 160 75 216,000 55,000TULSI THAPACO\x1dOPS WOMEN WOMEN LEADERS IN CO\x1dOPS, RURALCOLLECTION TRANSPORT GOATS LITERS OF MILK Read more about Bihani Dairy MEMBERS AGENCIES & GOVERNMENTCOLLECTION POINTS CENTERS VEHICLES \x1fANNUALLY\x1e \x1fDAILY\x1e Cooperative on the next page.'