Tewa-National Women’s Fund in Nepal is dedicated to empowering women, girls, intersex and trans people, promoting gender equity in Nepal. Founded with the vision of fostering self-reliance and sustainable development, Tewa has been actively working from the grassroots level to support women-led initiatives, amplify local voices, and build the capacity of partners.
Since its inception, Tewa has championed community philanthropy within Nepal, encouraging local giving and strengthening community resilience. By mobilizing local resources, Tewa promotes traditional giving practice and fosters self-sustainability among women, girls, intersex, trans and marginalized groups and organizations.
Tewa supports all women to organize, raise their voices collectively for economic growth opportunities, strengthening women’s rights and transform discriminatory policies, systems, norms, and practices at all levels. Tewa emphasizes on community philanthropy, capacity development, movement building, networking and collaborations with like-minded organizations of self-reliance and creating an equitable society.
A country without discrimination and injustice, in which all women and girls live a dignified life where they exercise their rights, freedoms and peace.
Women’s Rights, Justice, and Power
Tewa is committed to the holistic development of women by advocating for social justice and equitable power relations. Through partnerships with grantees, the organisation works towards empowering women, particularly those facing economic and social disadvantages. Recognising that women and other vulnerable groups are disproportionately affected by disasters, Tewa also extends humanitarian support to address immediate needs, provide psychosocial assistance, and promote resilience at both community and organisational levels.
Strategic Feminist Leadership
Tewa promotes feminist leadership at multiple levels, from grassroots organisations to its own internal structure. By fostering leadership development among its grantees, volunteers, and members, the organisation aims to cultivate transformative leaders who embrace feminist values and drive systemic change within their communities.
Feminist Philanthropy Education
Tewa actively promotes community philanthropy and feminist fundraising approaches by offering educational programs and training on philanthropy. This includes expanding the children’s program and volunteer initiatives to instil a culture of giving and resource mobilisation. By sharing its learnings, Tewa helps other organisations build their capacities in local fundraising and sustainability.
Strong and Living Organisation
To sustain its impact, Tewa prioritises organisational development by ensuring a skilled and knowledgeable workforce that aligns with its values. It also focuses on financial sustainability through innovative resource mobilisation strategies and advisory support for partner organisations, enabling them to become self-reliant and resilient.
Deep Yogini (Tewa Centre) – A Feminist Learning Space
Deep Yogini serves as a feminist resource centre dedicated to holistic healing, learning, and activism. Designed as an environmentally sustainable and peaceful space, it supports knowledge-sharing and well-being initiatives. Through various programs related to art, peace, and environmental justice, Tewa aims to enhance its visibility and financial sustainability while nurturing a culture of inclusive development.
For me it is a pleasure to see that Tewa, which I founded 30 years ago, is doing what it intended to do from the very beginning. I had hoped that we could: 1) initiate community based philanthropy for a cause it serves (in this case women), and 2) move away from donor dependency to a more self-reliant and an inclusive mode of development. Through the 10 year long armed conflict that ran parallel with the founding of Tewa, and all the other major transitions Nepal faced in an ongoing way, Tewa continues to support women’s organizations throughout Nepal; model community-based philanthropy; inclusive development; leadership transition/s; and organizational excellence. This is true as well for Deep Yogini (the Center Tewa helped birth), which too came to fruition largely owing to my vision and leadership. Given the context, these are nothing short of being magical. All these speak of ongoing ownership, dedication, and hard work – at all levels, throughout these tumultuous years – way beyond my founding and building years!
Given the opportunity to reflect through this wall, I will do some plain-speaking. Please do not make Tewa as just a job or a stepping-stone. Come to SERVE – come to contribute for an equitable and a just Nepal! It is because your Founder saw the hypocrisy “development” had become; how women continued to be underserved and ignored; and importantly that she had the madness and the courage to take personal and professional risks and bear all inevitable costs and consequences – that Tewa was made real!
We who have the privilege to work in Tewa, it is our duty to SERVE. We who think we are “developing” others, instead – always gain the most. We gain experience, knowledge, and importantly, from the women groups’ – TRUST. Now we have a loyal and a committed nation- wide network at our beck and call – they help us advocate and reflect to ensure better impacts for the larger good. We may give financial support, but they help sustain their families, communities, and their governments – and lend to ongoing peace. We owe them! We are recognized for the institution we serve! Although we enabled it to happen, it is because of Tewa that we have an individual and a collective identity, and we are enabled to do what we do.
Shorn of contextual trappings, habitual development practices, or any implicit self interest or need, let us all serve Tewa with devotion while we can and do – truthfully and authentically. This is the only way that will enable others to contribute and grow in the future – just as you and I could do! Enabling Tewa’s good health and longevity will lend to the well-being of our larger communities and PEACE – in an interconnected and an interdependent world. Its well-being is in ALL our interest!
Rita Thapa, Founder
10 May 2025