Nepal Literacy Programme

At our 2025 AGM, it was noted that BPW NZ could no longer legally transfer funds raised for the Nepal Literacy Fund into BPW Nepal. It was agreed to find ways we could close out these funds and get them to Nepal for a like minded purpose. Your executive in consultation with Diana O’Brien (Champion of the Nepal Literacy Fund) agreed to use the funds to sponsor registrations of BPW Nepal members to the Asia Pacific Conference in Malaysia.

History of the Nepal Literacy Fund (Article written by Diana O'Brien in 2024)

BPW NZ’s relationship with Nepal BPW started when the NZ Federation learned that the newly formed BPW in Nepal had no access to foreign currency and therefore were unable to affiliate with IFBPW. The NZ Federation paid their fees and continued to do so for many years.

The support for the Literacy Programme that the Kathmandu Club organised started when former Past President, the late Pauline Gapper, who had been travelling regularly to Nepal since 1980 when she retired from teaching, met with President Mrs Ambica Shrestha in 1988. A lasting friendship developed based on mutual respect. Pauline was very impressed with the calibre of the BPW women she met and the projects they were running. In 1990 Pauline escorted of 5 BPW women and two non-members to Nepal to meet BPW members and see firsthand, the work of these projects. Out of that meeting grew NZ support for the Literacy Programmes for women – first with the Kathmandu Club but extending to the Pokhara Club. The Literacy Programme was funded solely by voluntary donations from BPW Clubs and individuals in NZ. Technical assistance and textbooks were supplied by the Nepali Ministry of Education and Culture, but all other costs were paid for money forwarded by the NZ Federation. The first class commenced in May 1991 and comprised of 20 women factory workers who had had no schooling. The women learned to read and write simple Nepali and do simple arithmetic.

In 2004 Diana travelled with Pauline and a small group of BPW members to the Asian Pacific Regional conference. As part of the tour, they visited Pokhara. They met with a group of women who had been involved in the Literacy and Numeracy Programmes run by the Club. These women came to meet us despite the city being closed down by the Maoists because the King was visiting. Buses were running under a curfew and had armed soldiers on board.

Pauline worked tirelessly over the years to encourage Clubs to raise money for the Literacy Programme and to this end donated a trophy to be awarded each year to the club who had raised the most money. In addition to this she encouraged members to knit warm garments for the children in the Day Care Centres run by BPW. Over the years many suitcases of warm hand knitted garment winged their way with Pauline on her many trips to Nepal. In 2004 (her 20th trip), we took three large suitcases, one of which we took to Pokhara. Contact on a personal level has become more difficult since Pauline’s death and the programmes have evolved with time. However, BPWNZ can be proud of the assistance they have given over the years to promote literacy and value the friendship they have had with Mrs Ambica Shesthna (deceased)