Mitini Nepal

Green Tara Trust works with Mitini Nepal, a small but growing NGO working to improve the lives of women from sexual minorities in Nepal. The society was set up in March 2005 by 2 lesbians, Meera and Laxmi, who ran away from their families so that they could live together.

Laxmi’s story:

“After Meera and I fell in love, we planned to run away to Kathmandu because our families would not let us be together. I ran away first, but Meera’s family locked her in her house and beat her before she could run. She got so depressed so took poison to kill herself. She was unconscious for 17 days. As soon as she woke up in the hospital she asked them to call me and I came running to her. Then we found a house a started living together. My father came and found us, then he beat us both and tried to take us home on the bus. When the bus stopped on the way, we ran into the bushes. We walked for 12 hours and slept in an empty house. We had no food or money but one bus driver understood our problem and let us travel back to Kathmandu for free. We were the first lesbian couple to come out in Nepal so the press started coming and now more people know about the problems we are facing.

Many lesbians are scared to come out in case of violence. They get thrown out of their job for no reason. Men rape them because they think they deserve it and will not complain. We suffer daily threats of violence. We had many problems registering our organization with the authorities. Now we want to help others who are in the same position we were in. We are able to help them through coming out, educating their families and empowering them to provide facilities for themselves. In this way we can help them escape persecution and live in peace with the woman that they love.”

Mitini’s Activities:

  1. Assisting LBT people to find a safe place to live on arrival in Kathmandu.
  2. Providing counselling and group support for LBT people.
  3. Participating in debate and peaceful protest at national policy level when the rights of sexual minorities are violated.
  4. Provide legal representation for LBT people whose rights have been violated
  5. Providing training for LBT people in the English language, so they can communicate with other sexual minority people visiting Nepal, to communicate with other NGOs and to partcipate in conferences.
  6. Providing technical education to LBT people to enable them to compete in the employment market.
  7. Increasing the capacity of the organsiation, including setting up outpost offices around Nepal so LBT people living far away can access support.

GTT’s Involvement

Mitini is still a small organization and many women were unable to complete primary education due to problems at home. However, they are very strong and resourceful women who are determined to improve their lives. They do not have access to monies from HIV finding programmes as gay men do, since the risk of transmission in women who have sex with women is much lower. They do not yet have the capacity to attract NGO or government assistance. GTT is partnering Mitini to assist in closing the HUGE gap in support and development they need to survive.

GTT gives emotinial support, technical and finanicail assistance to the organization and its members. In particular, we provide:

  1. A 3 year English and computing course for women
  2. Medical advice, support and advocacy for Mitini women within the healthcare system.
  3. Assistance and support in running mass events which enable LBT women from all over Nepal to come together and assist in increasing awareness of prejudice.
  4. Organsiational development support; particularly in planning outreach centres outside Kathmandu.

How can I help?

Mitini needs all our help for it to grow and adequately serve the LBT population of Nepal.  GTT are well placed to provide ongoing support, but need financial help from you to do this. Supporting Mitini is money well spent; they are such a determined group of women that a small amount goes a long way, and they have already proved their resourcefulness by getting to Kathmandu and surviving.

  • £1 pays the local bus fare for a woman to get to and from an English class for 1 week
  • £10 covers the cost of running a counselling group for 12 women
  • £15 covers the food and transport costs for a woman fleeing her village to come to Kathmandu
  • £50 covers the living cost of a volunteer counsellor for 1 month
  • £100 pays for a 10 day group facilitator’s training for one person
  • £200 pays for banners, food and bus hire for a 1 day peaceful protest

Make a Donation to the Green Tara Trust

Donate