Sambodhan is an innovative initiative implemented under the Purnima: Challenge Fund – Leave No One Behind programme, funded by UK Aid through the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and managed by Mott MacDonald. The project significantly strengthened the resilience, inclusion, and economic empowerment of more than 9,000 earthquake-affected and vulnerable individuals across three Palikas in Nuwakot district. By deepening the understanding of vulnerability, building institutional capacity, and promoting sustainable livelihoods, Sambodhan helped transform lives at the grassroots level.

Key interventions included the formation and mobilization of 21 Inclusive Self-Help Groups (ISHGs), skills training, and the introduction of agro-based enterprises. These efforts enabled vulnerable groups – particularly persons with disabilities, the elderly, and returnee migrants – to access dignified livelihoods and essential services. Impressively, 60% of supported individuals have continued their income-generating activities independently, with several earning over NPR 200,000 annually.

Sambodhan’s inclusive approach drove systemic change: local governments adopted GESI and inclusive livelihood guidelines, allocated NPR 3 million in their annual plans for vulnerable populations, and attracted cost-sharing contributions of over NPR 14 million from partners including Palikas, PMAMP/Krishi Gyan Kendra, UNDP, Share & Care, and local cooperatives. Moreover, strengthened linkages with financial institutions, market actors, and private sector service providers established a sustainable ecosystem for economic inclusion – reshaping community attitudes toward disability and vulnerability in the process.