Final Evaluation Study of Promoting Women-led Enterprises for Energy Access and Local Production (WEE-Nepal)

Client
Centre for Rural Technology, Nepal (CRT/N)

Project Period
August 2017 to September 2017

Project Area
Khotang, Udayapur, Sindhuli, Kavrepalanchowk, Lalitpur and Dhading
“Promoting Women-led Enterprises for En-ergy Access and Local Production (WEE-Nepal)”, implemented by Centre for Rural Technology, Nepal (CRT/N) as a lead organi-zation along with National Association of Community Electricity Users-Nepal (NACEUN) and Practical Action Consulting (PAC) in Khotang, Udayapur, Sindhuli, Ka-vrepalanchowk, Lalitpur and Dhading districts of Nepal from 1 September 2014 to 31 August 2017 received support from ENERGIA with funding from SIDA, NORAD, and MoF Fin-land.
One major component of the project aimed at serving 212,500 consumers through distribution of 42,500 improved cook stoves (ICS) in three rural districts of Nepal – Khotang, Udayapur and Sindhuli, through 300 women ICS entre-preneurs. Likewise, another component of the project, Productive Energy Use (PEU), aimed to promote 500 woman-led energy based en-terprises in 15 Community Rural Electrification Entities (CREEs) located in 6 project districts.
Key activities
The project facilitates the selection of enter-prise system and entrepreneurs, capacity building of entrepreneurs, and preparation of business plan and market mapping of each enterprise system. It also provides intensive business mentoring. So far, 505 women entre-preneurs (WEs) have been promoted and skill training courses on various enterprises.
Services provided by SW Nepal
The evaluation was solely conducted by the in-house MEL Unit of SW Nepal. The study team prepared a detailed methodology, survey tools and field plan in consultation with the WEE-Nepal project team. The team from SW Nepal also monitored the activities and made regular visits to the field. For the purpose of the eval-uation, the study team conducted household surveys and KIIs in all six project districts. An intensive training session was also organized to train the enumerators before the field mobilisa-tion.
Outcome
Final evaluation report was submitted and recommendations for future intervention of the project were provided upon which the fu-ture strategies will be based.