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A bakery for the women of Thambahal tole History and Concept |
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The neighbourhood-cooperative "Thambahal" The core village Kirtipur is divided into 12 neighbourhood districts, the so called toles. The inhabitants of a tole are are in habit of a special feeling of solidarity. They gather for religious ceremonies and activities at central places. In 2006 about 160 families of Thambahal tole have joined forces in a cooperative at the suggestion of some socially engaged citizens in order to develop their district into a classic example of Newar culture. |
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The central place of Thambahal-Tole |
The citizens-cooperative
has erected a classic Newar |
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They have planned and realized an Open Air museum which stretches along the narrow lanes where not only the old tools and appliances are displayed but where also historic rites and customs are explained in a vivid manner. The cooperative also takes care for frequent cleaning of lanes and paths as well as for waste disposal (not quite self-evident for other villages in Nepal). The cooperative keeps historic rites and customs alive and takes care for the most needy persons by raising some small contributions for their support. An open-air (Newar-) restaurant has been erected on the top of the central prayers hall based on the financial contribution of all families in the tole. Exclusively Newar food, prepared by the inhabitants are served in the restaurant called "Newa Lahana" - meaning 'Newar culture'. Since 2008 the restaurant is extremely well received by the people of the Kathmandu Valley. The profit of the restaurant is for the benefit of the families of the tole. |
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  The Thambahal Open Air Museum takes loving care of the old Newar Culture and presents it in a vivid way |
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In 2006 some poor and jobless women of the cooperative developed the revolutionary idea to commonly establish a business which was to gain a modest additional income and to offer permanent jobs for women. After giving up many other concepts as for example to establish a candle production the common wish was to operate a bakery. |
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Even in November 2006 seven of the women had applied for a training seminar about management of small enterprises at the state-sponsored training centre in Kathmandu. The daily bus tickets as well as a contribution for eating out during the seminar - costs which had been too much for them - were covered by gtz/ udle (German society for technical cooperation/ urban development through local efforts) . An other 3-weeks-training about the actual bakery trade followed in February 2007 and was attended by 13 women in total. The necessary materials for the seminar were again sponsored by gtz/udle. |
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After
conclusion of the training seminars 13 participants |
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However the the self-help initiative threatened to fail because it seemed to be impossible to find a suitable location for the bakery and to install the necessary equipment there. |
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Through Mrs. Olivia Kummel, at that time engineer expert of DED (German Development Service) at Kirtipur Municipality I have decided end of 2006 to financially support the bakery project by Nepalhilfe Kirtipur e.V., after the help for the school was finished. The building construction and the basic technical equipment of the bakery was supported so far by donations of totally 6.200 Euro. Later the procurement of numerous additional appliances and tools ranging from refrigerator to small was baking tin was supported with another amount of donations of 1.000 Euro. |
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