Nasreen Sheikh; Women Rebuilding Nepal

The sun is setting on the crowded and dusty streets of Thamel, Kathmandu. Tourists, sporting backpacks and dreadlocks, file in and out of the complicated maze of table vendors and storefronts, with each salesperson promising a more authentic product than their competing neighbour.

While the chaotic normalcy continues outside, I find myself in Local Women’s Handicrafts (LWH), a store located on a side street of Thamel. I’m nestled between racks of colourful yak wool products, hand-sewn dresses, and bracelets made of recycled sari silk, with tears in my eyes. Nasreen Sheikh, the organisation’s founder, tells me the story of her roots. In a beautifully articulate manner, she begins:

“I grew up in the impoverished and rural village of Rajura. When rich people passed through my village, they would always throw their orange peels on the side of the street. When I was little, I would walk to collect firewood, and on my way, I would pick up the orange peels and smell them, longing to taste one—but knowing I could not, because they represented a life I did not have. Once Local Women’s Handicrafts was founded and I could afford my property, I planted an orange tree in my backyard. It reminds me every day of where I have come from and where I am now.”

✅ Challenges

As her likely future loomed, an 11-year-old Nasreen fled from her village and began working for her older brother in Kathmandu. He worked in a handicrafts factory but was soon fired after Nasreen’s arrival.

At 5 a.m., she would wake up and sit on the stoop “to watch life on the streets of Kathmandu, dreaming that I had the life of the people I was seeing.” One morning, she was startled by a man walking his dog. After he assured her that she was safe, Nasreen recalled, “I was struck by something in his voice. I broke down at that moment and told him my story.”

During this early morning interaction, the man decided to help Nasreen fulfill her dreams. He took her under his wing and provided her with primary schooling until she was ready to enroll in formal education—which he helped to found.

A few months later, while studying and working at the factory, Nasreen came across a pregnant 18-year-old begging on the streets. Recognizing the dialect of her home region, Nasreen insisted the woman join her at the handicrafts factory.

✅ By age 14, Nasreen had recruited seven women to leave the factory and start their own organisation. Fearing her family would track her down, she hid in a different part of Kathmandu for over a month.

✅ Nasreen

This didn’t stop Nasreen from focusing on the women who needed her help. As the organisation gained traction, she raised $25,000 in loans from international friends and customers to buy land for Local Women’s Handicrafts to offer training.

The six-month training program allows women to choose skills such as sewing, weaving, embroidery, design, jewellery making, knitting, or pattern work. They are provided with a stipend, optional housing, and potential sponsorship. This gives women tangible, marketable skills and the confidence to be independent and self-sufficient—a necessity for Nepal’s socially and economically sustainable future.

“All you need is a bit of support and hope. That is what I hope to give these women if they want to make a change in their life.”

✅ Local Women’s Handicrafts Post-Earthquake

LWH’s priorities shifted after the devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake on April 25, 2015, and the subsequent 7.3 quake on May 12. ✅ Nasreen’s team of 28 women, with monetary support from international donors, helped rebuild multiple shelters and provided one month’s supply of food to over 480 homes.

✅ She launched a separate training program for women who suffered losses during the earthquake. With $60/month sponsorships from international donors, many of these women were able to rebuild their homes and lives.

“On the other hand, it united Nepal in a completely unselfish way. Families began coming together, building together, cooking together, and becoming one. They are helping each other instead of letting small things divide them,” said Nasreen.

✅ Community Impact

Diana Brugos, an operative for Operation Sock Monkey, a Canadian-based NGO, has known Nasreen since 2011. Nasreen affectionately refers to Diana as “Aama,” meaning “Mother” in Nepali.

“She is humble, generous, compassionate, intelligent, personable, friendly, and a pure beauty inside and out. Her leadership and determination will enable them to move on,” said Diana.

To find out more about Nasreen, her organisation, and Local Women’s Handicrafts’ post-earthquake recovery programs, visit www.lwhnepal.com

Julia Abbiss | USA
Photo By: Julia Abbiss & Markus Winkler on Unsplash | Duke Nepal