In today’s world, women still face many challenges. But real change doesn’t just happen through words—it takes action. That’s where Lily’s Leaves, a growing organization in Nepal, is making a difference. As one of the trusted NGOs for women’s empowerment in Nepal, they are helping women learn new skills, get an education, and find the support they need to stand on their own feet.
Lily’s Leaves is doing more than just teaching skills. They’re helping women create eco-friendly products, improve their health through better menstrual care, and build a life full of purpose and confidence. In this blog, we’ll take you through the heartwarming work Lily’s Leaves is doing to empower women and strengthen communities in Nepal.
We constantly talk a better Nepal, one that is more self-sufficient, inclusive, and provides equal chances for all. However, have you ever considered what that actually means? The first step is to empower women, who form the basis of our society.
Numerous women throughout the nation deal with poverty, abuse, loneliness, and a total lack of opportunities on a daily basis. Furthermore, even when promises and policies are stated, actual change only occurs when someone takes initiative and puts in the necessary effort. One of the most influential NGOs for women's empowerment in Nepal, Lily's Leaves, does just that every single day.
I want to share with you why Lily’s Leaves isn’t just another NGO. It’s a lifeline. A place where women heal, learn, and rise.
Lily’s Leaves is a social enterprise which works to empower women in Nepal. They are more than a charity. They have aim to transform Nepal through women empowerment, sustainable environment, education and plantation.
Lily's Leaves teaches women vital skills including jewelry making, eco-friendly product manufacturing, and tailoring through skill development programs. By providing these skills, they help women become financially independent, reconstruct their lives, and restore their confidence.
The initiatives of Lily's Leaves aim to empower and change the lives of women who have experienced trauma and suffering. They are given occupational skills that help them update themselves in addition to helping them earn a living.
A strong community contributes to women's empowerment. Lily's Leaves stands out for its capacity to promote community. Women support one another, share experiences, and develop as a group. The skills they acquire are similar to this sense of belonging.
This social enterprise or NGO have greate sense of building powerful community. This sense helps to break down social stigmas around women's labor, making it more visible, valued, and powerful.
At Lily’s Leaves, the focus is on skill development and creating sustainable livelihoods. This organization knows the importance of sustainability. Lily Leaves helps to create reusable dignity pads, bags, jwellery from the recycled waste. They train deaf and backward communities women to make these products.
So, its model means that the women trained by Lily’s Leaves can become artisans who can sell their creations, supporting their families and their communities. With the income they earn, they can invest in a brighter future.
For creating sustainable livelihoods, lily’s leaves are providing various types of training to the women who are eager to learn and uplift themself from financial issues. Some of the trainings are:
Lily's Leaves provides a variety of training programs to deaf and deprived women, providing them with practical skills that lead to long-term, sustainable livelihoods. These trainings are carefully designed not just to teach, but also to empower women socially and financially, allowing them to stand up with dignity and independence.
The basic tailoring course covers important sewing skills, such as how to make reusable dignity pads. This workshop assists women in beginning the journey toward self-reliance while also addressing menstrual health issues in their communities.
The advanced tailoring course is designed for students who want to enhance their skills. Trainees learn to make complex items like rucksacks, which are then delivered to government schools in the Terai region. This provides a significant social benefit to their work.
This training focuses on crafting handmade jewelry using recycled and natural materials. It enhances creativity and allows women to generate income by selling their pieces locally and through ethical platforms.
Under the Urban Nature Project, Lily’s Leaves is also offering nature-based training to create more eco-conscious employment:
Nursery Training teaches women how to grow and manage seedlings, supporting green spaces in both urban and rural communities.
Forest Development Training introduces sustainable forestry, conservation techniques, and tree planting, encouraging green leadership among women.
Every woman who completes a training program receives a certification, along with a sewing machine and essential tailoring accessories. These resources are more than just tools—they are the foundation for independence. Whether a woman chooses to work from home, start her own shop, or join a cooperative, she walks away with both skills and the equipment to get started immediately.
Apart from income, these trainings also give something extra: confidence, self-esteem, and renewed sense of purpose. The ones who were once paralyzed by their circumstances are now running shops, feeding families, and being models of hope in their communities.
Through practical skills, essential resources, and ongoing support, Lily’s Leaves is creating a movement of empowered women—strong, skilled, and ready to lead the change.
Have you ever bought something and felt like it actually mattered? That it wasn’t just a product but a story?
That’s exactly what Lily’s Leaves creates. This isn’t just a training center. It’s a full-blown social enterprise in Nepal where women produce sustainable, high-quality items with real-world demand. Every product you buy helps a woman continue on her journey of independence.
The range includes:
School uniforms
Tote and eco bags
Each item is crafted by women who have turned their pain into purpose. And what makes it even more powerful? All profits are reinvested to support more training and outreach.
Let's be honest: menstruation is still a taboo topic in many parts of Nepal. Girls miss school. Women feel ashamed. And what are the health risk associated with insufficient menstrual hygiene? Devastating.
Lily's Leaves not only understand the issue; they are actually working to fix it. Their menstrual health programs are tangible, efficient, and life-changing. They are undoing generations of silence and shame by providing reusable dignity sanitary pads and holding education sessions.
Here’s what they’ve already done:
2,803 reusable pads distributed in 2080/81
827 reusable pads in 2081/82
This kind of impact keeps girls in school, helps women stay healthy, and starts real conversations in families and communities. If you ask me, that’s where dignity begins.
You might not think a school bag can change a child's life. But when the bag is the difference between dropping out or showing up with pride, it makes more of a difference than you think.
Through their bag and uniform distribution work, Lily's Leaves ensures no child is left behind for lack of materials. And the icing on the cake? Every bag and uniform is stitched by women who were once trainees.
In 2081/82 alone, they distributed:
These aren't just numbers. They're futures being reshaped. You support a child’s education, and, at the same time, empower the woman who made that bag. That’s a win-win worth backing.
Empowerment is not limited to individuals. Lily's Leaves cares about environmental sustainability as well. They planted a forest by the Bishnumati River using the Miyawaki method.
The Rato Bangla School Environment Club volunteered for this plantation program in collaboration with Lily's Leaves to make the community environment more beautiful and healthier. This collaboration is an example of how community-initiated programs can benefit people and the environment.
This once-degraded area now holds:
2,320 trees
38 species of native plants
It’s a breath of fresh air—literally—for Kathmandu. And it was made possible by the hands of women and youth from nearby communities. When people care for their land, they learn to care for each other.
Lily's Leaves is proof of the real, beneficial effects that Nepali NGOs working to empower women are having on people's lives. Lily's Leaves is enabling women to change their lives and communities to flourish by providing education, skill development, and sustainable livelihoods. One woman at a time, they're building a more promising and inclusive future for Nepal through everything from menstrual health products to urban forests.
What does Lily’s Leaves do?
They empower women and support communities through skill development, eco-product creation, menstrual health initiatives, and education programs.
Where is Lily’s Leaves located?
They are based in Kathmandu but operate in several districts including Siraha and Dhading.
How can I support them?
You can support by purchasing their handmade products, donating, or collaborating on awareness and outreach.
Is Lily’s Leaves a certified NGO?
Yes, they are a registered and transparent social enterprise operating under Nepali law.
CEO representing Lily Leaves in '9th COMMUNITY CONFERENCE" organized by The British School.
One-Day Workshop At Lily Leaves - 17th June 2023
Lily was joined by Santosh Shah, a former student of the school and winner of BBC's MasterChef.
This act not only empowered the individuals to start their own tailoring businesses
CEO Lily Katuwal and a group of visitors from Lily Leaves Social Enterprises distributed 135 school bags and uniforms in Bandipur, Siraha, demonstrating a commitment to social responsibility and fostering positive change in education for students facing financial challenges.
Volunteer from rato Bangala school Environment club
Explore how Lily’s Leaves empowers women through sustainable fashion, blending ethical craftsmanship with eco-friendly designs for a better future.
