Chevron Humankind’s Direct Contribution Matching Program
Since 2015, the Chevron Humankind Direct Contribution Matching Program has supported SASANE’s efforts to break cycles of exploitation and replace them with positive cycles of healing, justice and empowerment in Nepal.
Let’s Protect Ourselves
Nepal is a country with limited educational and economic opportunities – a challenging situation which has only been exacerbated by natural disasters in recent years. Lack of opportunity leads many Nepalese men and women to migrate abroad in search of often hazardous, informal work. With such steadily high rates of irregular migration comes enormous risk of trafficking and exploitation. High rates of child trafficking are found along these routes as well.
Samrakshak Smuha Nepal (SASANE), meaning “Let’s protect ourselves” in Nepali, is a grassroots organization, run by and for survivors and those at-risk of human trafficking. SASANE was founded and registered in 2008 by a group of seven survivors of various forms of trafficking, who joined together on a mission to end the physical and sexual exploitation of Nepalese people, particularly women and girls. As a survivor-led organization, SASANE has a deep and personal understanding of the root causes, and know from firsthand experience what support is most needed during the challenging rehabilitation and reintegration processes.
Corporate Social Responsibility
Barbara Burger, President of Chevron Technology Ventures and long-time community member of GoPhilanthropic Foundation, has facilitated over $20,000 in donations since 2015 in support of SASANE’s incredible mission, through Chevron’s Humankind Direct Contribution Matching Program.
Over the last four years, the Chevron Humankind Gift Matching Program has supported many key program expansions and enhancements at SASANE:
- In 2015, GoPhil applied Chevron’s matching grant to SASANE’s Mountain Village Education Program, funding essential teaching materials for seven trained SASANE paralegals living in seven separate villages in Nuwakot. The teachers provided basic literacy skills and information on human rights six days a week.
- In 2016, Chevron’s matching grant helped SASANE expand its Mountain Village Education Program to include economic development initiatives, offering a critical alternative to income previously generated through trafficking.
- In 2017, the matching grant helped SASANE expand their innovative life skills and literacy trainings to 3 new villages, and train new teachers in order to cover this larger area.
- In 2018 and 2019, the funding from the grant matching program was allocated towards the essential running costs of the Mountain Village Education Program, including: salary support for the Program Coordinator, an intensive teacher training course in Kathmandu for 10 young women from the rural villages, and monthly salary support for each of these young teachers for one year.
Additionally, the matching program has supported ongoing capacity building on Monitoring & Evaluation, so that SASANE can better measure the impact of their amazing programs.
Proven Success
SASANE’s innovative programs to support communities and prevent trafficking, including those mentioned above, have proven hugely successful; populations of young women and girls, previously depleted due to high rates of unsafe migration and human trafficking, are now recovering and returning to normal levels.
Engaged, Active Philanthropy
Barbara has visited the SASANE anti-trafficking program in Nepal not once, but twice to witness the impact of the Chevron Humankind support firsthand. Most recently, in March 2019, she joined our GoPhilanthropic Travel journey to Nepal, where she toured SASANE’s new office and spent one-on-one time catching up with their inspiring leader, Shyam, and the rest of the team.
At SASANE, she learned of the team’s ambitious and exciting dreams for the future, including plans to open restaurants in Kathmandu and Pokhara, to start English-medium schools for children in Nuwakot, and to expand their trekking/homestay programs. These additions would support their mission and provide more direct employment opportunities for survivors and young women from the rural villages, preventing that they be re-trafficked as they re-enter the workforce.
“Empowered is if we learn our legal rights and gain marketable skills.”
– Ms. Indira Gurung, founding member of SASANE –
