Ibasho Nepal

Team Leader

Lumanti Manandhar

Solution Overview

Solution Name:

Ibasho Nepal

One-line solution summary:

Our aim is to expand Ibasho community’s access to food and income generation

Pitch your solution.

In Matatirtha of Chandragiri Municipality in Kathmandu, there is lack of employment opportunities as an impact of the ongoing pandemic which resulted in issues in managing health issues. The conditions of this pandemic have placed adverse strain on middle/ low-income families as many cannot work from home and cannot afford increased prices for food. Adjacently, ageing-related problems persist in the area.

We aim on maintaining and expanding an elder-led multifaceted COVID-19 awareness campaign and income-generating activities. We plan to reevaluate current business model practices and design new model that ensures long term sustainability. To strengthen the finance of the population of the targeted area, trainings on vegetable farming, jewelry making, compost making and woolen products can be provided.

Intergenerational inclusiveness in the society, involvement of elderly members in sustainable projects, elderly independence and promotion of livelihood project are some of the positive change in lives if it was scaled globally.

What specific problem are you solving?

From 24 March to 22 July 2020, the first COVID-19 lockdown in Nepal was put into effect by the government with rising concerns about physical and mental health of everyone. Furthermore, Nepal Government imposed lockdown from 29th April 2021, extending up to 21st June 2021. For the first week of lockdown, weekly average was 6154 cases which spiked in the second week at 8872 and has halved in the second week of June 2021.

The start of the pandemic has led to the risks of older adults being socially isolated or abused due to social distancing which is one of the main preventive measures against coronavirus suggested by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Over 2 million people living in Nepal are aged over 60 which is almost 9% of the country’s total population. The Ibasho ecosystem is spread in the village of Balagaon, Matatirtha which encompasses the community area with a population of at-least 200 elders. Ibasho model creates socially integrated and sustainable societies that value their elders, through elder-led projects that serve community members of all ages while reducing the isolation of older people.

What is your solution?

Ibasho thrives to provide its community members with access to information and technology through video webinars/phone calls focused on Covid-19 facts, safety, preventative measures, health & hygiene, mental health, testing resources, and vaccination schedules. Providing Ibasho members the knowledge and resources regarding Covid-19 to share within their widen community and capacity building of the community focusing on sustainable farming practices, inclusive leadership and sustainable business modeling are the core objectives of the solution. Along with that, provision of resources and training for community members to start or expand individual gardens on their roofs or balconies to support the community members with livelihood opportunities for sustainable income generation is to be made certain. Ensuring community members remain socially connected without getting isolated and strengthening the community members’ traditional knowledge with capacity building for future sustainability to be sought.

Who does your solution serve, and in what ways will the solution impact their lives?

The implementation site of the project is Mahadevsthan and Matatirtha Village of Chandragiri Municipality, Kathmandu. Matatirtha is a semi-urban/semi-rural community located in Chandragiri Municipality about 15 kilometers from central Kathmandu. The target beneficiaries are the Ibasho Community members: Elders, Chetana Jagriti Mahila Samuha (Women’s Group) Members, Matatirtha Old Age Home, Government School and individuals from the Ibasho Nepal ecosystem in the implementation site.

In July 2016, the Ibasho project launched in Matatirtha, as requested by the community members. Assessing the situation, the Ibasho model aimed to create socially integrated and sustainable societies that value their elders, through elder-led projects that serve community members of all ages while reducing the isolation of older people. The model has been successfully implemented in three countries (Philippines, Japan and Nepal) . Ibasho, which means “a place where you can feel like yourself” in Japanese, was established to address rapid global aging and lessen the isolation too often experienced by the growing cohort of people age 65 and older. We challenge the prevalent, mostly negative perceptions of aging by empowering elders to create places where they can assist community members of all ages. Our vision is of a world that embraces the positive qualities of aging while adapting to its challenges, creating more inclusive and resilient communities by ensuring that elders remain integrated and active in their communities.

To determine the interests of the Ibasho community members and set rational objectives for the community, need assessment was conducted in October 2020 and May 2021. Due to the lockdown imposed by the Nepal Government from April 2021, coordination with the Ibasho community members were fulfilled through phone calls. Hence, data was collected via phone calls to the Ibasho members who were reachable over phone. The remarks made by the members are as follows:

Skill development sessions and trainings
Income-generating skills which can be started at home
Re-engage community members in the ongoing livelihood projects
Programs that targets the sustainability of member’s financial aspects

The solution we are working towards consists of an innovative holistic model which includes multigenerational approach. 8 principles are generated which are as follows:

Principle 1: Elder Wisdom

Principle 2: Multigenerational Connections

Principle 3: Community Ownership

Principle 4: Culturally Appropriate

Principle 5: Self-sustaining

Principle 6: Demarginalization

Principle 7: Embracing Imperfection

Principle 8: Normalcy

Applying these principles in the targeted area will create a multigenerational platform where elders can pass on their wisdom and skills to the younger generation along with empowering themselves whilst the process. To strengthen the finance of the population of the targeted area, advanced trainings on vegetable farming, jewelry making, compost making and woolen products will be provided. Continuation of livelihood project will be promoted in order to uplift the living standards of the people.

Ibasho Nepal has an established infrastructure, including a multigenerational connected local community, open lines of communication between coordinators and Ibasho elders (via internet and phone). The Nepali Ibasho team is well practiced in conducting virtual seminars and check-ins. This model is inclusive of all the age groups, all genders and all income level population. The community (dependent and independent population) as a whole of the targeted area is impacted by the problem as low and medium income families persist in the village. The beneficiaries of the Ibasho Model will be the community members of Ibasho Nepal, their families and the elders of the community. The solution is focused to bring social change; hence, it shall create social impact in the existing society as well.

The impacts of Ibasho Nepal till date are as follows:

Enrollment of approximately 20 members as community members in the Ibasho Nepal community
Women empowerment through providing employment opportunities to the female community members
Involvement of elderly members in sustainable projects of the community
Intergenerational inclusiveness in the society
Creation of Ibasho hub where Ibasho community member can come together for discussion or fellowship
Channel of earning created for the community members by providing various livelihood trainings

The total number of beneficiaries till date= approximately 20 families

Target beneficiaries= 50% of the households of the targeted area

Which dimension of the Challenge does your solution most closely address?

Prevent the spread of misinformation and inspire individuals to protect themselves and their communities, including through information campaigns and behavioral nudges.

Explain how the problem you are addressing, the solution you have designed, and the population you are serving align with the Challenge.

The project mentioned in the application highlights the information on the impact created by Ibasho Nepal on the basis of financial empowerment of community members and the elderly to combat mental health which aligns with combating mental health impacts of disease outbreaks along with financial impacts of the pandemic. We aim to prevent the spread of misinformation and inspiring individuals to protect themselves and their communities through maintaining and expanding an elder-led multifaceted COVID-19 awareness campaign.

In what city, town, or region is your solution team headquartered?

Lalitpur, Nepal

What is your solution’s stage of development?

Pilot: An organization deploying a tested product, service, or business model in at least one community.

Explain why you selected this stage of development for your solution.

The implementation site of the project is Mahadevsthan and Matatirtha Village of Chandragiri Municipality, Kathmandu. Matatirtha is a semi-urban/semi-rural community located in Chandragiri Municipality about 15 kilometers from central Kathmandu. The target beneficiaries are the Ibasho Community members: Elders, Chetana Jagriti Mahila Samuha (Women’s Group) Members, Matatirtha Old Age Home, Shree Mahalaxmi Aadharbhut Bidhyalaya (local government school)and individuals from the Ibasho Nepal ecosystem in the implementation site.

The total number of beneficiaries till date= approximately 20 families

Target beneficiaries= 50% of the households of the targeted area

Who is the Team Lead for your solution?

Santoshi Rana, Chairperson of Ibasho Nepal