WOW- Wellbeing Out of Waste

Khaalisisi

WOW- Wellbeing Out of Waste

Powering Nepal’s circular economy through women-led, electric rickshaw waste enterprises.

Kathmandu 44600, Nepal

NPL

For-profit, including B-Corp or similar models

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WOW – Wellbeing Out of Waste (SMUA – Swachha Mahila Udhyami Abhiyan)** is a bold initiative that tackles two of Nepal’s most pressing challenges: gender exclusion and environmental inefficiency. Despite being half the population, women—especially widows and single mothers—remain virtually absent from Nepal’s formal waste economy. Lacking access to transport, formal platforms, and social acceptance, they are locked out of the growing green economy, missing opportunities for dignified income and leadership. At the same time, Nepal’s cities struggle with unmanaged waste. An estimated **75% of waste is recyclable**, yet only **~25% is actually recycled**. Valuable materials end up in landfills or are burned, releasing methane and toxic pollutants. Waste is still collected through informal, outdated methods, often using old diesel vehicles that worsen urban air quality. WOW-SMUA addresses these dual problems by empowering 100 women as electric waste entrepreneurs. Through access to **e-rickshaws, training, mapped routes, and guaranteed buy-back** via Khaalisisi, women transition from informal labor to asset-owning green entrepreneurs. This not only boosts recycling and reduces emissions but also challenges entrenched gender norms—placing women at the forefront of Nepal’s circular economy. WOW turns waste into opportunity and invisibility into leadership.

Swachha Mahila Udhyami Abhiyan (SMUA) empowers 100 marginalized women to become green entrepreneurs in Nepal’s recycling economy by equipping them with electric rickshaws, specialized training, mapped waste collection routes, and guaranteed buy-back of recyclables through Khaalisisi. These women, many of them single mothers or widows, transition from informal waste sorters to formal, asset-owning micro-entrepreneurs driving climate action. Each woman receives a GPS-enabled e-rickshaw to overcome mobility barriers and provide zero-emission collection services. Through comprehensive training, they gain skills in vehicle handling, waste sorting, business operations, and digital literacy. Assigned optimized zones via Khaalisisi’s tech platform, they provide reliable, scheduled pickups—replacing Nepal’s informal, inefficient waste system. Crucially, Khaalisisi guarantees fair market rates and instant payments for all recyclables collected, ensuring stable income and formal integration into the circular economy. Every transaction is logged digitally for full traceability and impact measurement. SMUA combines e-mobility, inclusive logistics, and market linkage to create a scalable model of women-led waste recovery. It tackles gender inequality and climate change simultaneously—reducing emissions, diverting recyclables from landfills, and building dignified livelihoods. SMUA is not just about managing waste—it’s about driving transformation through the hands of women who were never given the wheel.

**Direct Beneficiaries – 100 Women Entrepreneurs:** SMUA directly empowers 100 economically marginalized women—primarily widows and single mothers identified through the Women for Human Rights (WHR) network. These women, often excluded from formal employment due to gender, caste, or marital status, are provided with electric rickshaws, skills training, and guaranteed income through waste collection. Most beneficiaries are aged 25–50, living in low-income urban communities, and supporting 3–5 family members each. SMUA enables them to gain **financial independence, visibility, and dignity** as “green entrepreneurs.” This transformation challenges deep-rooted gender norms and creates a new generation of climate leaders from Nepal’s most excluded communities. **Indirect Beneficiaries – 1,000+ Community Members & the Environment:** Each woman serves dozens of households and businesses—impacting over 1,000 indirect beneficiaries. These communities gain access to reliable, doorstep waste collection, reducing the need to burn or dump trash, and improving local health and sanitation. The program also significantly reduces landfill pressure and carbon emissions. Beyond environmental impact, SMUA offers a **powerful social signal**: women driving e-rickshaws and running recycling businesses become role models, inspiring young girls and shifting public perception around women’s roles. In doing so, SMUA fosters **inclusive climate action**—where communities are cleaner, and gender equality drives sustainability from the ground up.