In Bharatpur VDC, Mahottari there is a Sada community (Dalit). In 2010 DLRF Mahottari organized a meeting to establish a VLRF. Consequently, 27 households from the community came together to form the Ranga Lal Village Land Rights Forum in Bharatpur VDC-1. All of the community members earned their livelihoods through labouring. For a full day’s work each individual only received NPR 120 ($1.4) from the landowners. VLRF members organized a campaign to demand a wage increase. The campaign and subsequent rally saw other community members joining the cause and refusing to till the landlord’s land which remained fallow during the productive season. Before returning to work, those campaigning were able to secure an increase in their wages to NPR 200 ($2.34) from the landlords. As a result of regular discussions at the Land Learning Centre, VLRF members were also able to utilize 0.33 ha of fallow land in Bharatpur-1. They received tilling certificates from the VDC Office with the agreement to utilize the land for a further 40 years. On the same land, members have developed a fish pond on 0.2 ha of land using NPR 26,000 ($305) received from the VDC. As a result of selling fish a total of NPR 10,000 ($117) has been deposited in the movement fund.
CSRC Nepal
Community Self Reliance Center
