For years, the busy banks of Ratnanagar were places where many persons with disabilities (PWDs) felt like outsiders. Beyond the physical stairs, there were invisible walls: long, exhausting queues, a lack of specialized financial products, and a general lack of awareness among bank staff. Despite having the desire to engage in entrepreneurship and personal finance, the community of persons with disabilities was effectively sidelined from the formal economy.
The transformation began in April 2025. Under the FAIDA Project, the Nepal Disabled Women Association (NDWA) conducted a two-day intensive workshop. This wasn’t just a standard lecture; it was a strategic session on Financial Literacy and Rights-Based Advocacy. The Project’s GEDSI Advisor empowered the participants -members of local OPDs and Self-Help Groups- not just with financial terms, but with the confidence to say: “Financial inclusion is not a favor; it is our right.” They learned how to navigate local governance and how to use their voices to demand systemic change.
The true impact of the training was witnessed when the Ratnanagar Municipality Disability Coordination Committee took the lead. Demonstrating remarkable local ownership, they didn’t wait for external funds. Instead, they successfully mobilized the Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) budget from the Ratnanagar Municipality itself.
Armed with technical support from the FAIDA project and their newfound advocacy skills, they moved from the classroom to the streets. On January 18 and 20, 2026, the committee carried out a high-visibility advocacy drive that reached 14 different banks across Ratnanagar.
This wasn’t just a courtesy visit. The representatives from Ratnanagar Municipality Disability Coordination Committee met with Bank Managers to deliver a clear message: “Financial products must be inclusive, accessible, and dignified.” They submitted formal Attention letter highlighting the need for disability-friendly infrastructure and inclusive services. They took a practical step toward immediate inclusion by handing over and pasting “Priority Service” stickers in prominent bank areas. These stickers now serve as a daily reminder to both staff and customers that persons with disabilities no longer need to endure the hardship of long queues for 10 banks out of 14. This initiative is a landmark “first step.” It proves that when Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) are empowered with the right training, they become the most effective agents of change.
In Ratnanagar, the “impact” isn’t just a report on paper—it is visible on the glass doors of 10 banks. It is felt in the attitude of the bank managers who now see persons with disabilities as a client. Most importantly, it is seen in the confidence of the community of persons with disabilities, who are now leading their own journey toward economic independence.
The FAIDA project’s intervention has successfully shifted the local narrative from charity to rights. By building the capacity of local stakeholders, we haven’t just implemented a project; we have ignited a sustainable movement for financial justice in Ratnanagar.
“This training didn’t just teach us about banking; it taught us how to open the doors of those banks for everyone. Seeing our advocacy turn into real action at the municipal level is our biggest success”, – Minraj Khanal, President of the Ratnanagar Disability Coordination Committee.