Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, January 12:

The Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN) today announced the launch of a Rs 195-million Janajati Empowerment Project (JEP), over three months after the project started.

JEP is a joint initiative by the NEFIN and Enabling State Programme/DFID that started last September for a period of three years.

The population of indigenous people in Nepal is 8.5 million, around 37.2 per cent of the total population.’ Addressing the launching function, general secretary of NEFIN Dr Om Gurung said that the project would concentrate on making NEFIN and its affiliated organisations strong, durable and people-oriented. “It will not only provide financial assistance to Indigenous Peoples Organisations but also work for institutional reformation, awareness and empowerment programmes, and the expansion of impact in NEFIN’s national policy-making,” he added.