To serve women who fled to Nepal as refugees from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq and. Bhutan, we launched Common Threads Nepal in 2014. More than 20 local psychosocial counselors have engaged in intensive training and mentoring from CTP during our collaboration. They have implemented healing circles for more than 200 women and girls. These have included survivors of domestic violence, child and forced marriage, rape, incest, sexual exploitation, and sex trafficking. With a track record of success with trauma survivors, our local staff was also able to respond to the overwhelming needs of earthquake survivors in the hardest hit districts.
Careful evaluation has shown significant improvements for participants, across all domains of mental health, self-esteem, daily functioning, self-confidence, motivation, social interaction, family relations, and sense of community.
A process of empowerment has occurred across the project. Former participants in the program have helped to co-facilitate subsequent circles. Replacing the trainers from Common Threads Project, the Nepali clinical team have begun to train and supervise others in this methodology. Now called “Sajha Dhago,” the Nepal site is becoming our Center of Excellence for the region.
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