This baseline assessment is aimed to present the current situation of access to and use of energy (electricity) as well as to determine the potential sources for renewable energy production in Chepang communities in Manahari and Raksirang rural municipalities of Makwanpur district in central Nepal. It has been carried out under the pilot initiative of Community Empowerment and Social Justice Network (CEMSOJ) and Himalayan Human Rights Monitors (HimRights) titled “Empowering indigenous Chepang youth and women for promotion of Community-based Renewable Energy Project (CbREP) in Nepal”.

The initiative was designed after a preliminary assessment that determined that wards 2, 5 and 6 of Manahari rural municipality and 1, 8 and 9 of Raksirang rural municipality of Makwanpur district with significant Chepang population – do not have adequate or any access to electricity. Those wards have significant Chepang population that do not have access to adequate or any electricity. Around 100-150 Chepang families live in each ward that depend on kerosene or mini solar panels for energy. Primary sources of income of most of the Chepangs include farming, daily wage labor in construction and stone crusher. For cooking, they depend on firewood and straw/thatch. The closest market area for the Chepang communities are 4-5 hours away on foot.

This assessment is based on three field visits/missions undertaken by CEMSOJ and HimRights representatives, including staff persons and consultants between January and November 2021. Since the first scoping mission in early January till the most recent in mid-November 2021, various obstacles have been encountered for the finalization of this baseline assessment, including the deadly second wave of Covid-19 pandemic in Nepal that caused nation-wide lockdown since April, the following heavy and long monsoon from July to October (unusual from past years) that caused many landslides along the highway and roads to the villages. In the meantime, there have also been changes in local circumstances and needs consultations, such as expansion of national grid to certain target villages and preference to get connected with the national grid than develop another community grid. Accordingly, the assessment has been adapted and updated continuously.

This baseline assessment will be followed by the development of at least one community-based renewable energy project (CbREP) under this pilot initiative in one of the target villages as identified in the way forward of the assessment (below) to enhance the access to energy of the Chepang villagers there. The CbREP will be developed and operationalized with participation of the concerned communities and their effective ownership and control. Due to the unforeseen changes in the local needs and circumstances and significant delay caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and heavy monsoon – all of which were beyond CEMSOJ/HimRights’ control, this assessment was intentionally delayed to present a specific conclusion or way forward.

Read full Assessment Report here.