UNNATI - Chaudhary Foundation
UNNATI (Upscaling National, Natural, Artistic, and Traditional Industries) is a unique initiative of Chaudhary Foundation catering towards sustainable prosperity through various livelihood program. Unnati is focused on women development and their empowerment through skill and sustainable development livelihood programs on art, craft, tradition, and culture. Unnati’s philosophy of revival and survival of national heritage, through forms of crafts, dance, music, food, language, habitat and essentially encompassing the philosophy of life by which civilizations once thrived in culture and traditions. The essence being to bring the lost and found, old and new back into our everyday life and engagement and its mechanization with livelihood project is something that Unnati has been accomplishing.
In February 2018, Unnati opened its first outlet named Unnati Bazaar at Shashwat Dham, a place for the spiritual traveler at the scenic locale of Devchuli and Bartulis hills of Nawalparasi and its second outlet was opened in 2024 at CG Landmark, Chitwan. Unnati Bazaar is proud to present a multifarious product sourced from the Himalayan Range rich in craft and traditional techniques that form an integral part of the livelihood of its region, biodiversity, and cultural heritage. The purity of material and painstaking processes is what makes them so special, unique and beautiful. Every product tells a story of a region, indigenous materials, and skills that have been safeguarded and handed down from centuries-old practices.
Whilst every region of Nepal boasts its own rich natural abundance, each entrepreneur Unnati partner with offers expertise in its own unique form of basketry. Weaving, dyeing and grass-rolling techniques differ across the regions as much as basket shapes, patterns, and structures. These precious handmade crafts are woven through the generations within families and hence passed along the continuous thread from generation to generation – protecting and preserving an art form. Thus Unnati is fulfilling its objective to create a sustainable market demand for rural artisans and craftsmen through the platform of
Vision
Fostering a harmonious and equitable platform dedicated to empowering women-led enterprises through enhanced learning opportunities, elevating their quality of life, and bolstering their financial well-being.
Values
UNNATI is designed to uphold certain values throughout the life of ongoing projects. These values can be seen consistently through our programs, events, spaces, and experiences to create awareness, sensi¬tivity, and integrity for the project.
Objectives
- Reviving cottage industries and indigenous livelihood practices in arts, crafts, performance, agriculture, architecture, and traditional industries to enrich and empower the national heritage of Nepal and expand its reach to South Asia.
- Preserving and promoting threatened livelihood practices due to fast urbanization and loss of identity and culture.
- Upscaling traditional techniques for modern-day requirements and transforming design and functionality for craft practitioners and consumers.
- Creating products and services for wider markets, from the economic base to high-end consumers.
- Developing a transdisciplinary platform for design-led interventions via for-profit and charitable projects and programs.
- Incubating social entrepreneurs with business models like co-creative ateliers, collaborative workspaces, art residencies, museums, and exhibitions to stimulate the creative economy of the region.
Pillars
UNNATI Shipshikshya
Upskilling and providing knowledge systems for women’s economic empowerment through creating value chains in indigenous crafts, cottage industries, and food processing leads to sustainable economic acceleration.
Siya (Made in Nepal)
A retail chain of national and international branding and distribution of an artisanal Nepalese brand to grow and represent the journey of crafts in Nepal.
Arts & Culture
Artistic expressions, research, and study within the visual arts, literature, music, and theatre, to con¬serve heritage and foster cross-cultural connections.
Farm to Table
Promoting local, fresh, and sustainably produced foods through best practices in agriculture, organic farming, and dairy farming as the primary source of livelihood.
Unnati Cultural Village
An experiential space to enable cultural hospitality, festivals, events, creative expression, inclusion, and exploration.
The Unnati Cultural Village (Harkapur) encompasses over 50,000 square meters of land in the idyllic setting of the Terai plains. For those seeking a cultural experience that showcases indigenous livelihoods, an opportunity to engage with artisans or a place to be inspired, the village is the perfect destination.
Unnati Cultural Village brings together the arts and cultures of the Indian sub-continent and beyond. It is a place where traditional livelihood practices are celebrated and sustained through the creation of market linkages, training opportunities, artist residencies, exhibitions and festivals.
Within the village is a beautiful boutique hotel, a retreat for hosting artists from around the globe, a craft centre for showcasing local arts, a performance area and an organic restaurant serving local Tharu cuisine.
In 2021, Unnati Cultural Village was inaugurated since then every year Unnati Cultural Village celebrates Unnati Mela. This event brings together craftsmen, musicians and artists from both Nepal and beyond.
Meet some of our artisans
In 2018, Sonam partnered with Chaudhary Foundation to create the Mithila painting outside of Shashwat Dham’s Unnati outlets, which led her to an opportunity to paint the World bank’s walls as well. Here is her story:
When she was only fourteen-years-old, Sonam Karna became a well-known Mithila artist in India. However, the journey there was a long one, especially for such a young girl.
Sonam was born and raised near the Indian border in Janakpur, Nepal. Growing up, her grandmother taught her how to do Mithila, a traditional style of “folk painting” on the Indian subcontinent, and they would practice stroke after stroke for hours until she perfected the technique.
Though Sonam didn’t complete her schooling, she eventually joined Janakai Utpadan Samudayek Sanstha, a production group affiliated with Poverty Alleviation Fund (PAF). The skill development training program helped her commercialize her work and advance her skills through management training, revolving funds and market linkage.
Following the training, she used her newfound courage to provide similar development training to other women in her community and began painting more.
Like many young women in her community, she married a few years later and became very involved in domestic duties, so she stopped pursuing Mithila art. As time passed, though, she realized it was important for her to earn for herself and do what she loved, so she decided to begin Mithila art again.
Today, Sonam is “proud” because she can support her family and encourage and inspire other young Nepali women to persevere and work.
“The hardships I have faced in life and the upbringing my parents have done has made me become the person I am today,” she said.
Sundar Kumari Chaudhary, a woman from the Tharu community in Harkapur-12, Nawalpur, once relied on her husband’s income while she managed the household and farming duties. With limited education, her opportunities were few, until she joined the UNNATI livelihood program.
Through UNNATI, Sundar Kumari discovered a passion for ceramics and pottery. Guided by Nepal’s renowned Ceramic Artist, Mr. Gopal Kalapremi Shrestha, and participating in regular workshops, she refined her skills and explored new techniques.
Today, she proudly serves as a regular staff member at UNNATI, achieving economic and skill independence. No longer dependent on her husband, Sundar Kumari credits UNNATI for empowering her with new opportunities and transforming her life. Her journey is a testament to the power of skill development and the impact of empowerment.
“I am incredibly grateful to UNNATI for the opportunities they have provided me. The skills I have learned in pottery have not only empowered me economically but have also given me a sense of independence and pride in my work.”
– Sundar Kumari Chaudhary