Women Empowerment & Navadurga Cashmere

Navadurga Cashmere is a family-run organization established in 1998AD. Driven by a single man's vision to give back and make a difference, the venture began with a strong focus on empowering women. Empowering women leads to a better society. 
Beyond its status as a business, Navadurga operates on its foundation of profound dedication.  Proud of its unwavering stance on sustainability and uplifting the lives of others, Navadurga has managed to establish itself as one of the best and most reliable pashmina manufacturers in Nepal. 
At the heart of Navadurga lies its resilient workforce, the majority of whom are women where the delicate threads of pashmina give them unwavering strength. Every luxurious pashmina crafted here is a medium of giving back to society. 
Navadurga Cashmere is located in Ranibari and has three outlets in Thamel, Kathmandu, Nepal.

The issue of women trafficking in Nepal

Underneath the beautiful landscape and Himalayas lies the plague that haunts the rural areas of Nepal – human trafficking. Over ten thousand women and girls are smuggled to India every year. The open border between Nepal and India makes human trafficking easy and difficult to track, rightfully earning its title as one of the busiest human trafficking routes in the world.

Prominent in rural areas of Nepal where the literacy rate is low and the poverty rate is high, it is easier to lure women and children by selling them dreams of a better life and riches. They are trafficked to India or different locations across Nepal. India acts as a transit point for trafficked women who are then transported to Middle East, Pakistan and other countries for sexual exploitation, organ trafficking, or forced to work as laborers with little to no pay.

Although steady decline has been noticed in recent years, the issue still looms at large. Many families are still waiting for the return of their daughter, sister or mother. Countless lives have been broken and many homes robbed of joy.


Navadurga Cashmere and tackling human trafficking

Navadurga Cashmere has been working closely with NGOs and INGOs across the country for the past 15 years to try and eradicate this deep-rooted issue.
Navadurga launches yearly training programs to train women in the art of pashmina weaving and handicraft. Navadurga houses 190 employees, 137 of whom are rescued women who are victims of human trafficking.