Gravity ropeways
Newton's law — applied to fight poverty
Life is difficult for families living in the remote mountainous areas of Nepal. One in every three people live on just £1 a day. They survive by growing food to eat and selling what is left over to provide the most basic necessities. But getting crops to market can be exhausting and dangerous.
Janagaon is one of six communities in Nepal who together with Practical Action have found an answer that’s transforming their lives. And it’s surprisingly simple.
Dharma is 55 years old, with a wife and three children. He grows vegetables on a small plot of land in Janagaon village. He says, “It takes two hours to get down the mountain trail to the main road, and during the monsoon, accidents are frequent. Now we have the gravity ropeway, the time saved means I can earn three times as much from selling my vegetables. With that extra money I can afford to farm animals, too. But I’m not just glad for me – the whole village is prospering thanks to the ropeway.”
It’s a simple solution to the isolation endured by so many poor Nepalese families. The main components of the ropeway are sourced locally and project staff train local manufacturers to build the parts. We show the village group taking responsibility for the ropeway how to maintain it. A small charge to each user ensures enough money to keep the ropeway in good repair while also paying for two operators to manage the top and bottom stations safely.
Before the installation of the ropeway in Janagaon, families often went without food or medicine during the winter months. They could not afford the initial cost of establishing the ropeway, buying the steel cabling or getting the technical know-how to advise on its installation. Those are the elements Practical Action can help with, thanks to the generosity of our supporters.
The ropeway means people can get more produce to market from their mountain villages. And because it gets there quicker, it’s fresher and earns them more. They have more time to tend their crops, more money to buy fuel for cooking and heating, and can even pay for education and healthcare. Technology really is making a remarkable difference to their lives.
Further information
