VDCE Project

Help Launch the VDCE Project in Bajura, Nepal

The VDCE Project is an integrated rural development initiative designed to help families improve nutrition, strengthen livelihoods, and build greater resilience.

The Beyond the Bridge Foundation was created after founder Jim O'Reilly returned to Bajura nearly 50 years after serving there as a Peace Corps volunteer. Today, BtBF works alongside local leaders to support practical, community-driven projects that create lasting opportunity.

Local Leadership and Partnership

The VDCE Project is being developed in partnership with local community leader Janesh Bhandari, founder of Olive Eco Village Hotel and a longtime advocate for sustainable agriculture, tourism, and community development in Bajura.

The project is also being developed in collaboration with IISUMOD (International Institute for Sustainable Mountain Development), an Italy-based organization with decades of experience supporting sustainable agriculture and rural livelihoods in western Nepal.

Together, BtBF, IISUMOD, and local leaders in Bajura are working to create a practical, replicable model that helps families improve nutrition, increase income, and strengthen long-term resilience.

VDCE stands for:

• Vegetable – household vegetable production and improved nutrition
• Drum – water collection and storage systems
• Cow – livestock development, including dairy and rabbit production
• Energy – renewable energy through biogas systems

Rather than addressing one challenge at a time, the VDCE Project combines these elements into a practical household model that helps families increase food production, improve sanitation, generate income, and reduce dependence on firewood.

The pilot will work directly with 10 households in Bajura and create a practical model that can be replicated by communities throughout the region.

BtBF Funding Goal: $7,500

The total pilot project budget is approximately $15,000. Through this campaign, Beyond the Bridge Foundation is seeking to raise $7,500 to help fund the pilot and demonstrate a practical, community-led model that can be expanded throughout the region.

Your support helps provide:

• Vegetable seeds and household gardens
• Water collection and storage systems
• Livestock and agricultural support
• Biogas and renewable energy solutions
• Training and technical assistance for participating families

Together, we can help create stronger, healthier, and more self-sufficient rural communities.