The Committee for the Promotion of Public Awareness and Development Studies (COPPADES)is a non-profit and non-governmental social development organization founded in 1990 with its activities in the rural areas of Nepal - particularly, in the Lamjung District. As a grassroots organization, COPPADES focuses on the participation of people in the process of development and thus deals with the multi-dimensional needs of communities. Equal opportunities are given to all groups of people, including women and ethnic minorities - to develop their maximum potential. The Rural Literacy and Self Reliance Program (RLSRP)is one of the largest COPPADES programs. RLSRP aims to build self- reliance among women and poor people and was started with the support of Canadian Cooperation Office (CCO) in 1991. Since then, this program has been implemented in thirteen Village Development Committees (VDCs) in Lamjung District. Its programs have been funded by The Development Fund, Oslo, Norway for the last eight years. Activities under these are: Organization Building among Women; Education and Awareness-Building; Classes on Gender, Environment and Human Rights; and Economic Programs such as Savings; Enterpirse Development and Credit Cooperatives.