The Terai is home to nearly half of Nepal's 22.8 million people for that reason. Much of the land in the Terai is unevenly distributed however, and many people hold only very small plots of land. Forests are an important source of income for these people. Literacy means greater productivity at the family, local and national level. In a recent study, a 20 percent to 30 percent increase in literacy produced an 8 percent to 16 percent gain in the country's gross domestic product.
Literacy is key to helping people become self-sufficient and realize their potential.
Anyone who cannot read or write is at a distinct disadvantage, economically and socially, no matter where they live in the world. In Nepal, landless people and girls and women have very few opportunities to learn to read and write. This lack of opportunity is due to a rigid caste system and because the traditional, male-dominated culture has not considered education a priority for people of low caste and women. Nepali Women Only 21 percent of adult women in Nepal are literate, compared to 61 percent of men. Yet women bear the most responsibility for the household.