Success Stories
Girls’ Education Program
Room to Read Nepal Vol IV. Nov 2014- Jan 2015
Inspiring
Change
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ast August, when villagers started packing their belongings and searched for a high ground in middle of the night, Bipana warned her mother that the flood will not spare their house either. “Our house is further up from the river,” her mother said, half asleep, “It won’t reach us.” Bipana wasn’t convinced. For her peace of mind, Bipana packed all her books and hid it in a safe place on top of her house. The flood surged, and soon enough her house was half submerged. Her mother regretted not listening to her daughter. “It felt like we were stranded on an island. All we could see was water. The flood had not spared a single house in the village,” Bipana says. “But we were safe. And moreover, my books were safe.” Bipana loves her book more than anything else. At school, when most of the students leave if teachers are absent, she is the only one in the class with books in her hand, studying as if nothing has happened. A tenth grader at Shree Makadev Higher Secondary School, Bardiya, she prefers to study at school than at home. “I do not have proper environment to study at home,” she says. “I make the most of my school day.”
Bipana grew up witnessing domestic violence; her alcoholic father threw fits, and often beat her mother. “As a child, I was scared. I cannot stand this now. Often I stand up to my father,” she says. Her father hates her for this. “As long as my mother is safe, I don’t care what my father thinks of me,” she adds. Beneath her tough exterior, Bipana has a kind heart. Most of her friends turn to her for advice regarding studies as well as personal matters. She is not scared of any circumstances and does not hesitate to say no to unreasonable requests. She is disciplined and wants others to be the same. In class, when the teacher does not come on time, she goes at the staff room to call the teacher. Sabitri Chaudhary, the social mobilizer who mentors her says, “She is different than her classmates. She has power to lead and leaves her mark everywhere.” Bipana is equally active in other spheres of life too. She frequently choreographs and performs street drama on child marriages. She says, “It feels good how you can connect with other people through drama and help them change their perception.” She plans to choreograph a drama on violence against women after she completes her Grade 10. “I grew up with this and I want others to know how painful it is,” she says.
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I want to study and with education, I will bring change in this village
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Despite her performance against child marriages in street, her mother often brings in marriage proposals for her. She is beside herself during those moments. Bipana says, “I want to study and with education, I will bring change in this village.” Bipana enrolled in Girls’ Education Program three years ago. The circumstances in her life have made her a tough individual, and the life skills session groomed her to be more confident and headstrong. She says, “I have gained the confidence to be myself and act the way where I feel right”. “It has taught me self belief and fight for the right things. Nothing scares me as I know I am on right path.”
Community members become activists
“We stormed the marriage procession,” says Asha Tharu, who was one of the mothers from the group. “We had warned them. The girl was only 13 years old and a seventh grader. She was forced to marry the man double to her age,” she adds.
hen you picture a wedding, you imagine happy faces, dances, songs and blessings from the family and the community. We seldom hear about the wedding where no such things happened. In Nayagau village of Bardiya, one of such incidents made the community think many times before organizing a marriage ceremony especially child marriages.
This kind of situation is rare but the incident is common in the Nayagau, Manau and Manpurtapara villages of Bardiya district. The community members have already stopped numbers of child marriages and has been advocating for education.
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When the mothers group, social mobilizers from Room to Read Nepal, Badghar (a traditional elected Tharu community leader) and the police vandalized the wedding ceremony, the attendees got scared. The bridegroom, his family and the invited guests ran away from the wedding home wiping Tika (vermillion powder used to welcome the guests) from their forehead. The bride went to hide to a friend’s place as she was against the marriage.
“I got married when I was a child. I took over a lot of responsibilities at a very young age,” another mother, Ram Kumari Tharu says. “I thought it was a part of the tradition until my daughter, who is studying under scholarship program from Room to Read, said it was not.” The community members of these districts have contented smiles when they think about what has changed in their community over the years. They say they had no idea what power education holds and why child marriages were restricted until they themselves saw the changes.
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We feel proud to be the activist for positive change
Pic: Mothers group and the community members on meeting
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Sumitra Khatri says, “My daughter often shares what she has learnt from the school and the life skills sessions she attends. It has also made me clever in many ways”. She adds, “I now can differentiate the good and bad.” Similarly, another parent, Bhima Bk says, “My daughter, Maya says, “You do not have to worry about my future. I will be an independent woman after I finish my education.”” She further adds, “She always comes first in her class and also participates in various other activities. I feel proud.” Every month, the mothers group, Badghars from different Village Development Committees, the School Committee members and the social mobilizers from Room to Read gather to discuss about the issues, achievements and the challenges they faced in their community for a month. In Manau village, they gather in the library of Shree Nepal Rastriya Ganesh Higher Secondary School where Room to Read has supported to build the Reading Room and School Room. They come prior to the stated time so that they can go through the books of the library. All the parents are very delighted for what Room to Read has taught to them and their children. Chhak Bahadur Bam, Badghar says, “Previously, our children neglected us and now they listen to us. They are much disciplined and are excited to go to school”. They say the program has not only taught their children to be a decision maker but also has made themselves feel empowered. They are happy that their children are passing them their knowledge and helping them to be confident. “We feel proud to be the activist for positive change,” they say.
Merina
Serving With Grace
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hen her poem was published on ‘Hamro Prakriti’ (Our Nature), the pictorial book published by Room to Read on the occasion of 5000th library opening in 2008, a photo of her holding the book, along with other writers and illustrators, was published in the newspaper. The news cut still brings back fond memories. Her poem was about her Parrot, who hated the small confines of the cage. She might have written about a bird, but it is as much about her as it is about her pet. She too hates being in a room with nothing to do. She utilizes her spare time either practicing her dance moves or singing. If not, then she is out somewhere organizing and leading some social service programs with her Scout team. She’s a scout Ranger. She joined Scout when she was in school. At first, it was not the service that encouraged her to join the scout but was the uniform. She was fascinated by the uniform. Later, after learning its values and purpose, she promised herself to serve throughout her life. Her fascination for uniform turned out to be the passion for her work.
She has served in every social event through scout. She says, “I meet various kinds of people facing with difficulties; physical or mental stress and I feel good to serve them”. She adds, “Life has taught me to face challenges and overcome any difficulties in my path. My work with the Scout has prepared me to tackle anything head on.” She aims to become a psychologist. Merina puts her heart to the fullest in anything she does. Recently, she secured third position in the 3rd Korfball National Championship. Though she is happy with the results, she plans to work hard for next year. “I want to be in first position next time,” she says. Not limiting to sports, Merina recently represented Nepal in 7th International Nature Loving Youth Festival 2014 held in Daegu, Korea. This was her first international experience and she was amazed to see the different life outside Nepal. She says, “I read somewhere that the world is a beautiful book, and the people who don’t travel never get past the first page. I am happy that I finally got to push past that first page.”
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I have always accepted what life has offered me
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Pic: The poem ‘Parrot’ published in the book Hamro Prakriti’.
Her parents are equally happier and proud of their only daughter. Her father says, “If a daughter can make her parents so proud at this age, who needs a son?” He adds, “I will never restrict my daughter to achieve whatever she wants in her life. I want to see her be independent”. At the age when people still wonder what they want from life, Merina has already figured out and mapped out her destination. She plans to pursue Social Work for her undergraduate studies and major in psychology for her graduate degree. Merina has no idea on how to manage finances for her further studies after she becomes GEP alumna of Room to Read but she believes she will find a way. She says, “I have always accepted what life has offered be it a challenge or surprise. I will find my way”.
Pic: Merina with her parents.
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