Strength TogetHER 17- Session 4

25th December 2021.

Lokopakar is a youth development organization currently running four programs; Mragadarshan, UUDAN, Strength TogetHER and Think Ink. Strength TogetHer is specially designed for girls where they meet once in two weeks and share their insecurities, ideas, perspectives, and stories. This safe platform has been empowering young girls by inspiring them to be vocal about what matters to them. It has been running its session both online and in physical presence moderated by an expert in the related topic.

The session is Jumla is conducted in partnership with the Zonta Club of Kathmandu. Zonta Club is a legally registered NGO that has been working on the advancement of the status of women with the objective to improve the economy, education, health, and issues related to youth and violence against women.

On the 25th of December 2021, a session of cohort 17 was conducted virtually with the girls of Jumla. Enthusiastic girls from such a geographically challenged place showed up with saved batteries even though they had been suffering from power cuts for three days. We were excited to interact with girls from the foothills of the Himalayas on the topic of "The importance of Education". 

The moderator of the session was Ms. Niharika Mainalai who has been working in the education sector for many years. Currently, she leads Changing Stories Nepal, a non-profit organization as the executive director. Having worked as a full-time public school in Janakpur, as Teach for Nepal fellow for two years, she has been actively working and collaborating with the other organization to make sure that public students get the education they deserve. She is also involved in training youths to become leaders inside classrooms as teachers. Her interest lies in remedial education.

After welcoming all our participants virtually, our participants started sharing their stories. Our first speaker was asked about the situation of the education of girls in Jumla. She said that now parents have become aware that if their girls are not educated, then they suffer in marriage. Economically strong parents prioritize technical education while middle-class families support till high school and bachelors. She said it's a lot better than what it used to be previously.

When our speaker was asked what she wanted to study. She replied that it was her dream to pursue nursing but now she aims to open old-age shelters and take care of the senior citizens.

When our participants were asked if they have any friends who had to drop school because of marriage then one of our participants replied that some of her friends got married after SEE and quit school.

After these few stories and understanding the situation in Jumla, our moderator stepped in to explain that we need the education to make our life better. She explained that we can hear the things happening around us but we can understand such happenings only when we are educated. She also added that education is important not only to bring change in our life but a fundamental base in the development of our future generations.

Then our moderator asked the participants what their situation would be like if they were not educated.

One of our participants quickly said that they would have been married by now, enduring the domestic violence, their reproductive health would have been degraded, they would not differ from the women of their past generation, they would not be able to enjoy the developments of the modern technologies. Another participant quickly added that they would be guilty about how backward they are and would have been intimidated by the educated ones.

Our moderator agreed with them and explained further how education lags behind us in the developmental race, she suggested we remind ourselves of this whenever we have a hard time studying. 

Then our participants were asked up to which level they wanted to study and whether they will continue in Jumla?

Our participant answered that she is studying Forestry and will to go the cites to continue her bachelors and Masters, while the other participants replied that they will study up to diploma level then fight for Lok Sewa Aayog and later continue their bachelors and masters with their earings as their families can't afford further now.

One of the participants added that it has become a very common trend to marry only after completing education and fighting Competitive government exams like Lok Sewa Aayog which is a huge achievement for Jumla.

Then participants were asked the difference between them and their uneducated friends. 

They replied that their uneducated friends are having difficulty using a mobile phone as they do not understand English. This makes them sad that their friends are not enjoying things like Facebook. 

One of the participants shared that her dream is to make her parents proud by studying well as it will help her earn well. She said that she will also continue her education to a higher level once she starts earning. When she was asked up to which level would she study if her family supports her economically she replied up to Masters.

Our other speaker was asked how will her education help her bring change to Jumla?

She replied that expensive higher-level programs like MBBS, BPH have been started in Jumla but those are not for the students like her who belong to low-income families. She said that she wants to be an example for middle-class families by cracking the Loksewa Ayog exams and standing economically independent. Then she will fund herself for her education. She also added that it will be more difficult to continue her studies after marriage so she has planned to not marry until she becomes financially independent.

Then our moderator gave feedbacks and suggestions to the girls facing problems in their education process which are:

• It is important to understand why we are studying, studying only for the degree will not sustain life.
• Problems come in each and everything but it is important to take steps ourselves.
• There are different scholarships that we can apply for when the situation is not financially favorable.
• Education comes in various forms: formal and informal. Informal education can be a solution when formal education is challenged by our circumstances.

Our moderator compared the resources and opportunities around us with a tree with tons of oranges and education with our hand that helps to pluck the oranges from the tree. Like there's no use of that orange tree when we don't have hands to pluck them, similarly, there's no meaning of resources and opportunities when we do not have the education to understand and utilize.

We ended our one-hour-long sessions taking screenshots and wishing Merry Christmas.

It was such an insightful session. Seeing girls so passionate about education despite being in such a remote place reflected the value of education. Education is changing lives!.

Written by - Ahana Dhakal (LOKOPAKAR)