It is very common for the girls in Achham, a remote zone in far-west Nepal, to be out of the school system because of the financial situation of the families – most men have to go to India to work and the daughters are asked to stay at home to help with the household chores and field work-. For the same reason, underage marriage is still prevalent in this part of Nepal. Because of lack of awareness and superstitious beliefs, parents don’t hesitate in marrying their teenage daughters. For those adolescent girls, marriage can seem to be the only option to change their lives because they haven’t grown up in an environment where they are encouraged to study and go to school.
The EDUFEM project was established in the year 2018 to help girls from Achham to continue their education for their better future, and so they would stay in school. Our objective is to give opportunities to teenagers to stay in high school and eventually attend college.
We provide them with the education fees (tuition, stationery, etc.), a room for them to stay as well as food and elements for their basic needs. As they will be in an environment where they can focus on their studies, they will be able to perform in school and won’t have the pressure of being a burden for their parents. Since English is not compulsory in Government schools, we also provide extra English classes so that they can improve their language skills. Our management team in Kathmandu will keep regular contact with them in order to check their progress and help them in any situation they may face.
In this report we explain the situation of the project and the budget for sponsor them. And how Manisha Nath and Tejana Khanal, the beneficiaries in the 2018-2020 period, have developed their studies. Both have chosen to study staff nurse. The cost is 6,000 euros, so they are deciding which studies they will take in other possibilities such as a bachelor’s degree, after they finish high school. They are also coordinators and mentors for our Rato Baltin Project.
In the period 2019-2020, the beneficiaries are Tulashi Bhandari, Manisha Bhandari, Kamala Bhandari and Sangita Nath. they were mentors in the implementation of the Rato Baltin project during 2019, being free and independents as roommates in their own apartment in Mangalsen, being free and independent: is a new experience for those four young women. Their major subjects are journalism, accounting, Nepalese literature. According to their teachers, they have made progress in their studies. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, they had to go back to their parents’ house during lock down, from March 22nd to June 15th. In the remote areas where their villages are located there isn’t internet or electricity, so online classes were not an option.
You can become part of the Edufem Project and help them to have a better future. To them and also to the girls whom they can help.
Text by Rupa Pandey.
There are several ways in which you can get involved with our projects and help girls in Achham:
Teaming Group: 1 euro a month – become part of Rato Baltin Project!
Teaming Group: 1 euro a month – become part of the team and get your friends to help you sponsor her and avoid early marriage with our EDUFEM project!!
Regular donation: to https://donorbox.org/againts-chhaupadi
Become a member: https://beartsy.org/associate/
🙂 Thanks!