I’ve made it in one piece to Nepal! After many months of preparing and packing up my life in Aberdeenshire, it feels very surreal to be sitting here writing to you from my new home in the township of Dhading Besi.
I already love it here, and was welcomed so warmly by my adopted Nepali family - my landlord Sanu Tapa, his lovely wife who always greets me with a smile and “Namaste Bahini!” (which means “hello sister!”) and their gorgeous children Ajeen and Riwaj. It’s just a 20 minute walk to work, and it’s very rare if someone doesn’t greet me on my ‘commute’ to the Sisters for Sisters office.
My working life here is very different to the UK - I was used to being in an office where, as the head teacher of a primary school, I was interrupted frequently by my staff with questions and issues. There are no desks in the office, and the custom is to sit together on the floor to work if we are not out visiting schools. My introduction to this was the monthly meeting – a mammoth seven hours without getting up, ouch!
I’ve had my first opportunity to meet some of the wonderful Little Sisters. An event was organised to celebrate another successful year for Sisters for Sisters, and the Little Sisters were invited to share their experiences. So many of these young girls stood to speak so movingly and with such energy, motivation and intelligence.
More girls in Nepal will stay in school and keep these bright smiles thanks to you.
It was absolutely amazing to see first-hand the power education has had for these girls. Unfortunately, the norm across Nepal is for girls to be pulled out of school much earlier than their male classmates, often to be married, to look after their siblings, help around the house or work in the field. Sisters for Sisters combats this by encouraging girls, their parents and communities to see the importance of an equal education for all.
The programme has already helped hundreds of Little Sisters, and because of your kind support I am here to continue this progress for many more girls. It’s going to be one of the biggest challenges of my life, but I am optimistic that when you stand alongside me we can change lives for the better.
Thank you so much, and I look forward to updating you more soon.
Take care,
Eunice
Photograph: © VSO/Peter Caton