Welcome back to my blog!
I’ve been looking forward to updating you on the Sisters for Sisters project. I wouldn’t be here without you, so thank you so much again for your kind donations. Your support really is changing the lives of girls and young women here in Nepal.
First ever first aid
We’ve recently had some school closures and a few bandaas (strikes) so my usual routines have been disrupted. But this has given me the opportunity to run some extra training courses for my community mobilisers.
A quick reminder – Community Mobilisers train and mentor the Big Sisters who support the Little Sisters. Each Community Mobiliser has two or three communities, and in each community they look after up to nine Big Sisters. They also, as their job title suggests, ‘mobilise’ the communities, raising awareness of the importance of girls’ education.
I started with a first aid workshop. In the most remote communities, health care can be a long way away, so just some basic first aid knowledge could make a real difference to people.
The Community Mobilisers had never been trained in first aid before and they keen to see what new skills I could share with them. The training went well but I did come across one problem. There is just one resuscitation mannequin in the entire district and, to put it politely, he wasn’t in the best shape - I certainly wasn’t keen on giving him mouth-to-mouth! So I’m hatching a plan to fundraise for some new mannequins to practise on.
How menstruation can end a girl’s education
I also ran a workshop for the Community Mobilisers on girls’ health. This is a really important topic: since coming here I’ve discovered that menstruation can have a huge impact on a girl’s education. When girls get their periods, cultural beliefs, lack of toilet facilities and various other challenges mean they’re discouraged to go to school. I find this extremely frustrating and utterly heart breaking in equal measure.
This, along with early marriages and girls being taken out of school to help with chores, means nearly 60% of women in Nepal are illiterate. The chances of them finding decently paid work to comfortably support themselves and their families are very slim.
If I can raise awareness of women’s health among the Community Mobilisers and it trickles down to Big Sisters and Little Sisters, my hope is that more girls will have the courage and confidence to stay in school and fulfil their right to an education. I’m excited about this work and I look forward to sharing news of our progress in my next update.
Nepal’s talented toy-makers
Playtime is so important for children’s development – they need to have the freedom to develop and grow. Children here spend a lot of time helping their families with chores, but when they do find time for play, they certainly make the most of it!
There’s one toy shop in the area but I’ve never seen anyone in it. It stocks a lot of plastic items that probably cost far too much for the average pocket. However, do not imagine there are no toys! Children here are admirably resourceful and make their own.
I’ve seen a windmill made of bamboo bark and footballs made from bags filled with straw and tied with string. Dodgeball is popular with the children here and I’ve spotted two types of ball to dodge: one fashioned from dozens of rubber bands tied together and one made, intriguingly, of broccoli plant leaves.
The children’s ingenuity with their toy-making really is impressive. I think that this ingenuity and resourcefulness should be encouraged because in the future, those skills could help them make a real difference to the development of their communities. In the meantime, the children have inspired me. I’m going to attempt to make some of my own learning resources for the Sisters for Sisters project. Wish me luck…
Thank you again
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about the difference you’re making here in Nepal. It’s such a privilege to work with the girls and young women involved in Sisters for Sisters and though these things take time, I really do feel I’m making some progress. Thank you for helping me make it happen.
Best wishes,
Judith
