Before I arrived in Nepal, I was shocked to discover the average length of a Nepali girl’s education is just three years, and less than half of Nepali women are able to read and write.
I am here to keep more girls in school for a brighter future
Now that I’ve settled in to life in Dhading, I have seen first-hand the pressure young girls here are under to get married at an early age, help the family with household chores, and to leave school after starting their periods. All these pressures are factors which can prevent them from having a decent education.
For the girls who do make it to school, many of them don’t stay long enough to benefit from a consistent, quality education which could help them escape poverty. Girls who do attend school are still overlooked and undervalued in favour of boys.
Thousands of girls have been helped already
Sisters for Sisters, the programme I am volunteering for, is here to put an end to these challenges and keep girls in school. For good.
During my time here, I will be training ‘Big Sisters’ (older girls) to act as role models to support 'Little Sisters' (younger girls) to stay in school. I will also be working with ‘Adult Champions’ who encourage families and local communities to engage more with education and understand the importance of sending their girls to school.
The amazing idea of using the power of friendship to keep more girls in school has already benefitted 1,200 girls! Thanks to your brilliant support and encouragement, I can’t wait to help even more girls.
Children continuing to learn despite the devastation of the earthquakes thanks to the temporary learning centres
Earthquakes don’t stop learning in Nepal
On top of the cultural challenges preventing girls from finishing their full education, the absolutely devastating earthquake in 2015 flattened many schools across Nepal, especially in the Dhading region where I am based. I was very proud to learn how quickly Sisters for Sisters and VSO stepped forward after the earthquake to ensure children could continue to learn.
100 temporary learning centres across Nepal were established quickly whilst destroyed schools are being rebuilt. This has meant 17,000 children have managed to keep up their lessons, an incredible achievement! All the teachers from the destroyed schools have had training from VSO volunteers to improve lessons, and have been offered counselling. The vast majority of families here have experienced some degree of heartbreak from the earthquake; losing loved ones, homes or their livelihoods, so this has been an essential service relied upon by many here.
As well as these brilliant learning centres being built, we have also added separate toilet facilities for girls and boys with running water. This is a really big step in the rebuild process, as previously most schools just had an unhygienic long drop with no privacy, which was particularly unpleasant for girls who were on their periods and often meant they didn’t come to school during that week.
An idea for a workshop
Finding out from the girls about their natural ‘time of the month’ preventing them from coming to school and the difference private toilets has made to their monthly dilemma has made me determined to help them further.
Some of the Big Sisters and I together
From talking to the ‘Big Sisters’, I’ve discovered sanitary products are very hard to come by or are too expensive, so often girls have to walk miles away from home to wash their stained clothes in privacy. I am currently collecting material from small stalls here to help each girl create a ‘makeshift’ sanitary towel. I hope to update you next time on my first workshop!
Thank you
It’s very bizarre to think back to the day I left home to come to Nepal; already I feel like I’ve been here for years thanks to how welcoming everyone has been. The one downside so far has been getting used to curry for every meal of the day, but my stomach is catching up with my new diet!
I’m already looking forward to telling you about my progress and first workshop. I’m getting pangs of missing home, so it would be so lovely to hear from you!
Take care,
Eunice
