A ROLE MODEL WOMAN
65 years old, Geeta Devi Kafle of "Janaklyan Women's Group", Mahottari district gave up the long held caste discrimination practice.
She has been a role model of the Khayarmara VDC of Mahottari district. Now she eats what so-called Dalit (Untouchable) people give her. She allows Dalits in her home. The women's group participated in the Cornerstones training and changed their philosophy toward the age-old caste discrimination practice.
In Nepali phenomenon the society is divided into caste groups with hierarchy. Those of the so-called higher caste (Brahmin, Chhetrri) discriminate against the lower caste (Dalits). The level of discrimination is inhumane to the effect that Dalits are considered untouchable and ostracized from the society.
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Nepal Projects Success Stories
Shanti Chepang
Shanti was born on 1979 on one such family. At 12 years old, she was placed in a landlord’s home away from friends and family as domestic help where she looked after the livestock, cooked, cleaned and helped with the farm. Her father came every year not to see her but to take away her salary without leaving a single penny for her. Even today many children from poor rural families are still the breadwinners for their entire family. They are estranged from parental love and care and subjected to abuse and hard work at tender age. It was her maternal uncle who came to her rescue and got her married to Mohan Chepang at the age of 17. But life was still hard as work hard to find and money was scarce.
| SUDHAMIYA PASWAN - GTA 2009 WINNER
Sudhamiya has changed her life drastically. She has come out of her cocoon and spread her wings. “Our society speaks unwell of women who step out of their houses. But I have realized the hard work and perseverance can win respect of even the most static people. My father-in-law has changed his views of me. He comes to me for advice and support. I plan to build a permanent house soon,” says Sudhamiya pointing to her mud hut. She and her husband plan to educate their children so they can have better opportunities. For a family coming out of the most improvised of the communities in the terai region of Nepal, the Paswan’s have achieved a lot in such little time.
| LAXMI THAPA MAGAR - GTA 2009 WINNER
“I have learned many things from Heifer. The most important lesson for me is sharing and caring. I have been on the other side of life where even a piece of stale bread that somebody throws at you seems like kindness. We as a group can’t alleviate poverty from the world but we can do our best in our village and community. Hence we have vowed to continue passing on as long as we can,” Laxmi exclaims. She has never hesitated to help anyone. Laxmi has a special place in her heart for women like her. She encourages those who are hesitant to venture into new income generating activities. She stands by their side and lends them a hand when required.
| GANGA KHANAL - GTA 2009 WINNER
A soul hurt by the continuous ignorance and humiliation of the past found it equally as painful when a victim dares to share the formidable experience in the present. The trauma irks the mind of preyed woman who suffered from not giving birth to a son. She, who experienced a horrible ordeal and struggled to survive, understands the sorrows of life. The eyes of Ganga Khanal filled with tears as she spoke. “My husband had no job. I had two daughters, and I was pregnant. At that time, my mother-in-law drove us out of the home,” Ganga said. The pain produced in her mind due to unable to bear a son sporadically burned her soul. “I lost the base of my life to continue,” she said as she smeared the teardrops that fell on her cheek.
| The Chepangs learn to pass on and live a new life
Hunters and wanderers by nature, the Chepangs have made a living from the forest for ages. They settle in clearings and wastelands and do very little farming and livestock raising. They believe that land needs time to heal from man’s exploits, much like the gypsies do, and hence they move their settlement from time to time. In the recent times with the advent of land reform, land ownership and wildlife and nature protection laws, the Chepangs have been forced to change their old ways of living. For a race living in and from the forest, it is hard to make a living out of it.
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External Projects Success Stories
Ms. D.S. Lilawathi
Ms. D.S. Lilawathi is 67 years old and a resident of Pathegama South in Kottegoda. She lives with her ailing husband and two unmarried sons. She has seven other children, married and living in the vicinity. Lilawathi is an active member of Sahana Padanama, a local NGO affiliated with the Matara District Consortia. In the past she received two small loans from the NGO.
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