Rockflower is proud to share the remarkable progress and success stories from our ongoing partnership with Janaki Women Awareness Society (JWAS) in Nepal. Through our collaborative project, "Share the Learning: Scale the Impact" we have witnessed transformative changes in communities, particularly among the Musahar community, one of the most marginalized populations in Nepal.
The project, aimed at combating child marriage and gender-based violence, has made significant strides by educating and empowering adolescent girls and their families. Through household and community level educational sessions, the initiative has reached 1000 adolescent girls, including approximately 50 from the Musahar community. These sessions have provided vital information on the detrimental effects of child marriage and the importance of education for girls.
Success Story Highlights:
Janaki Kumari Sada’s Journey of Change: At just 18 years old, Janaki's testimony underscores the power of education against child marriage. Initially unable to convince her parents against the early marriage norm prevalent in her community, the educational sessions provided by the project became a turning point for Janaki. "I am very happy that my parents attended these educational sessions and they are aware. Now, they know that child marriage is a wrong practice," Janaki shared, revealing the transformative impact of awareness and education on her family's perspective.
Ragini Kumari Sada’s Realization: Ragini, another young girl from the Musahar community, expressed a newfound understanding of the importance of education, lamenting her missed opportunities for schooling. The educational sessions illuminated a path for her and others in her community to resist early marriage. "With the education of these sessions, I have realized now that, parents must send their children to school which can prevent them from early marriage," Ragini reflected, highlighting the critical link between education and the prevention of child marriage.
Rangila Kumari Sada’s Renewed Hope: Rangila's story epitomizes the project's capacity to instill hope and inspire change. Facing the prospect of early marriage, the educational sessions she and her parents attended offered a new vision for the future. "However, when my parents attended the session against child marriage, they are very positive for not marrying me before the 20 years of age," Rangila recounted, adding, "My life was going to be hopeless. However, now a ray of hope is returning." This narrative captures the profound effect of education and dialogue in altering long-held beliefs and practices within communities.
This project not only addresses the immediate concerns of child marriage and gender-based violence but also lays the foundation for long-term societal change by promoting education and empowerment for young girls. The success stories of Janaki, Ragini, and Rangila are just a few examples of how targeted interventions can inspire hope and drive positive change in communities.
JWAS plans to continue this impactful work by promoting the program in the media, including the production of a short documentary and encouraging journalists to share their experiences. These efforts aim to inspire further support for the program and replicate its success in more communities.
Rockflower is committed to supporting JWAS in its mission to empower young girls and transform societies. We look forward to continuing our partnership and sharing more success stories from the field.