When 20-year-old Mamta watched her “little sister” enroll in grade 6, she felt incredibly lucky and proud to have contributed to the continuation of her education. Since joining the Sister-to-Sister programme, she has become a role model and advocate for young girls in her community in Nepal.
Although the country has achieved significant progress in enhancing access to basic education, girls still face a number of barriers. Shouldering the burden of domestic chores from a young age, coupled with child marriage, means many girls drop-out before completing their studies.
As a “big sister,” she supports her “little sisters” in their studies and encourages them to go to school. She also talks to girls’ parents, to ensure they understand the importance of educating their daughters. Her efforts are clearly paying off.
Mamta is in no doubt about the benefits of girls’ education. As she encourages young girls to continue their education, she hopes that they will one day do the same for their own daughters. “Educated girls can understand the importance of education, and will let their own daughters study before they get married. If they get an education, they can earn money which means they can stand on their own two feet. ”
It is her hope to continue serving as a role model in the program so that every girl can enjoy the freedom of creating their own path outside of their traditional boundaries. “I have a passion to work for girls and for community,” she says.
Mamta is taking part in the Sister-to-Sister initiative, under the Partnership for Equity and Access in Kapilbastu project implemented by We World Onlus. The project raises awareness of parents, teachers, and local institutions on the importance of investment in education and builds child friendly environments in schools. Started in 2016, the project reached out to 51,904 children. In addition to supporting mainstream education, it also provides educational support for nearly 2,000 out-of-school children.