Menuka leads a session on time management!

Written by Menuka, 2012 Fellow.

Women LEAD in corporation with Karkhana ran a Women in Technology workshop where female Bachelor students were given training on robotics and leadership. During the workshop, I ran a Time Management session with 7 of the girls. The girls thought that they were not good in time management and wanted me to give them some tips regarding it. During the session, I gave them tips about time management and led a discussion.

No one can give you the top 10 tips to improve time management that will enable you to be perfect at managing your time. It’s something that comes with time. People tend to hide their problems; in the session we all talked about our problems with managing our time. I asked different questions to them about their daily life and told them to rate how often they manage their time well. Some of them said that they always meet deadlines whereas other people said that they always ask for extensions. Instead of me giving them suggestions, I asked one of the girls how she meets her deadlines, so she could share some suggestions with the other girls too. Most of the girls said that they are lazy about managing their time for studying and always procrastinate on their assignments. In order to overcome their procrastination, I told them that they should always think about the bad results that might happen if they don’t complete their assignments. The session went well and the girls felt motivated and better equipped afterwards to manage their time.

“Girl Rising” Documentary Screening

Written by Anna Silk, Women LEAD Team Member in LA.

Walking into a screening of the newly released documentary “Girl Rising”, the excitement of the audience was palpable. People were perched on the edge of their seats, chattering about their expectations for the film. As the lights dimmed and the crowd hushed, I gazed at the screen and was soon taken on a journey, an hour and a half of poignant footage chronicling 9 girls’ lives in 9 different nations around the world. It was an amazing compilation of stories and tales that struck the bitter chord of reality with touching narratives of defying adversity and the fight for basic freedoms. Beginning with the story of Wadley, a young girl living in the reeling aftermath of the 2010 Haiti earthquake and ending with Amina, a young Afghani bride, the film’s message was achingly clear: while the girls depicted in the documentary are strong and heroic, role models of adversity, there are still millions of girls out there who need help.

            What struck me most about the film was the optimism these girls possessed, despite their situations. For me, going to school is something taken for granted, dreaded some days. I do not think twice about being allowed to go outside by myself, being allowed the freedom to wear whatever I want, or having the liberty to do participate in extracurricular activities. It was amazing to see how genuinely happy the thought of new pencils and pressed school skirts made these girls, how through all the obstacles thrown at them in their lives they found some piece of happiness and appreciation to cling to and help them deal with the travails of a hateful master or an early marriage. Some of the girls in the film found outlets in art, such as Ruksana of India, who loved to paint and draw. Others found hope in their family, such as Azmera from Ethiopia, whose brother saved her from an arranged marriage.

             I appreciated the balance of the film, how it would oscillate between stories of sweet success and stories of measured acceptance. The transition between each story included a short interlude of facts about girls’ rights and education worldwide, statistics about child marriage, rape, inequality and workload leading into the stories. I have heard all these facts before, thrown at me in speeches, lectures, and pamphlets. But to see the stories behind these facts, to see the true reality of them in the film, was moving. This film has so much power in it. The art of the visual really brings the obstacles and limitations that girls in the world face on a daily basis to life, and the realization of the horror and universality of these hurdles acts as a jumpstart, an inspiration to help. Coming out of the screening, I felt the audience feel driven to go out and help these girls; the film had a great impact on them.  The film was narrated by celebrities such as Liam Neeson and Meryl Streep. By giving the film several voices, it created a greater unifying significance. The audience understood that the fight for girls’ rights on an international level is not an exclusive cause for women to support, but, rather, one that men can and should support as well.

One of my favorite stories of the film was of Suma, a girl from Nepal. She became a forced servant at a young age, forced to clean the dishes and rooms of a home she did not belong in. She was handed off from master to master until she was finally given her freedom after a woman from an organization that worked toward the liberty of forced laborers convinced Suma’s master to let her go. Suma used her love of song to help support the independence of other forced labor servants, helping those just like her reach liberty.

Overall, the film was a great inspiration and I highly recommend that everyone see it! The film’s website is: http://girlrising.com/#66-million-girls.

 

 

Spotlight on Rajina!

This Friday we’d like to congratulate Rajina, 2010 LEADer and 2011 Intern, for securing an internship at the Centre for Internet and Society in Bangalore! CIS works on digital pluralism, public accountability and pedagogic practices in the field of Internet and Society.

CIS has a team of lawyers and social scientists who suggest and submit policies to the Indian government. They are currently working on a policy for DNA tests that would ensure better regulation.

As a science student, Rajina will perform literary research for them, simplify the technical terms used in their bills, and interview the labs about how they work and if they are up to the mark. She will also be comparing the DNA regulation bills in India to the ones in Canada, the US and Australia.

Good job Rajina! We’re so proud of you.

Storytelling Workshop: “Minu’s Little Brother”, by Shrinkhala

Minu was a girl born in a very happy and prosperous family in Kathmandu. From outside it actually looked like a perfect family. The children had received a very good education and their needs were being fulfilled by their parents even though they had had to take out a few loans. Minu was very close with her sisters and her younger brother, Karan. Just like best friends they used to share everything. But Karan was a bit different. There may be no one else in the world like him. Sometimes he would be so good but sometimes he would get out of control. When Karan was in a good mood, he would always be chatting and laughing with his sisters. When he was in a bad mood for no good reason he would make his sisters cry.

It was Sunday, Minu’s birthday. She was very happy that day because she was turning 15 years old. That day she had a holiday. Karan, who was just 20 months younger than her, was also at home. No one else was around. Minu and Karan were watching T.V. Minu asked Karan to change the channel but he refused, saying,

“No, I don’t want to watch any other channel.”                                

“Oh please. I just want to watch a film. Today’s my birthday at least you could do me a favor today.” Minu replied. They started arguing and Karan got so angry that he hit his sister and shouted “Just get out of the room”.

Minu burst into tears. It was not the first time her brother had been mean to her.  Previously they had only had arguments but that day he had beaten her. She cried so much that she was sick the next day. She always wondered,

“What bad deed have I done in my past life to have to suffer in this way? It must be that I have done good deeds as well because I was born into a good family but I may have done something wrong too.”

 It was some days later when Minu went to Karan’s room. Karan was using the laptop.

“Karan, could you let me use the laptop? I have to submit my project work.” Minu asked.

Karan looked annoyed, “So what? I am using the internet. Do your work later.”

“But I have to do it now. Oh please, please, please, please.”

Since Minu had to use the laptop, she bribed her brother, giving him Rs.50.

“Ok,” Karan said grudgingly, “You can use the laptop for 6 hours. But after that you have to leave. I am sure you will finish it by then.”

“What is wrong with Karan” Minu muttered, talking to herself, “When he was small he used to ask for chocolate for Rs.1, Rs.2 but now even Rs. 50 is not enough for him.”

As time went by Karan got more and more demanding and selfish. If he did not get what he wanted, he would go wild with anger.

He even used to use his hand on his mother. At times, in rage she used to wish that she had never given birth to him. In fact, she had always wanted a son. She kept having children until her son came along, the youngest of four daughters.  Who would have thought that later on, her son would be the one to give her so much misery.

Days went by but nothing was done about Karan. He was helpful at times but he also caused a lot of trouble. He enjoyed irritating Minu and his eldest sister the most. At home, everyone was fed up of him.

His parents could not control him at all. The time came for the two eldest sisters to get married and the other sister went abroad for further study.

After they left things were very different. Karan acted as though he was the king of the house. Minu knew that if she did everything Karan ordered her to do, it would only make him dependant. She refused to do the small things which Karan could do for himself.

Then one day, on a stormy night, Karan rode his bike to his friend’s house. On his way back he got into an accident and was seriously injured. So, he was rushed to the hospital.

At home, the phone rang: tring tring!

Dad: Hello!

A girl: Is this Karan’s home?

Dad: Yes, I am his father.

Girl: I’m speaking from Bir Hospital. Karan has been injured in an accident. Please come to the hospital right away.

(Hangs up the phone)

After awhile in the hospital…

Mom had been very worried, “Karan, I told you not to ride your bike in full speed on such a stormy night. Look, what has happened to you. When will you ever listen to us?”

 “Don’t worry mom, he will be alright.” Minu said, comforting her mother.

The doctor said that he would be discharged the next day. But he needs a lot of rest, at least for 2 months.

After Karan went home he was taken really good care of by everyone. His sisters came to visit him frequently, so he got better very quickly.

Slowly Karan came to realise his duties and responsibilities towards his family. Before he was such a stubborn child and used to give so much trouble to his family but still their love towards him had not diminished at all. When he got into the accident, his family members were the ones who supported him the most, not his friends.

Karan had a lot of time to think about how he treated his family while he was recovering. He felt very guilty for all he had done. From then on he became a very good and obedient son and also a sweet and caring brother. He never spoke cruely to his sisters again.

Minu was also so happy that the devil inside her brother had finally left him.

 

 

 

Meet Us On The Street: International Anti-Street Harassment Week

 

We’re proud to be partnering with Meet Us On The Street: International Anti-Street Harassment Week to host events raising awareness of street harassment in Kathmandu.

We’re holding a contest until April 11th to celebrate the most beautiful, compelling stories using www.Prezi.com that speak to the issue of street harassment in the Kathmandu Valley.

The deadline for submission is APRIL 11th, 11:59pm Kathmandu time.

For more information: https://www.facebook.com/events/547240125297613/

Datenzing and her father

We met with Datenzing, one of our 2012 LEADers, and her father to ask him how he felt about his daughter’s participation in Women LEAD. He shared with us:

“At 9 years old, I started to work. I had to work as a porter, carrying loads, because my family did not have enough food. I have had a lot of struggles in my life, so it fills me with pride to see Datenzing progress. I came to the School Leadership Closing Ceremony and one of the parents of the students Datenzing was training thanked her. The student told her that Datenzing has changed her. I felt so proud. I am so proud that my daughter is able to achieve her dreams”.

 

Leadership Track Closing Ceremony

Written by Menuka Gurung.

On February 9, Women LEAD Nepal had its School Leadership closing ceremony with five schools. Students and parents came to attend the ceremonies which featured a welcome from LEAD alumni and speeches from Sonu Shakya, Women LEAD Program Manager. 30 participants from all five schools presented poems and their reflections on the Leadership Track: highlights from their experience, the changes they’d seen in themselves and what they were working on next. It was a great opportunity for the participants to overcome their fears and practice public speaking.

All the participants shared their experience with the program, talking about how Women LEAD has given them the confidence to speak for their rights and how they now want to bring positive changes to their community and schools. It was a proud moment for all of us when the LEADers addressed their participants, gave out certificates, and thanked Women LEAD. One of the LEADers shared with us that:

“Before coming to Women LEAD I used to be scared of my teachers, even to ask them questions, but now I don’t hesitate to share my ideas with others”.

Storytelling Workshop: “Go Aria!”

Written by Riya, a 2012 LEADer and workshop participant.

It was the summer of ’99. The sun was shining brightly and the day was growing hotter.  I was munching on my sandwich when Mom shouted, “Grandma’s here!” and hurried to open the door. I was never very fond of Grandma so I lazily walked over to greet her. After some refreshments, Grandma told me how she would like to see me cook and then make her bed. I took it lightly, saying: “I don’t have time for that! Tell Rob to do it. I have to attend a peace rally fighting for women’s rights.”

Now what could have been worse for Grandma? She started yelling and bits of cookies blew out of her mouth like dragon fire: “You little brat, you don’t care about anything, do you? We were never sent to school, we only belonged inside the kitchen walls. How could you even imagine handing the work over to your brother while you’re off to some stupid rally. What would society think of you?”

I interrupted her, “but who cares what society thinks?” Then Grandma stood up, narrowed her brows and yelled, “It’s not only you Aria, it’s your family’s reputation that matters. Besides you’re only a girl. Nobody asked for your opinion”. I stood there motionless like a statue. I looked at Mom. She didn’t speak. I couldn’t decide what to do. Should I fight for what was right or let it pass? I decided to let it pass and ran upstairs. What good was it anyways to argue with elders? I was furious about how Mom didn’t speak a word. She knows what was right and she knows her values. She was living in captivity and was being forced to follow false traditions.

I told myself: “Grandma never let my mom work at her early age even thought she wanted to do so, she will never let me work if I don’t stand up for myself. Something has to be done.” I took a deep breath and went downstairs where Grandma was knitting at the kitchen table. I slowly started to speak. I spoke with my heart, my mouth was just a medium.

“Grandma, what good will it do if I’m pulled back and stuffed inside these four walls and have to wait for men to bring me food? We praise women who have become heroes and leaders but when it’s your Granddaughter’s turn, why do you stop me?” Surprising as it was, my mom was smiling as I spoke. Then she explained about how my studies were going well, how I was doing well with my extra activities and that even Daddy was proud of me. Mum told me go get dressed for the rally. After some time as I headed towards the door Grandma slowly uttered,  “Go Aria, show all your support in the rally. Tell the world what we women are capable of.” With a smile on my face, I closed the door behind me and marched off.

 

Young Woman Leader Spotlight: Annie, Co-Chair of the Teen Advisory Board at GirlUp

Hello! My name is Anna Silk, and I am a high school junior at Marlborough School in Los Angeles. I’m a member of the Women LEAD Team in Los Angeles. One of my passions includes promoting girls’ rights and leadership opportunities on a local and international level. With my blog posts, I aim to shed light on women leaders in my community, as well as focus on media coverage of support for girls’ rights around the world. 

 This week, I interviewed a fellow student at my school, a freshman named Annie, who is a former Teen Advisor and current Co-Chair of the Teen Advisory Board at GirlUp. GirlUp is an organization associated with the United Nations which seeks to spread awareness about the lack of girls’ rights worldwide and offers programs for young women to help take action in bringing about change. A couple of years ago, GirlUp visited the Marlborough campus for an exciting event: a GirlUp Pep Rally. There were numerous booths presenting the various struggles and challenges girls around the world face on a daily basis; one booth had examples of the heavy water jugs girls in other parts of the world have to carry to and from wells and rivers every day. Her Majesty Queen Rania of Jordan attended the event and other celebrities came as well, among them the singer David Archuleta, Olympic swimmer Rebecca Soni, and actress Monique Coleman.

Annie cites this Pep Rally as initially piquing her interest in GirlUp. She said she was inspired by the speeches given at the event, and how learning that 1 in 7 girls are married before they are even fifteen made an impression on her. She says, “I was really appalled by the fact that there were girls my age with the same exact dreams as me, who wanted to grow up to be doctors or lawyers, but weren’t able to accomplish these things simply because of where they were born.” Soon after the rally, Annie decided that she wanted to become involved with the organization. Thinking it was interesting that GirlUp was supported by Teen Advisors, she applied to become one in 2011 and was accepted. This year, she is now the Co-Chair for the Teen Advisory Board. “As a Teen Advisor, you basically serve as the face of the campaign in your own community, so they give you different media opportunities, speaking opportunities, content creation, etc. which allows you to take on a huge leadership role,” Annie says about her duties as an Advisor, adding that “you are a living model of the GirlUp motto, ‘For Girls, By Girls’.”

Annie has helped lead the organization forward in her community and has exhibited admirable dedication to the cause. She organized a Mother/Daughter Tea and a bake sale to raise funds for GirlUp and has traveled to numerous women’s conferences. Annie says that she talks to the GirlUp staff weekly and also participates in monthly webinars with the rest of the Teen Advisory Board, where they discuss issues and listen to guest speakers. One of the best experiences she has had in being part of the GirlUp campaign is hosting the first-ever GirlUp Leadership Summit in Washington D.C. She describes that it was wonderful, “bonding with the other 15 girls who were Teen Advisors who were also passionate about the same issues that I was”. The rest of the Advisory committee includes girls representing around 15 states in the U.S. who range from 7th-12th grade.

Annie has also traveled extensively for her roles as Teen Advisor and Co-Chair. She has traveled to New York, where she and her Board “got to go to the United Nations Headquarters for International Day of the Girl…we got to hear a panel on Child Marriage which featured U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon as well as Desmond Tutu”. Annie is also the first teen invited to attend a United Nations Foundation Observation Trip, an opportunity where she will possibly visit Malawi in the spring: “It’s one thing to advocate that girls should be able to go to school and fulfill their dreams and raise tons of awareness, but it is another thing to actually see where your money and your hard work is going, so I really hope I get to go”.

When asked about what the most important step right now to take in advancing girls’ rights and education is, Annie replied that “a lot of girls our age would be willing to help out and help spread awareness, but there are many who don’t know that there are girls just like them, girls who are their same age, filled with their same dreams and hopes, but due to the barrier of where they were born, because of the cultural norms, etc. they are unable to go to school and therefore get married, etc.”. She lauds the PBS documentary “Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide“, for helping raise awareness about girls’ rights, as well as praising the upcoming 10×10 documentary called Girl Rising, which focuses on the lives of girls in 10 different countries. Annie believes that, “once there is a lot of awareness, more girls can try to advocate on behalf of the government, such as with the Stop Child Marriage Act, which was passed in the Senate but not the House”. She thinks that, “if more girls are educated, I think they’ll take more steps to raise awareness”.

A woman leader that inspires Annie is Hillary Clinton, who has helped girls around the world with different initiatives. Annie commends her for, “her policymaking about clean cook stoves and making sure that in developing countries, women, when they are cooking their food, use clean stoves so that when they lean down to cook, they’re not breathing in all this disgusting air”.

Annie has also helped set up a GirlUp club at Marlborough, which has been focusing its efforts this year on, “spreading awareness rather than raising funds,” which they did last year. The club assisted in planning an All-School Assembly for International Day of the Girl, and they also hold information sessions during their club meetings, discussing such topics as child marriage.

Annie says that her favorite part of the whole experience has been “bonding with all the GirlUp Teen Advisors and learning from all of the staff, who are so knowledgeable because I think it is so amazing to be surrounded by people who are all passionate about educating girls and the impact that we can have”. She adds that, “all the GirlUp staff really believes in the power of teenage girls to help girls”.

My interview with Annie was both informative and interesting; it was inspiring to see how much impact this young woman has brought to her local community in supporting the GirlUp organization.

 

 

 

 

Congratulations to Menuka and Sharmila!

Congratulations to 2011 LEADers Menuka & Sharmila for being selected and receiving full scholarships to attend Action Aid Global Platform’s Creative Activism Course!