THE PRODUCTIVE YEAR

Every year teaches you something and every year won’t be the same. The year 2017 was especial year for me.  The year had taught me voluminous things.  More than that, the year made me active in different programs.

Firstly, I was selected in CREA’s Sexuality, Gender, and Rights Institute; Exploring Theory and Practice. The institute’s main branch is at New Delhi and they organized the training in Nepal too.

The training was residential at the Park Village Resort from 20 March-25 March, 2017. The total participants were 25 girls. During the training, I learned about gender and sexual identities, sexuality and laws, sexuality and writing, sex work issues challenges, disability, migration and sexuality, mental health, conflict and sexuality, caste and sexuality, working in sexuality in Nepal and Intersectionality. Not only that, every day, movies were showed and the next day, there was discussion about the movies like Parched, My Name in Pink, Soongava and others movies were shown.

It was such a wonderful training. I was shy to talk about sex, feminism and sex work issues but after this training, I talked about those as it is a natural one. While watching too, I used to feel hesitation to see simple scene too but after watching movies like Parched, I started looking at the meaning of every movies. My confident level was high after this training. I was interactive and participated in every discussion program.

Secondly, I was selected in the training of Ujyalo Foundation named EmpowHER. The training started from Saturday, May 6, 2017.18 young girls were selected and every girl had to bring their own project and ideas. Whoever does well and bring good ideas, they could get price money. Three were selected for the winners. My project idea was Menstruation Awareness: Linking with Girls’ Education and Health.

The sessions were taken every Saturday. The training was till August, 2017 and the graduation was taken in September 2, 2017.  During that period of time, I was able to learn lots of things. For example: I was able to know what my identity is, what is leadership, how can we use resources, how to generate ideas and do planning and how to do research on developed ideas.

Moreover, I was able to do pitching. I knew what is pitching and how to do pitching. Rehearsals were done for the pitching. Every girl had to do pitching on their own project. At the beginning, we had to do survey and pretest; whether our project will sustain or not.

Honestly, while rehearsing for the pitching, I was able to grow speaking in front of the people. My confident level increased. When it was finale, I was amazed of myself because in the finale I did better than in the rehearsals.

There was learning as well as there was good relationship with every friend. Every girl was provided mentors and big sisters. There was also good relationship between mentor and big sister. They were supportive and guided whenever needed.

When the training needed, I missed all good moments with those people. Still, we do chats and meet.

Most excited part was when I along with my EmpowHER friends was featured in the popular magazine, WOW magazine. It was wonderful to see my own photo at the magazine along with friends.

Besides trainings, I got good opportunity to travel seven districts of Nepal which are Kavre, Sindhuli, Sindhupalchowk, Ramechhap, Dolakha, Okhaldhunga and Solukhumbhu at the end of December. I travelled to those districts with my office team for the Disaster Management Review Program. The training was provided to the people about Disaster. This was the last phase of the training. First was done of First Aid, second was of how to manage risk in disaster and final was to take review from participants.

The training was done in village of those places. I learned about disaster management. More than that, I learned what type of languages to use and how to be presentable in front of the people. Whatever challenges come, one has to overcome were learned during the filed visit. There was good interaction and network between the people. Not only about networking and interaction, I learned about plantation, vegetation and weather about those places. I learned what kinds of people do live in those places.

Not only those, during the election time, I got opportunity to be observer and was in call center. I was able to interact with people about the election and how many votes were counted. While in observation, I was able to know what observer should do. While working as observer, I got opportunity to know what kind of people do come and vote. During those periods, I was much interested in election.

The 2017 was effective and memorable for me. I learned so many things and was productive for me. It was fruitful. I travelled a lot too. I made friends and had good relationship them too. When 2018 arrived, I felt that I wanted to go back in 2017. Missed those wonderful and beautiful days held in 2017.