- Any child either female or male who is born physically disabled, mentally challenged and/or who has learning disabilities has little access to a normal life anywhere in Nepal. These children are regarded by society as a blemish on family status, a punishment for their misdeeds in a previous life, an omen of bad luck and generally an object of shame for their parents. These children are therefore either abandoned, shut away, beaten or exploited.
- Statistics also show that females are in a worse position than males. Boys with mental disabilities and/or challenges are more likely to be taken to medical facilities than females. As a result many females are abandoned to an early death from avoidable causes.
Purpose:
- The purpose is to provide each female a degree of self-reliance within a family environment where some quality of life is assured. These disabled females are given basic education according to their developmental abilities. It provides each with some marketable skills for their livelihood through production of handicrafts, simple garments thus reducing their dependency on others.
- To help prevent secondary disabilities from emerging by providing physical training and exercise, basic health care and life skills.
- To foster greater confidence in girls by introducing them to the outside world where they learn to conduct simple transactions and learn basic survival skills.
- To educate parents concerning the welfare of their children. In this way parents come to appreciate their child rather than live in shame for having a disabled child.
- To increase awareness and respect for disabled females in the wider community by developing programs which openly acknowledge their equal humanity.
Area:
- The one and only school in Nepal which teaches these female students is located in Kathmandu .
Cost and what it covers: $125.00 per year per female student
.jpg) The $125.00 covers the following expenses for one full year:
- Tuition
- Books and stationary
- School snack
- Transportation to school
- Training in the following areas:
- Literacy – basic Nepali and English so that they can identify simple words
- Domestic skills – basic task such as cleaning, cooking, dressing, washing
- Physical activities – basic exercises to improve fitness
- Creative activities – taught music, dance and art where they perform for the public
- Skill development – learn skills so that they can have earning opportunities
- Medical check-ups – regular visit to doctors to maintain proper health.
- Supervision of scholarships – verification of students progress and sending reports to donors
Disabled Candidate Names and Personal Stories:
- Some girls involved in this program go
on to achive things they never would have thought possible.
The program can include things like music and dance.
Lachana Chitrakar (pictured
above), who sat up only at the age of five, who learnt to
walk unsteadily at the age of seven and who is still unable
to converse coherently is the solo performer for this first
of many fund raisers for the new residential school.
Lachana has been blessed with the ability to learn how to
dance and play musical instruments, her favorite being the
Nepali drums called the madal and tabela. Over the past 10
years Lachana has appeared on National Television, performed
at festivals, as well as various cultural and benefit
programs.
- The following list of names indicates those disabled female students whose continued education at Sungava is
no longer a possibility due to family financial problems.
- Sponsoring one of the following gives these children, young adults and women the opportunity to study for one more year.
|
| |
3.1. Rabina Nakarmi:  Age : 28 years old
- Rabina learns fairly quickly. She has succeeded in learning basic literacy, numeric, life, survival, handicraft and creative skills.
- Her father has become ill and has no job due to his illness while her mother's earning barely manage to keep the household intact.
3.2. Muna Nakarmi:  Age : 21 years old
- Muna is quite talented and is progressing well in all basic skills taught at Sungava. She is always smiling and willing to help her friends with their work when they are having difficulty.
- Her parents have given her to the care of her elderly grandparents.
3.3. Juna Nakarmi:  Age : 19 years old
- Juna is Muna's sister. She too is quite capable and functions well in all basic skills taught at Sungava. She continues to learn. Both Muna and Juna keep each other company and are a team when it comes to going out into the community.
- She too was given to the care of her elderly grandparents.
3.4. Sanju Bajracharya:  Age : 26 years old
- Through Sanju has never spoken in her life, she is not deaf and can understand language. She is excellent in the skill of knitting and her products are sold at Sungava's handicraft shop.
- Her parents are elderly. Mr. Bajracharya is retired and thus this has limited the family income considerably. Sanju's mother is extremely supportive and volunteers at Sungava.
|
|
|
.gif){kind=small}