Scholarships for girls - Dhulikhel, Nepal

Dhulikhel is located in the Kavrepalanchok District in Nepal near to the Himalayas and is home to just under ten thousand people. Women in Nepal work for longer hours than men, have fewer opportunities for gainful employment, and possess limited property rights. Historically women in Nepal have been generally subordinate to men in virtually every aspect of life. Although this is now changing the change is slow and varies from one ethnic group to another.

Traditionally a Nepalise women's life remained centered on taking care of most household chores, fetching water and animal fodder, and doing farm work. Any standing in society was mostly contingent to the husbands' and parents' social and economic positions.

Statistically, the picture is bleak for women’s education in Nepal; the literacy rate for females currently stands at just over 30%. Furthermore, a large proportion of women are sent to the badly funded and overcrowded government schools instead of the private English-medium schools that perhaps their brothers are sent to, and often are made to leave school after completing Grade Five at the age of eleven or twelve. The truth is that further education has not previously been seen as essential for the lifestyles that most of these women are expected to lead. In fact, it is often not appropriate for even well-educated women to get jobs or to put in to use the skills they have learned at school.

However, it is fair to say that recently, things have been changing for women. Legally, Nepal has equal opportunities for both sexes, and in fact, however much this rule is flouted or ignored, it is stipulated that 25% of candidates for jobs have to be women. Conversely, there are now a number of private companies that actually favour the employment of women over that of equally-qualified men in the belief that women apply themselves more sincerely to a job. A recent article in the Kathmandu Post commented: "Till today, the women are thought of as ornaments of the house in theory and slaves in practice. When they are girls they are not allowed to attend schools, where as boys are privileged in this regard."

Key to driving change for the women in Nepal is education. If a woman is educated she is empowered and can improve her life but also help to improve the lives of her children and her whole family. Research shows that women who have higher education tend to marry later, have fewer children than illiterate women and use family planning.

We are supporting a project organised by the Rotary Club of Dhulikhel to provide scholarship for girls from poor families who otherwise could not afford to go to school. The objective of this project is to enrol 100 girls in the local government school by funding their school fees and providing uniforms, books, stationery and other necessities. Scholarships will be provided to the girls from the poorest families with very limited sources of incomes and a committee has been set up to implement and monitor this program.

The cost to send one girl to school for one year is just £40



If you would like to make a donation to help this project or you would like further information please email us at:  team@positivepurchasing.com