Success Stories

The KAKA CLC successfully implemented the UNESCO PP 2018/19 Program on “Social Transformation through Woman Empowerment in Sarlahi, Nepal.” and various programmes are implemented supported by UNESCO Kathmandu Office and other organizations. So, many changes in our society after the program among them following are some important success stories.

Success Story No.  1

 “Ram Balak Singh, aged 75 years and a farmer of Balara Municipality, had paralytic attack on March 17, 2019. Consequently, Mrs. Aadar Devi Singh, his wife, became unconscious. Consistent with the custom, a wizard was called in. As he was trying magical tricks, at that time naturally Mrs. Singh became conscious by herself. She with another woman namely, Mrs. Urmila Devi who had participated in “Woman Group Training” of Ward No. 4 of Balara Municipality organized by KAKA CLC under participatory program of UNESCO, questioned the magical power of wizard. They urged that Mr. Singh be treated by a proper medical doctor and not the wizard. People saw merit in their stand and took Mr. Singh to the hospital and he was cured.” 

Comments. Going for such medical treatment points toward the success of the Women Empowerment Program wherein the two women had participated. Notably, there was a change in not only their belief system but also in behavior. Now, they could readily mobilize other villagers for using modern method of medical treatment

Success Story No. 2

“Sujeeta Sharma was married to Anil Kumar Sharma of Balara 4 Sarlahi, Nepal nearly 20 years ago . She has been an ambitious lady with plenty of wishes for herself, her family, and her children.

Mrs. Sujeeta’s father has a high status in the society. However, she was married to a middle class family. Worse, her husband turned out to be an alcoholic who cared neither for the two children born within 5 years of the marriage nor herself. In fact, he has been physically assaulting her from time to time.Sujeeta, who has otherwise cursing her fate, attended the Woman Empowerment Training organized by the KAKA Community Learning Centre (KAKA CLC) of Balara-4. She took her training seriously and benefited substantially as noted below

Given her participation in the training program, Sujeeta decided to change her unruly husband and improve upon the lot of her family. She first talked to her husband and made him realize that he had not been behaving well with her or children. Such behavior might be due to heavy drinking. She further told him what might be an appropriate behavior for a father of two children and a husband of a woman who came from a respectable family. Realizing that Anil was listening to her, she set three goals for him: “Consider (1) having dinner together; (2) avoiding drinking; and (3) spending time with the children.” She went further and promised him, “If you do these, we will be a happy family. I will also prepare good food for you every day.”

The behavioral modification scheme that Sujeeta planned and implemented brought positive outcomes. Anil has stopped drinking, quarrelling, and assaulting her. When Anil started responding to Sujeeta´s goals, she also started serving him dishes he liked. He has been spending time with the children and taking them to school regularly.”

Comments. The foregoing change observed in Anil has been a talking point among other women of the village, and they are also asserting with their husbands who have unfortunately been ignoring them. Thus, the training program organized by the KAKA CLC empowered Sujeeta to be a change agent: She modified abnormal behaviors of her 41-year-old husband and became a role model for women in the village. Most important, Anil is a changed responsible man.

Success Story No. 3

“Lalita Devi, a 27-year-old woman and a housewife of Balara Municipality Ward-10, had formal education up to Class 7. Her illiterate parents got her married at the age of 17.  Given her marriage at child age, she had no idea of life or family responsibility. After her marriage, all she had been doing is caring of her in-laws and three daughters born too soon. She was not allowed to go out of her house.One evening,  Lalita had the opportunity to watch some documentary films against social evils such as child marriage, premature babies, and dowry systems screened by the KAKA CLC at Rajkumar Singh’s premise. She was with sister-in-law Sushila. The contents of the films reminded Lalita of her own child marriage and loss of her one baby at an early age.

Lalita did not seemingly benefit at all from watching the films! One day, some guests visited her house. While preparing refreshments and tea for them, Lalita overheard her in-laws and the guests discussing the marriage of her eldest daughter Sumitra. After confirming the conversation with her sister-in-law Sushila, Lalita took a position against the possible child marriage. She told Sushila:”Sumitra is a child and in school. She has to be prepared to take responsibility of running a family. I do not want her to suffer like me. I shall not allow this marriage.” 

Lalita did not stop here either. She talked to her husband Chunchun, narrating how she has been suffering because of child marriage. She argued and convinced him that (1) Sumitra ought to be educated up to Class XII of our own village school, (2)  independence and skills in Sumitra are important than her marriage, and (3)  she would never allow this marriage. Convincing him of the merit of her position, Lalita prevented child marriage and became a model of other women in the village.”

Comments. Exposure to a film turned Lilita into a social activist. She has become a consultant to others about how to safeguard interests of their girls in the village. This is the outcome we should expect from any empowerment program.

Success Story No. 4

Vegetable farming training improved quality of life of villagers in the district of  Sarlahi in Nepal.

Prem Sahani of Balara in the district of Sarlahi stated:“I am stunned by my vegetable productions now. I did not expect that the production of vegetables could be increased to this scale, nor did I believe that I would earn so much money by using the new method.”

Sahani was one of the 20 participants in the off-seasonal vegetable farming training of constructing plastic tunnels, organized by the KAKA CLC sponsored by the  UNESCO in April 2019. The training had many theoretical sessions and practical exercises in the production, storage, and marketing of various types of vegetables. Participant Sahni said, “Joining the training helped me gain knowledge and increase my income. By applying the technical knowledge gained in the training, I was able to increase production considerably.”

However, vegetable farming was not free of challenges. After the training was over, Sahani planted eggplants in his field, but the seedlings were damaged due to floodwaters. He then planted beetroots, which were again destroyed due to continuous heavy rainfall. The weather had damaged his vegetable plants twice but he did not give up and planted bottle gourds. The bottle gourds grew well and have now become a major attraction not only for the villagers but also for those who visit the area.”

Comments. Patience, determination, and hard work definitely yield great results. Sahani now grows both seasonal and off-seasonal vegetables, which brings him good earnings. He was also able to get two ponds constructed for fish farming. Prior to the training, his income was barely meeting the basic expenses of his family. Sahani and his family are nowadays happy with his good income from vegetable production.

Like Prem Sahani, nine other participants started vegetable production, and improved upon their respective incomes. They have nowadays been growing off-seasonal vegetables like tomatoes and bitter gourds well as seasonal vegetables like cauliflowers, radishes, and eggplants in the plastic tunnels.

Concluding Comments      

To Chairman Kamleshwar Kumar Sinha of KAKA CLC, the participants“… have indeed shown commendable changes in their attitudes and behaviors after the training programs. Most of them have pleasantly succeeded in at least doubly their incomes. Even during the COVID-19 lockdowns, the productions by most of the participants had met the vegetable requirements of the local community. Isn’t such outcome gratifying to the trainees and the community at large?” 

Sinha and his Management Committee members are grateful to the UNESCO for encouraging and supporting the programs at KAKA CLC until today. They are also grateful to the Government of Nepal and the Local Government bodies for taking the KAKA CLC to the level where it stands today. There are miles to go, and the KAKA CLC is open to ideas of and aids from everyone and everywhere.