Article submitted by Colin Byron - D9820 International Service Director - Rotary Club of Greater Dandenong
Four of our 'Days for Girls' (DfG) team went to Nepal to distribute 200 feminine hygiene kits in the remote villages in the Annapurna region. We were escorted by a group of educators who lead the team of trainers at the teaching institute LEARN in Kathmandu. We distributed kits to five schools, on occasions having to walk three hours to get to these villages.
It is our DfG team’s project to get a kit to every girl in the Myagdi District of Nepal, thus ensuring they have the same educational opportunities as the boys with their school education. They will also have the same choices as to furthering their education beyond school.
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Our second project in Nepal was to set up a DfG enterprise in Bhorletar in Lamjung District. We used the money granted by the A62 Inner Wheel District to purchase industrial sewing machines, fabrics, tools and sewing supplies to enable Anita Gurung, the enterprise leader, to begin making DfG kits in her village. She completed the Enterprise Training Course in Kathmandu in 2019 with the DfG Office trainers. She is now qualified in business, sewing and as a DfG Health Ambassador. She has already also employed another woman to help her sew.
This is the ideal situation for the Nepali people, so they do not continue to rely on us to supply kits and the education program in their villages. The Lamjung enterprise has already received orders from other International non-governmental organisations (NGOs) for kits to distribute to local schools in Nepal. It is early days yet, but we hold great hopes that this enterprise is a success both education and health wise, as well as providing a means to earn an income for the enterprise workers.
I would like to thank the Inner Wheel A62 District for the funding to set up this project. I will continue to monitor and report to both Rotary and Inner Wheel when I receive information from Lamjung.
Due to unforeseen circumstances (bush fires and COVID-19) DfG Far East Gippsland has not resumed sewing this year after our Christmas break.
