How Employment Changed My Life: Dhana’s Story

By Dhana, Kopila Valley Women’s Center Graduate, as told to Crystaline Randazzo

The BlinkNow Foundation provides schooling and a home for orphaned, impoverished, and at-risk children in Nepal. It also runs the Kopila Valley Women’s Center, which provides life-changing job training and education to empower women in our community to lead better lives. Founded by Maggie Doyne, the organization provides community services to reduce poverty, empower women, improve health, and encourage sustainability and social justice. This post was originally posted on Medium.

©2017 Crystaline Randazzo. All Rights Reserved.

I used to work eight hours a day doing physical labor. I carried stones to help build houses. It was really hard work for me and I was often in pain. I was married when I turned 14 years old and had my first child three years later. Then I had three more children. My husband has been sick for the past nine years and is unable to work. He stays home and I take care of him and our children. I am sad that he is sick, and it has been difficult to find ways to earn enough money to care for our family.

When I heard about the Kopila Valley Women’s Center, I ran there and filled out the application form. When my name was selected for the first training group, I was so happy. I learned how to sew, how to communicate with other people, and I received counseling that has helped me. Sewing is easier on my body than laboring was. I can make everything — pants, shirts, kurtas. But my favorite part of working here is being surrounded by other women.

I can now cover most of my household expenses with my salary as a tailor. BlinkNow also put one of my daughters into the Kopila Valley School — she was 4 years old when I started working here, so she was enrolled in nursery class. It is my wish that all of my children could have attended KVS because I still struggle sometimes to cover the costs of uniforms, shoes, and school supplies for my other children.

I am an uneducated woman. My family didn’t have enough money to send me to school, so I worked from a young age. I cut grass for the animals, found wood in the forest, and cooked food. I want my children to complete their education and become teachers, nurses, or doctors. I don’t think my daughters should get married as young as I did. I want them to go to school and have a better life than me.

My life was very tough before I got this training. I feel proud that I am now able to support my family and put all of my children in school. I want to thank BlinkNow for giving me such a beautiful life and the opportunity to work here.

The Kopila Valley Women’s Center is working to close the gap in gender equality in Surkhet, Nepal and provide women with opportunities to feed and educate their children. We believe that when women are educated and empowered, they can make steps to alleviate poverty and foster a thriving community. Support women like Dhana at www.blinknow.org/donate.

Nepal, Nonprofit Photography, StorytellingCrystaline RandazzoMarch 29, 2018BlinkNow Foundation, Kopila Valley Women's Center, Surkhet, Nepla, Dhana, Participatory Storytelling, Collaborative EditingComment