The beauty of a woman starts in childhood, and flourishes with education and opportunity.

I’m honored to write this post for The Beauty of a Woman BlogFest VI. To read others’ contributions celebrating real beauty and perhaps win a handmade prize visit this link today through March 11th.

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In Nepal, girls are in the back of the line when it comes to education. Often because girls are sent off in arranged marriages at a young age parents do not consider it financially sensible to send their daughters to school when they will leave the home during their teenage years. So they work at home until marriage. This creates a society of women who are unable to move forward and who do not see the opportunities education can give them.

The earthquake of 2015 brought the problem of child trafficking more to the forefront as a whole new group of orphans resulted from the devastation. These girls, too, have no opportunity for education.

 

 

The late Wongchu Sherpa, who was my father, had the vision of an educated society. He established a school in his home village at his own cost. The Wongchu Sherpa Trust has been established to provide education to these girls who otherwise would never have a chance to learn the basics. Taking the idea one step further his nephew, Ang Phula Sherpa, and myself have created the Wongchu Sherpa Trust Girls Hostel Project, with the help of coordinator Pem Dorjee.

 

 

The goals of the Girls Hostel are to increase the literacy rate of women by providing equal rights to the girls by creating a women-friendly environment, a prosperous and equitable society through social and political awareness and a modern educational system by providing computers, internet and library facilities.

Student at the Girls Hostel must meet some of the following criteria:
  • Age 5 to 7 years old
  • Geographically disadvantaged, having no school near her home
  • An orphan or child of unidentifiable parents. (Often no one will claim girls because they are not as valued in society.)

Selected students are provided with, lodging, food, clothes, school uniforms, stationary, tutoring  and medical care. This is included with a free education at the Wongchu Biswadarshan School up to the fifth grade.

Nepal girls hostel

I believe the beauty of a woman starts as a child. The dream of Wongchu Sherpa is being realized by people who are making his dream of an educated, self-sustaining society a reality. By giving these girls a chance to realize their potentials, it will enable them to make genuine choices and give them power over the lives they choose to lead.

— Lakpa Sherpa