Skill Instilled Sense of Being Empowered
Ms. Sumitra Khanal Rai 40, is a resident of Urlabari Municipality ward 7 of Morang district who live with her son, daughter and spouse. Her husband is a teacher in a boarding school which located near their settlement. Earlier the earning of her husband was enough to meet their family needs. But along with the increased size of their family, they started facing difficulties in fulfilling the basic needs and school expenses of their children. Such situation made her yearn for employment opportunity. While she was desperate to get an opportunity to earn for the wellbeing of her family, she came to know about the forthcoming conduction of training on Early Childhood Development Facilitator (ECDF) in Urlabari through the pamphlets distributed by Oxford Advanced Engineering College Pvt. Ltd.
After getting the information, she applied for the training without making any delay. Recalling those days, she shares, “The result of training entrance disheartened me as my name was placed in the waiting list. But my joy knew no bounds when I heard that one of the selected trainees decided to drop out from training and I would be able to join the classes. At the age of 40, I was one of the eldest among all the trainees and started taking classes regularly thereafter.”
Sumitra says "While struggling economically, I found rays of hope through ECDF training organized by SAMRIDDHI with technical assistance of Helvetas Nepal. I could join the training only because it was provided out of cost. I don’t know If I could have attended it If I had to pay expenses for it". After completing the training in the end of 2019, she felt very confident on herself. With lots of hopes and confidence, she decided to join a school as an ECDF.
As they say fortune favors the courageous one, she was appointed in Bhrikuti Boarding School, located at Urlabari, as an ECD Facilitator. The school has been paying her NRs. 12,000 per month. Now she feels proud to be able to help her husband in household expenses. She expressed “First time in my life I have become able to earn. I wonder, why there did not come any other project like SAMRIDDHI earlier to make us skillful and generate income to live more comfortable life.”
The practical teaching methodologies that she applies while organizing class as ECDF has impressed other teachers of the school. She proudly claims, “The opportunity that I received from SAMRIDDHI Project supported is the key milestone for my economic and social empowerment so that I am able to contribute in promoting my family and enhancing school environment.”
