Uma Koirala: Coordinator PMC
What is your role and responsibility?
Mainly my role is to assist on the project by actively participating in different meetings called by groups and the committee itself. I have my position only but everyone has equal responsibility to contribute and taking responsibility for completing the project successfully. Basically I chair the meeting and coordinate the groups for different activities.
How does the PMC mobilize in the project?
We call PMC regular meeting on tri-monthly basis. It is not restricted by time and we can call meeting even in other time based on the need. Meeting reviews the activities of each group and their effectiveness. We collect the lessons learned by the group and new improved working modalities of the group. We praise for the best practices and have further planning of the activities. We not only discuss about the project based activities but also other issues of the community and women that are beyond the project centere.
How are you observing the empowerment of women in this project area?
Members of Women Groups Dancing in Teej Festival
It makes me happy that women having narrow boundary in the society have changed their scope not only outside home but also other districts of Nepal and even in the international level. Such empowerment has not only impressed women but also male. Our male dominated community has realized that women are also powerful in building community and they can also be the building blocks of the nation. Women who involved in the group and affiliated to the Abhiyan’s project are respected everywhere because they have known to respect other and don’t hesitate to speak with other people as well. They have learned many things from training who can teach other about self help, sanitation, nutrition, ecological aspects and caring the animals. A culture of ownership among the members of groups has been initiated in our village.
What other impact have you observed in the community beyond the area targeted by project?
It is quite good to see many things changing in our community. Women group has no bias of low caste and high caste. Nobody is compared with riches. Women groups have developed the volunteer spirit if they have time. Mobility of women and children has been increased in the society. Awareness on making ecological balance has been ongoing in the society. Women groups are ready to move for the organic farming and plantation for keeping the healthy life and green environment. Impact of the program can also be observed in male. They are helpful to women and appreciate our work. They have supportive roles and respect the norms of gender equity.
How did you celebrate your Teej Festival this year?
It was mega event for us. We collected 200 liters milk and more than one thousand women participated in the Teej Festival. Everybody was committed to fulfilling their roles and responsibility. There were cultural, ethnic diversities but simultaneously there was a unity among them which was very important for us. There were the participants of Meche ethnicity who did not use to be called in the events like this in the past years and nobody would have food made by them but in this Teej Festival everybody forgot caste, racism and other biasness and we enjoyed together. We want to make the difference in celebrating the festivals that are creating a huge wall of high class and low class people, poor and rich, that has been growing among the women of cities having an ego of expensiveness and wealth.
What differences did you get celebrating the Teej of the past years and the one you celebrated this year?
The main difference I observed is feeling that women had while sharing in that very big mass. Everybody was open to express their emotions, views, sorrows and happiness. Most of the women had not been to their parental home because of strike but they had no owe on being away from mother’s home. This festival has challenged to our politicians regarding the importance of unity where we can establish peaceful and prosperous living of every citizen.
And in the end…………?
I would like to encourage all Nepalese Women that we are not weak. We can change our community positively and Abhiyan Nepal is always with us to teach and share new ideas. The future of the country more depends on women rather than men because we can make our generation what we want through good education, nutrition, healthy environment and transferring the best cultural values. I want to say Happy Vijaya Dashami 2068 to all citizen of this country.
