Building Brighter Futures in Nepal

Girls and Education

The day Sabitri Saha learned her family didn't have enough money to send her back to school, she felt "like a wild animal trapped in a forest fire." The 16-year old from Chitwan, Nepal was devastated and so was her mother Meena who remembers, "My heart would break every time another child passed to go to school and mine did not."

Sabitri's story is not uncommon. Many families in Nepal and all over the world must pay to send their children to school. For those families who struggle just to feed their families, an education is a luxury they simply cannot afford. Often times, when there is some money to send a child, parents must choose which one of their children must go and usually opting for the sons. As a result, girls lose opportunities for much more than an education. They lose the promise of a better future.

Why is Girls' Education Important?
Studies have repeatedly shown that when girls and women receive a formal education the overall impact positively affects the community as a whole. According to the WorldBank, communities benefit from girls education in the following ways:

- Reduces women's fertility rates - It is estimated that for each year a female receives a formal education reduces fertility by 10 percent. This is important because women in developing countries need access to reliable and healthy familiy planning methods. They also have the chance to delay childbearing years which can produce healthier babies.

- Lower infant and child mortality rates - Women with education are more likely to seek medical care when needed and provide their children with immunization, be informed on proper nutrition for both herself and her children.

- Lower maternal mortality rates - Women with education have the information or know where to go to get information on nutrition, health care, pre- and post-natal care, and are less likely to have pregnancies at a young age. They also will have better spaced pregnancies and be informed on improved sanitation practices.

- Protect against HIV/AIDS infection - Education is the most powerful tool in HIV/AIDS prevention.

- Increases women's participation in the labor force and earnings - With an education girls and women become a viable money making source for her family and provides skillsets for an employer which benefits society.

- Creates intergenerational education benefits - Mothers who have had some education are more likely to send their children to school and promoting educational advancement and workforce opportunities.

Educating Girls: More Than Books
What is invaluable about girls and education is the self-esteem that girls and women have when they received the education they need to be able to read on their own, to feel confident in communicating with others with confidence, to inquire about information they need and to simply find their voice when they have needs.

Heifer's approach in sustainable development includes the needs of both the men and the women in the household and the community. Without understanding how the familiy functions and the differences in their role Heifer would be missing a piece of what makes projects successful. The income generated by the animal can help families pay for school and give their children an opportunity to make better lives for themselves.

Meena received goats and a scholarship from Heifer and was able to send Sabitri back to school. She says, "I want Sabitri to study hard and grow up to be a great person. Heifer has opened up the doors for her to do so."

Sabitri comes home from school and helps her mother learn to read and write. As Meena writes her name she joyfully states, "I can now write my name and have command over the pen."