Sarita Koirala, 16

Gorkha Municipality, Ward No.4 Gorkha District

Sarita is a tenth grader at Saraswoti Secondary School, Phinam. She was enrolled in GNI Nepal’s sponsorship service program in 2014 when she was a fifth grader and has been receiving support to continue her education ever since. She participates in co-curricular activities, helps her friends and fellow students in need, and members of her community.

Sarita is the chairperson of the child club based at her school. Previously, she served as the member of the child club for two one-year terms and was nominated chairperson in 2016. Since then, she along with her child club members have raised awareness on child rights among students at her school. They have also raised voice in their community and with the Ward Office for having child rights delivered.

Sarita remarked, “In the beginning when my friends offered me to join the child club as a member, I was unsure. But the encouragement I got from teachers and my participation in different training events conducted by GNI Nepal built up my confidence. Now, I lead over 300 students as the chairperson of our child club”.

She further added, “Recently we demanded the local government (municipality office) to earmark funds for child rights and child protection. We have made our parents aware of child marriage, its negative impacts and legal consequences”.

Sarita and her child club also organized grassroots awareness-raising events on violence against children and domestic violence with help from local mothers’ groups.