Canopy Nepal - 'Reshaping Education'

Canopy Nepal was started in 2015 by a small yet passionate group of youths who saw a need for better quality of education in government schools and decided to make a difference. The organization runs various educational programs with public schools in  the valley with a primary goal of promoting an interactive learning system in order to counter the traditional focus on rote memorization prevalent in Nepali schools. Canopy has engaged students from public, private and community schools by providing them with suitable programmes that have been designed and practised thoroughly by the members of Canopy Nepal as well as other professionals experts at their own field. 

Canopy Nepal currently runs seven programs to promote education, re-engage students in a love of learning, facilitate discussions among education professionals on effective teaching and learning. Canopy’s flagship program, Learners’ Hub: English Improvement Classes (EIC), seeks to improve English skills among children, whilst simultaneously improving student’s attitudes towards language acquisition. The main goal of this programme is to reduce their fear and hostility towards the language and increase their enthusiasm in bettering their english skills. A session of letter writing and exchange between the children in Rawson Saunders School in the US and children from EIC partner schools is also conducted under the same program which is facilitated by International Student Learning Inc. or ISL. 

CANSHIP, or Canopy Nepal Scholarship program  funds school expenses for underprivileged children, in partnership with NCEP Canada. CANSHIP currently serves 52 students providing for their tuition, uniforms, and supplies. Moreover, not just bounded to their materialistic needs CANSHIP also provides them with other programmes overseeing their wellbeing in general such as their recent programme of Career Counselling Sessions. Career Counselling Sessions is a 2-day session which aims to guide CANSHIP's current SEE appearing scholars in choosing the right path after grade 10. It aims to provide them with knowledge and information on available courses and scholarship opportunities so as to encourage them to pursue further education. 

FESSHIP is  another scholarship program which provides educational support to underprivileged students to complete their secondary education and/or vocational training to better their lives and prospects in collaboration with Friends of Nepal Adelaide Inc. (FONAI). 

Canopy also  runs two other  skill-focused programs  under the project of Learner's Hub: Lekhaun, which focuses on building skills related to academic writing in general, and Katha Bunaun, which emphasizes on fostering the love and story writing and storytelling. Additionally, Canopy seasonally runs Young Learners’ Camp, a residential  camp which seeks to engage children in fun, educational, and interactive activities. 

Finally, Canopy has organized a series of panel discussions titled ‘Understanding Education’. Incorporating various organizations involved in education - such as the Ministry of Education, the U.S. Embassy, UNESCO, and the USAID - Understanding Education seeks to facilitate meaningful conversations about education in Nepal, and hopefully, to inspire resulting positive changes within the system.

The organization hopes to find its way to the students, who are in need for a help to find their way to their desired goals and destinies with a podium where students can discover new ways of learning, also learn to express their voice where Canopy stands as a pillar who are involved directly or indirectly in their respective journeys. 

Originally written by: Heather Schultz 
Updated by: Sabanam Thapa

Heather Schultz is a graduate of Evergreen State College. She worked closely with Canopy Nepal as an intern from October 2017-June 2018.

Sabanam Thapa is a team member with Canopy Nepal. She is currently studying BASW from Thames International College.

View Your Choice has collaborated as an outreach partner with Canopy Nepal.

Mitti Ke Rang - Our Representative's insight into the Social Enterprise

ARNIKA FERDOUS BRISTI - BANGLADESH

Our representative from Bangladesh - Arnika Ferdous Bristi, shares her experience and views on working with Mitti Ke Rang and the importance about the Advocacy of Widow's Empowerment.

As very accurately pointed out by Arnika here as well, the fact remains that the awareness around the challenges of widowhood aren't approached enough to resolve sensitively and closely. This ignorance does not just limit aid but also the awareness of if it exists at all or not. Many women seeking support or help often feel clueless about where to go due to this very lack of advocacy, falling prey to the discriminating treatment by society instead. 

Youth truly does hold great power and yes we definitely have our responsibilities towards our society, and hence, Mitti Ke Rang, not only creates a platform to empower women but also unites and brings together the new generation, who contributes greatly in bringing forth change.  

Arnika Ferdous Bristi (Graduate from Begum Rokeya University Department of Public administration in Bangladesh), representative of Mitti Ke Rang in Bangladesh. Arnika is a learner who follows the philosophy, that knowledge is never enough and that it increases with sharing. 

Mitti Ke Rang - Stories Worth Sharing of an Amazing woman Sangeeta Oval

Sangeeta Oval is a 40 year old widow, living in Yerwada with her two sons, who she almost single handedly brought up after her husband committed suicide, after seven years of marriage. She got married at the age of 13. She claims that her husband committed suicide out of drinking and that it was a frequent habit of her husbands’. Apart from that the daily drinking and hitting was a constant in Sangeeta’s life. Apparently on the day her husband committed suicide, she and the kids left the house to attend a religious ceremony happening nearby and when she returned, it was as if the world had suddenly stopped moving. She instantly went into a state of shock by looking at the dead corpse of her husband hanging from the living room ceiling. The kids were pretty young at that time and they didn’t understand what was happening and they were taken away by the neighbours for the time being. When asked the most basic question, as to who supported her at this grave hour, her immediate response was no one. Nobody from her in laws and her maternal family supported her economically; she supported herself and her kids on her own by working as a maid.

She recalls that her mother passed away when she was 9 years old. And then her struggled life began. Her brother’s wife used to make her do all the housework and used to tell her that it’s okay to not go to school. And due to her saying her brother got her married early and more troubles paved her way.

Another thing to be taken into consideration is that Sangeeta got married at the age of 13, and according to the Indian Constitution this practice is illegal. When asked her of this, she says she didn’t have any say in it and it happened within the family inner circle. Moreover she resides in the remote part of her village where people didn’t have the idea of the laws written in the constitution. But changes have been forthcoming as now almost no one gets married before they turn 18.

Coming back the life after husband’s demise, her mother in law did create a lot of fuss and problems for her. All her jewellery was taken away as her mother in law felt she should remain simple and style according to her choice. She even used to put up a ‘dupatta’ on her head. She wasn’t allowed to visit her sisters. But later on she and her elder sister gathered courage and fought with her mother in law regarding these. Sangeeta was being discriminated against her other two sister in laws regarding these practices, although the reason that her mother in law gave was that she doesn’t have a husband while the others had. Her mother in law was sort of jealous of her as she was all self sufficient and was well able to provide for both the kids herself without anyone’s help. She also used to suggest her to leave the kids and get married to someone else but Sangeeta did what she had to. She gave up on her life and made it that of her children. She takes pride in telling that both her sons are graduated and one is pursuing a course in computer engineering. Her elder son is on a contractual job basis, which is not much but its not all that bas as well. She never let them feel that they had lost a father, always made sure that they never had to beg for anything.

Being a widow is not easy. She used to hear comments that it won’t be long now that she will run off with someone else. It seemed liked no one trusted her anymore and to bring up two kids on her own was something which Sangeeta would not be able to do. And now after 20 years, all the mouths have been shut for good. Even her mother in law, who used to provoke her to get married all the time so that she could handle the kids and Sangeeta would be out of the picture, stays quiet now as she has seen the sacrifice Sangeeta made for her kids. People, especially her brother, used to suggest her to get married to someone else. But Sangeeta said no. And so her brother said that since you have decided not to get married, so we don’t want to hear any bad rumours of you having any affairs or so for the matter. You should not engage in adultery or bring any shame to our name. And like a true mother and a woman of her word, she didn’t. Sangeeta sometimes feels that her life has become a joke of some sort. The father didn’t give a dam about kids and died but she couldn’t give up on the kids. If she would have done the same then what would have been the difference between him and her. Sangeeta recalls that her mother in law once threw her out of the house in the middle of the night and so she called her brother up and went home.

Also that some amount of property goes to the wife and kids after the demise of the husband. For, Sangeeta this too became a struggle as although the house became hers, sometime later her brother in law came in and permanently settled there since he had so many debts on him and had to sell his own house and apartments. In a way her brother in law captured what was Sangeeta’s legally. In this scenario, her mother in law always used to dominate one-on-one on Sangeeta and therefore she couldn’t do much to save her property. She has been living with them for a very long time now although the mother in law shifted to her other son’s place. Currently Sangeeta and her sons are looking for a flat so that they can finally get away from the disturbing everyday family-property drama.

As mentioned earlier, she took the job of a maid to support her kids and herself. In the beginning it was difficult for her to find permanent houses of income but now she has grown to be quite stable. Earlier she used to earn around 3000 per month and now she earns around 15–16000 per month. 

She takes pride in what she has achieved but the fact that at least someone should have come forth to help her out but they didn’t will always keep hurting her. 

When asked of any Government fund she used to receive after her husband’s demise, she said long ago she used to around 400 bucks from some governmental office in Yerwada, in the name of her elder son, Sanjay. And as government officials are expected to be, they always used to postpone her due and used to call out snide comments on her. After sometime she let go of that money and she stopped going to the office altogether. Parenting two kids was no easy at times. She even had to borrow from the people’s houses she used to work in and even moneylenders who used to charge high rates of interests. But all has been cleared now and she did on her own.

After the death of her husband, a major impact fell upon the kids as they lost a father figure. They kept asking as to where have their father gone? And she had no other option but to say that he has gone out for some work and will be back soon. And soon enough they realised that he wasn’t going to come back anymore. The younger son was more affected soon after the death because he used to eat and sleep with the father and so Sangeeta made him habitual of her then unmarried brother in law. Both the children would ask, looking at the photo of their father hanging up that why won’t he come down to play with us. Sangeeta’s mother in law helped her in this way by taking care of the kids as she loved them. So there is this thing that at least the kids got love from everywhere.

I would say that Sangeeta Oval is a self made hero, or rather Shero. Bringing up two kids on her own, it was like she against the world.

I would really salute her guts and her courage of doing this and that her sons have grown to be good man, is the proof of her good upbringing. Nobody took her feelings into account. Everybody assumed that she was ok and happy. But she tells that she lived like a dead person for years on. She lived her life only for the kids. Nobody realised that a life was wasting away. Her brother in law also had a problem with her earning as the women of the house didn’t go out to earn. But then even he didn’t earn. So someone had to earn to provide for them.

She recalls one incident that one of her sons Abhijeet, fell sick and she took him to the doctor. The doctor Saahab, suggested to take in milk to increase the strength. To this Abhijeet innocently replied, she doesn’t bring milk ever. Sangeeta felt ashamed and sad that she couldn’t provide for them enough. And she decided that no matter what it takes, she will work to provide everything for them.

I salute her and this piece is dedicated to her. 

Aditee Jasmin Sarkar - Team MKR.

Aditee Jasmin Sarkar, who has completed her Masters in Sociology, has focused her study on women empowerment by analysing facts, ideas, and discrepancies that circle around feminism and plight of widows and children in the country. She has been a part of Teach for India, and has made a significant contribution to Mitti Ke Rang - MKR and its mission of widow empowerment.