Sita Kumari Rana, 26, hailing from Dododhara in Kanchanpur district lost her father when she was 10 years old and there was no option for her except working as a Kamalahari. However, she was passionate about education and social work. She was ready to compromise anything for these two dreams. With her efforts and with the help of an organization working for child rights she managed to start her formal education continuing with her Kamlahari status as she had no other means of livelihood. After some years she lost her mother too. Now, she started to face worse times. Her family members especially brothers and her husband, after being married, started to inflict torture on her. She said, “I married to the person just because he promised help in continuing my education, but he did not keep his words. However, I somehow managed to complete my 8th grade”
Even though she worked as a Kamalahari, she managed her time for her education even by sparing her time for social service. She said, “I always dream of being part of change but without support of husband and his family members, a woman is not able to go out and contribute to social services in a patriarchal culture like ours”. Having flashback, she recollected how she had worked for the welfare of the children when she was a Chair of Child Welfare Club. Such a recollection, she said, makes her stronger.
She got selected for a mediation training to be held in the district and participated in it, which she said was an important event in her life that her social life started to change for the good since then. “It was like a dream come true. When I first heard about the term “mediation”, I thought of all those groups and committees that impose their views on us. However, it was completely different notion and practice that facilitates disputes in a interactive but amicable situation before reaching conflicting parties to the win-win situation.”
