Help Pragya Karki launch Heroines! Nepal

WHO WE ARE

The Heroines! Movement Nepal aims to empower young girls through stories of inspiring, local women who defied the odds. It’s proven that being exposed to stories of relatable female role models can have a positive impact on a girl’s self image, ambition and life path! 

All over the world, the Heroines Movement works with local teams to bring stories of counter-stereotypical women role models to the young girls that need to see them. If we succeed, we will impact the lives of thousands of girls across Nepal in remote and urban areas who would otherwise not have access to materials featuring women that are breaking through traditional gender boundaries. 

“There’s nothing in our community, education or culture that tells children that they are equal and that they have the ability to achieve what they want to achieve and to dream how they want to dream. As soon as a child is born, gender norms kick in. At eight or nine years old girls are often told ‘you need to learn how to sew, how to cook’. This happens to girls and women of various social backgrounds. But I see a change happening. More and more women are seen working in jobs that are supposed to be for men. Women are fighting stereotypes. They are breaking through barriers. The fight is to break out of that mindset."

Pragya Karki, Global Health Innovator, leader of the Heroines! Nepal Team



THE PROJECT


The Heroines Movement Nepal will be traveling to different regions of the country seeking out courageous and inspiring women who are known as change makers, heroines and role models. The stories of these inspiring women will be collected, recorded and transformed into beautifully illustrated storybooks for children. Research shows that children start to understand gender constrictions between the ages of 6 and 9 and form their self image and ambitions accordingly.

Together, if we reach our first goal of € 18.000, we will be able to create, print and distribute up to 1500 books with an accompanying curriculum. If we are able to reach our second goal of € 30.000, that number will go up to 5000 books. These books will be distributed freely to 15 schools in the Central region, 15 schools in Eastern region and 10 schools in the Far Western Region. Often, families in rural and remote regions in Nepal do not have the means to purchase books in the standard curriculum, so by donating the books to the schools, we will ensure that every child will have access to them. 

Beyond distribution and printing, funds will be used pay a fair and honorable wage to all of the people involved in the research, development and production for their time and effort. These picture books will be hardcover and made from durable materials so they can be passed on through schools, siblings, friends and communities.

“Gender discrimination is one of the most common kinds of discrimination in Nepal. We women are too often seen as household robots, who are supposed to do household activities like cleaning, cooking, producing babies. Women are underestimated and not given opportunities because their parents think that they are the ones who will be leaving their house and going to their husband’s house. Isn't it ironic that women are given a blessing to have a good husband instead of being capable of standing on their own feet?"

Anusha Raya, Research and Outreach Development Heroines! Nepal



WHO WE ARE

We are the TRQSE Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation raising money on behalf of the Heroines! Movement Nepal, led by Pragya Karki. Pragya is a Nepali-born Global Health innovator who knows the roots of gender inequality in her country, how it manifests and how it feels. She has led various healthcare projects in Nepal, from helping to plan and launch a new community hospital, to reaching rural and remote areas in order to provide maternal and neonatal healthcare. 

"When I was young, we only had stories from other countries, a woman in the US who went to the moon, or a woman in Austria who was a scientist or a great painter. This just made girls from my country think that these women succeeded because they have more freedom and were taught in a different way.

This shows that we need something we can relate to, we need stories from our own communities. When children see that these women are from their own villages, their own cities, with the same struggles yet have prevailed, it tells them: ‘it is indeed possible.’ That is why we need the stories of women from our own country."

Pragya Karki, Global Health Innovator, leader of the Heroines! Nepal Team






[Students of Karnali Bal Griha School at beautiful Raskot Municipality on the lap of the Himalayas happily getting settled to start their class outside in the sun. This school has about 200 students aged 4-11.]