Day 2: Young researchers explain their findings on social and environmental issues

Supporting children and young people to do research in communities on social and environmental issues that are directly affecting them is one of the success stories of Her Choice. Today we met 20 of these young researchers who are aged between 13 and 17 years at the Balika Peace Home.

You couldn’t help but be impressed by the confidence and creativity with which the child researchers explained their findings. The topics they chose were serious ones – such as the impact domestic violence has on children in Nepal and what it is like living with an alcoholic. Unfortunately many of the girls have had first-hand experience of these issues themselves.

Their mentor and role model Arju B.K. just a few years older, at 20 years explained how significant this opportunity has been for the girls: “By interviewing other girls and boys from many different communities, they now realise that these issues are affecting many others in Nepal and not just them. Also they now want to study more, and be able to tackle these problems and stand up for children’s rights.”

The girls themselves told us of their ambitions: to be cardiologist, teacher, soldier, social worker for young children. Arju plans to be a lawyer, and maybe go into politics. As she says “Nepal needs good people to get involved in politics”.