Laxmi lives with her mother and siblings in Jajarkot, one of the least developed districts in the remote Karnali province, with almost half of the population living below the poverty line.
Tragedy struck when Laxmi was 10-years-old. Her father, who worked hard to pay for his children’s education, passed away. Laxmi was devastated. She used to love to go to school but for the first time she stopped attending her classes.
Before her father’s passing, Laxmi joined a child's club at her school that was run with the support of Caritas Nepal, through the Nepal Livelihoods and Resilience Program. Child's clubs support students to develop their speaking, writing and leadership skills through extracurricular activities.
Thanks to the support of her child's club, Laxmi was encouraged to resume her education. She became an active member of her child's club, where she developed the skills and confidence to become a leader, advocating for clean water taps at her school.
If I don't get to study, then I'll experience hardship. I'll have to struggle like mother. If I don't get to study, then I'll have no knowledge.
Since 2018, Caritas Nepal has supported more than 5,000 children through the child's clubs.
Laxmi’s grades have excelled since joining the child's club. But her proudest achievement is something that will have a lasting impact for future generations.
Clean water has long been an issue at Laxmi’s school. Laxmi and her child club members discussed the need to build multiple water taps at the school so that all students can access clean drinking water. They lobbied the school administration, the ward office and the municipality office until they eventually agreed to construct a series of water taps on the school grounds.
“Now, I know where to speak, what to speak. However big the gathering might be, I'm not afraid to speak,” Laxmi said.
Laxmi is now excelling in her studies and working towards her dream of becoming a civil engineer. She continues to be involved in the child's club, serving as an advisor and mentoring the next generation of young leaders at her old school.
“Even though I don't study in this school now, I have to show them what I did with my talent. How I changed. Teach them what they can do. I want them to learn from the things I did,” Laxmi said.
Along with your generous support, this program is also supported by the Australian Government, through Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP).