Images and film shot on assignment for Caritas Australia as part of the Project Compassion 2023 appeal.
Laxmi (16) lives with her mother in one of the most remote and least developed districts in Western Nepal.
Tragedy struck after her father died when she was 10 years old. Laxmi was devasted. She used to love going to school but for the first time, she stopped attending her classes.
With the encouragement of her mother and fellow students at the Child’s Club she attended, she was convinced to return. The Child’s Club, supported by Caritas Australia partner Caritas Nepal, helps students to develop their speaking, writing and leadership skills through extracurricular activities.
After returning to school, Laxmi excelled in her studies and eventually became the leader of the Child’s Club. Now, Laxmi has graduated from high school and is studying to become 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.
“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.
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. Girls and young women in remote Nepal face numerous challenges with many being forced into early marriage and dropping out of school or face labour exploitation.
Despite the economic hardship that her family faced, Laxmi’s parents were determined that their daughter receive an education. However, when her father died when she was 10 years old her future was at risk. She stopped going to school and only returned when encouraged by members of her schools Child’s Club, which is supported by Caritas Nepal, through the Caritas Australia, Nepal Livelihoods and Resilience Program.
These clubs support students to participate in extracurricular activities to develop their speaking, writing and leadership skills through debating competitions and essay writings.
The children also organise awareness-raising activities such as public rallies, street dramas and posting wall magazines to highlights issues such as child rights, child protection, child marriage and labour exploitation.
Laxmi lives with her mother Mankala (52) and she has two elder brothers and two elder sisters. Their family house is situated next to a giant suspension bridge – the second biggest in Nepal- which stretches over the Bheri River.
“Even though I didn’t go to school, I wish my children to live a happy life and earn well,” – Mankala,
Their only source of income is from growing produce in nearby fields.
“I feel sad seeing my mother’s struggle. Mother does all this for us, so that we can study and we don’t have to struggle like this in the future. She is working so hard for our education,” – Laxmi
“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. I know we can only get good employment after we study,” – Laxmi
Laxmi has graduated from high school and is now studying a Diploma in Civil Engineering at a technical school that is four hours’ walk away.
Her dream is to work as an engineer and create a better life for her mother. She has seen how hard her mother struggled after the death of her father, working from dawn to dusk every day to support her children.
“So, when I finish my studies, I want to get rid of my mother’s struggles.” – Laxmi
Laxmi continues to be involved in the Child’s Club, serving as an advisor. She attends the meetings regularly, mentoring the next generation of young leaders at her old school.
Since 2018, Caritas Nepal has supported more than 5,000 children through the child clubs.