How Her Mother Inspired Nirupa to Beat the Odds

May 08, 2016

When Nirupa’s mother was young she never had a chance to get an education.

In Nepal, girls are seen as financial burdens and tasked with household chores or supplementing the family’s income, which greatly limits their access to quality education.

When she became a single parent, Nirupa’s mother was thankful to find work in the garment industry, sewing hundreds of patterns by hand. She worked long hours for a meager income, having no choice but to leave her daughter at home alone. Nirupa often had to skip meals and struggled to attend school. Finishing her education didn’t seem possible.

Moved by her mother’s hardships and diligence to support their family, Nirupa dreamed of breaking past the struggles and barriers passed from mother to daughter. When Room to Read’s Girls' Education Program arrived at her school, Nirupa was able to enroll in the program, which helps girls in low-income areas in Africa and Asia graduate secondary school with the skills they need to succeed in life.

Nirupa proudly finished secondary school and today she is in college studying for a degree in business. She teaches primary school to support her studies and pay the rent, and she is using the business skills she is learning to improve her mother’s finances and advocate for her rights. Thanks to her determination to create a better life for her and her mother, and to Room to Read’s support Nirupa was able to achieve something many Nepalese girls aren’t given a chance to succeed in.

Help us continue supporting girls like Nirupa graduate from secondary school. The benefits extend far beyond a single girl. Women and girls tend to reinvest their income and skills in their families and communities, ensuring their children get an education and helping to end the cycle of poverty.

Learn more about our Girls' Education Program

“I will always be grateful to Room to Read for changing my life and my destination. I believe in myself.” Nirupa Girls' Education Program participant

May 08, 2016

Girls' Education, Asia, Nepal,