Finding solutions: Gahendra and Puspa's story
Hear from Gahendra and Puspa, a married couple who have learnt to strengthen their communication and relationship through couple’s sessions held by the gender-based violence project.
November's featured volunteer
Namaste! My name is Raj Karki. I’m volunteering as a Diffusion Advisor on VSO’s Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response project in Nepal. I’m looking forward to keeping you up to date with how we’re getting on and how your support is making a lasting difference to the lives of women and girls here.
I’m delighted to be volunteering with VSO and to have the opportunity to share my experiences with you all. I’ve been in my role of Diffusion Advisor for just over a year, which has given me loads of opportunities to learn and grow, as well as use the knowledge I’ve gained over the years. Thank you for standing with me and helping to make a positive impact in my home country.
It is unacceptable that more than one in four women in Nepal experience gender-based violence in their lifetime. With your support, my colleagues and I are leading a range of prevention activities to stop violence against women and girls here. We’re doing this by running interactive sessions with couples, families, community groups and leaders to challenge social norms that value men and boys over women and girls. Working alongside other organisations, we’re part of an incredible movement to create long-lasting change.
November '23 volunteer update
Happy Diwali! My family and I take the time to decorate the outside of our home with lights. It brings me such joy seeing the colourful lights, brightening our street each year – I’ve done my best to show you our efforts in the video below.
Diwali and nearing the end of another year has made me reflect on my volunteering journey so far. This year has been full of highs and lows, as well as some tiring but fulfilling days. But mostly, I'm full of pride and gratitude when I think of everything we've achieved over the past few months. Your ongoing gifts are truly invaluable, and I’d like to say a heartfelt thank you for your support. Without it, I wouldn't have the opportunity to contribute to positive change in my home country and see the life-changing difference in my community.
Hear from Gahendra and Puspa...
Gahendra and Puspa are now a happily married couple, who have found help in the couple’s sessions and have strengthened their communication and overall relationship. Watch their interview below.
Puspa, Gahendra's wifeNow we understand each other. We look for solutions to our problems. I feel happy that I got the opportunity to participate in the sessions.
Gahendra and Puspa faced an imbalance between their work and home life which resulted in frequent arguments and lack of communication. Before participating in the couple’s sessions, Gahendra used to follow outdated views on the roles and responsibilities of a man and woman in a relationship such as the man going out to work, and the woman staying at home with the family and doing the chores. Since the sessions, they have learnt the importance of equality in a relationship and have realised the positivity of effective communication. Learning to separate work and home life has changed their marriage for the better. They now co-ordinate managing their household responsibilities and their overall life in a more harmonious manner.
I hope you enjoy hearing from Gahendra and Puspa. Progress like theirs is proof that your support is changing lives of the world's most marginalised.
I really enjoy reading through the messages that you send me - they give me a boost of motivation at the end of a long day. Please come and say hello or leave me a question below!
Speak soon,
Raj
VSO national volunteer, tackling gender-based violence, Nepal
Want to ask a question?
VSO’s Sponsor a Volunteer team will share your message with the VSO volunteer and get back to you with a response. Your email address will not be used, disclosed or transferred to any VSO personnel, it will be stored securely in accordance with VSOs privacy policy. A sample of messages including display names will be published to the Sponsor a Volunteer homepage each month.
Your latest questions answered
I will pray that you are given the strength and courage to continue up in your efforts to help lessen the sorry plight of woman and girls I realise that success in this work will not happen quickly but even small changes can make such difference .
Raj
Thank you Vera for your prayers. Yes, we might not be able to bring drastic change but we are making change in the individual life as much as we can and positive changes in the individual lives are really satisfying.
Thank you very much for sending me the latest update on your most valuable work in Nepal. It is indeed a very worthy project, far from easy given the historic nature of men's violence against women and girls and not confined to your own country of course.
Raj
Dear Diane,
Thank you for all these beautiful words. The idea of bringing family members and community is based on the fact that we as a social being have to live in society and many of our attitudes and behaviors (bad or good) are moderated by norms and values of society. Thus, inorder to bring the positive change we also have to create awareness among family members as well as wider community.
Thank you for all these beautiful words. The idea of bringing family members and community is based on the fact that we as a social being have to live in society and many of our attitudes and behaviors (bad or good) are moderated by norms and values of society. Thus, inorder to bring the positive change we also have to create awareness among family members as well as wider community.
Thank you very much for sending me the latest update on your most valuable work in Nepal. It is indeed a very worthy project, far from easy given the historic nature of men's violence against women and girls and not confined to your own country of course.
Raj
Hello Diane,
Thank you for your encouraging and kind words.
Yes, it's indeed a difficult work considering how deeply rooted is harmful social norms and practices in country like Nepal but because of generous supporter like you, we are able to reach out to as many men and women as possible.
Our work is based on Socio-Ecological Model adapted for gender-based violence prevention and response which adopts a holistic approach to tackle the harmful social norms and practices. Thus, we try to include individual as well as whole communities in our sessions. Through this approach we are really able to bring significant changes in the society and participants are also quite satisfied to learn eye opening ideas regarding gender-based violence.
Thank you for your encouraging and kind words.
Yes, it's indeed a difficult work considering how deeply rooted is harmful social norms and practices in country like Nepal but because of generous supporter like you, we are able to reach out to as many men and women as possible.
Our work is based on Socio-Ecological Model adapted for gender-based violence prevention and response which adopts a holistic approach to tackle the harmful social norms and practices. Thus, we try to include individual as well as whole communities in our sessions. Through this approach we are really able to bring significant changes in the society and participants are also quite satisfied to learn eye opening ideas regarding gender-based violence.
Did you know?
We bring about lasting change not by sending aid, but by working through volunteers to empower communities in some of the world’s poorest regions. You can read more about VSO’s areas of work and discover more about our projects here.
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