Finding Her Voice: Sahista's Journey to Confidence and Education

From Madrasa to Silence Sahista Khatun, now 17, lives in Ward 4 of Malangwa Municipality in Sarlahi district, with her parents, Mr. Idris Ansari and Mrs. Asma Khatun, and six other family members under one roof. Growing up in a Muslim family, Sahista once studied at a madrasa, but stopped attending and took up household duties instead — a path many girls in her community follow, as prevailing cultural norms often discourage them from attending mainstream school. Yet Sahista held onto a quiet wish: to sit in a classroom like other children her age, and to keep learning. A Bridge Back to the Classroom That wish found new life while Sahista was staying at her uncle's house. It was there she first learned about ENGAGE (Empowering a New Generation of Adolescent Girls through Education), a program run by Prerana Organization, funded by UK AID, and supported technically by VSO Nepal and Humanity & Inclusion (HI) in Malangwa. By the time she returned home, a bridge class had already been running for three months — and several of her friends were enrolled. Encouraged by a Big Sister mentor and the local Community Mobilizer, and driven by her own eagerness to learn, Sahista joined the class. Once she completed it, the Community Mobilizer worked patiently with her parents, gradually building their confidence in her right to an education. That effort paid off. Based on her strong performance in the bridge class's final examination, Sahista was enrolled in Class 6 at Shreemati Krishna Devi Secondary School, Malangwa-4 two years ago. Today, she is a regular, engaged student in Class 8. Blossoming Into a Leader Since returning to school, Sahista hasn't just kept up — she has stepped forward. She is: • An active member of the school's Child Club • A member of the CRM (Child Rights Monitoring) Committee • A representative in her school's GIEN network — one of eleven schools where ENGAGE established Girls' Information and Empowerment Networks • The top scorer in her project-run remedial class's internal examination Her achievements reached far beyond her school gates. Last year, Sahista was selected to represent the children of Madhesh Province at a three-day national workshop convened to gather children's input for Nepal's upcoming ten-year strategic plan — an event attended by former Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli as chief guest. Standing among policymakers and peers from across the country, Sahista spoke up for the rights and futures of girls in her province. A Voice for Girls' Rights What began as a girl's simple wish to return to school has grown into something much bigger. Sahista now speaks openly and confidently about girls' rights and girls' education — a transformation that has rippled through her entire household. Her family, once bound by cultural hesitation, is now her biggest support system: they have started encouraging all their children to pursue education, and Sahista's parents hope to see her complete at least her higher secondary (+2) studies. Story documented by Kunti Sah, Community Mobilizer