Puja

Puja was from a poor farming community in West Nepal. Growing up, she had to forgo her education to stay home and care for her elderly parents. With the goal of earning an income for her family, Puja left for a job in India believing there she would find better opportunities. When she arrived at the Krishnanagar border, she was counseled by our partners’ border counselors about the dangers of human-trafficking. She was encouraged to enroll at the Training Center and learn a skill that would help her to get a job that would provide a sustainable living in Nepal.

When Puja arrived at the Training Center, she was given the opportunity to study one of four tracks: cosmetology, culinary, tailoring, or electric. The Electrician Training had been recently added though to that point, no other daughters had expressed interest in learning those particular skills. Puja, however, thought it would be the perfect fit and jumped at the opportunity.

“When I was young, the lights went out in our house. I waited all day for an electrician to come, and when he did, he told me it would be 500 rupees to change one fuse. Such a small object, but so very expensive. My family could not afford this amount. When I heard there was an opportunity to train as an electrician, I knew I wanted to become part of it so I could go back into the community and help others who came from small means. I would be the only female in my village to have such a skill and to be depended on would be very fulfilling!”

Puja was the first daughter to say yes to a male-dominated career track in Nepal. She will also be one of the first who will break gender stereotypes that will open the door for many other daughters to follow her lead.