Today asusual I went to office where I have been working as a trainer since a decade. My intuation was telling me that today will be different. Yes, kathmandu training center is conducting a 10 days social mobilisation training to the 16 participants. When Mr. Raj Bahadur Giri, Executive Director of  Training Center was updating about the course. My small mongolin eyes was observing the participants that whether they are equally included by gender and social inclusion perspective. By the time that Mr. Raj Bahadur Giri has started to introduce programme through the game,  my eyes were stocked with a beutiful and smart lady. Her name is Ajmira Nisha, she is 25 years old , and she is Muslim. She is originally from Syanja and working for the USAID/ MSI/SIFO2 Sunaulo Parivar Nepal in the position of behaviour change communication officer. She has been the winner of “Handsome and Beauty contest” Pokhara of 2012 and Top ten contestant of “Miss Nepal”2011. she has got miss miss global models award in miss Nepal.

I asked about the model of her life. She replied with excitement: “My mother is my role model because she always trusted me and invested her time for shaping my manner and making me educated. Instead of all the limitations imposed on girls from our society my mother always stand with me. She is very protective mother and I love her. I could read her face while she was talking about her mother, she had different charm on her face. We continued our conversation, she started to share about her chilhood behaviour. She was smiling while opening up her words, “In my early days I used to ask dozens of questions each minute, even without waiting for the answers. I think this is why my parents offered me books at the early days of my life. I used to read lots of books.From my early childhood I had been enjoying to dancing and modeling but our society did not allowed me to persue my dreams, so my mother always encouraged me to study and change the way our society thinks of women. She was always telling me not to think that I am weak, simply because I am a women.

As my study goes further my thirst for knowledge did not come to an end when I was at school. I was passionate about history and science too. This passion helped me gain profound knowledge in these areas, and I was admitted to the college of my dreams. I got admission at Charak Hospital Nursing college from where I did my college degree. During my college time I got actively involved in outdoor games and won most of the prized during the sports event.I am certain that my working experience with my academic qualification will become my ticket to a better tomorrow. I want to become a renowned  in the nursing field where I can help the needy people and change the way our society thinks of the women. I study hard and devote my free time to reading different books and articles associated with our society. I believe that one day all these knowledge will shape my personality so that I could change the life of the thousands of the Nepalese girl who has been chained by the taboos of our society.

I was looking her eyes and face. I found she has a spirit to persue her passion. I asked  her about Muslim women and their struggles. She has become little serious and started to sharing: Of course, I had faced many problems. In our society female can not understand that life is not just a bed of roses, and challenges and hardships are an integral element of life. Born as women , our society tried to put limitations on what I can do or not. I was meant to stay at home which disturbed me mentally. It was my mother who understands my feeling and ignore all the society made things made on women and always encourages me to go out and take active part on the every event of the society. My dad has faced a lot of problem and people even told him that it is the dumbest thing to make daughter educated and sending her out of town for her further study.”

According to Muslim scholars,  Islam doesn’t put any barrier in the way of gaining knowledge, even prophet Mohammad peace be upon him said that you should gain knowledge even if it’s in China ( here the distance was meant). There is no gender discrimination for gaining knowledge in Islam, everyone the equal to the eyes of God. Men and Women can study in the appropriate areas, and can participate and work  for the development of the society.

After hearing Ajmira’s struggle, I realized that if people have determination to achieve goal, no one can be barrier for them. I visuallized that struggle period of her and her families. Still I have too many questions about her society but we had to join session that is why I was in the mood of summimg and I gave space to say last wish  towards society to her and she wanted to say: ” I  promised my parents that one day I will make their heart full of pride, so they  forget all the things said by our society to us. Due to my parents love and support from my college I also participated and awarded in the various beauty contest programs of Nepal. It was a good opportunity for me to start my career as a model and got lots of offers to walk on ramp show but sooner I realized that it was not the dream which I dreamt.

I focused on my degree and education career. I got involved in various free camps organized in our society which gives me a lot of pleasure. I feel like blessed for having this opportunity to help other people and take a responsibility to change the life of other people. When I heard a small girl ofsaying that I want to be like “Ajmira didi”, it has given me a lot of satisfaction. I hardly can explain this pleasure when the people appreciate you for your work and I think when you do your work with passion and hard work one day you will going to succeed.”

-Suja Rai