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Kamalawati Yadav, married off at the age of 13 and now the mother of a two-year-old son, continues to pursue her studies despite the burdens that a married life imposes on a woman in Nepal.
Yadav, of Pokharibhindi in Rupandehi, is studying for her Bachelors in Education at the Bhairahawa Multiple Campus.
Getting up at 4 am, Yadav cycles four hours to college after finishing her household chores. “I leave after making breakfast for my family members and when I return at 12 noon, I wash utensils,” said Yadav, who has since passed every test in the first division.
Yadav, who was in the ninth grade at the time of marriage, also works for a private organisation that manages funds for her studies. She says she is happy to be able
to continue her studies despite marriage into a community that hardly allows its daughters an education.
Like Yadav, many more women are pursuing higher education with consent from their in-laws. However, their husbands remain school dropouts. The women believe that their example will encourage others to give continuity to education.
“We want to show that women can also earn to run households,” said Purnima Barma of Dhakdhai VDC-2.
“Not only daughters-in-law, but daughters should also be given an education,” said Anita Chaudhary of Basantapur, who aims to be a teacher in near future.
The women plan to launch a campaign against gender discrimination, child marriage, dowry and other ill practices in society.
