GIRL REPORTS : A bilingual SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY news magazine

Girl Reports opens doors to higher education and gainful employment for girls in Nepal by teaching transferable skills through the framework of journalism.  Through this program, girls receive training and mentorship in four key areas: Communication, Computer Literacy, Engagement, and Leadership. By writing, organizing, and publishing a bilingual community news magazine, they learn important organizational and time management skills, and more importantly, they learn to ask questions about their society and their rights. The program gives them the opportunity to develop their ‘voice’ and share their perspectives with the world. They also gain critical exposure to new and different ideas, concepts, and social and physical environments outside of their villages. This particular region in Nepal has some of the highest rates of child marriage, female illiteracy, and infant and mother mortality in the country. Girl Reports aims to empower young girls living in these under-served and underprivileged communities with the opportunities and training they need to change their futures and their community for the better.

Learn more: www.girlreports.org

THE LOTUS ROOM: ART AND MUSIC FOR RURAL NEPALI GIRLS

The Lotus Room is a program dedicated to creative exploration through music and art. It is in fact a physical room at the Karuna Girls School - a creative space where girls can find their voice through different mediums. The program is designed to be accessible to all students, regardless of academic achievement, income, cast, class, or English proficiency. All girls are welcome and encouraged to participate in workshops offered by local and international volunteers in art, music, and writing. For most, this is the first time in their lives that they are given the resources and encouragement to play with musical instruments and to explore artistic expression.

The general purpose of the program is to: introduce Nepali girls to artistic expression, provide an artistic, emotional outlet for children, provide new opportunities to learn, expose children to new, creative experiences, challenge children to examine their own artistic potential, inspire children and thereby improve academic and social outcomes, improve school attendance, encourage girls to find their own medium of expression, challenge gendered, cultural norms regarding art and music, build confidence in young girls.