Nepal
Information Empowers a Young Girl and Her Community
A girl, a family, and a community learn the dangers of early marriage
 My name is Anju Mahara. I am 17 years old and I live in Ghodghas VDC ward no. 2 of Dhanusha district.. There are 16 people in my family including my mother, father, uncle, aunt and six sisters. My three elder sisters were married between ages 12 and 13.
No one in my family is literate. My father is working in a Band party. Due to our big family and low income, my father never tried to send us to school. I am helping my mother with household work. I was very interested to read and write. My fiends go to school but I was afraid to express my intention. Last year Participatory Learning and Action/Radio Listening Groups started in our village and I asked my mother to join the class because there was no fee to join. I am from a marginalized caste so I was eligible for the class. As it was free, my mother gave permission to join the class. After seven months in the class I have learned so many things. Now I can read and write.
During the sessions, I heard 52 episodes of drama serial which was very useful for us. From the drama serial, I learned that the appropriate age for marriage is 20 years. During this time, my father told me it was time for me to get married.
I tried to convince my parents that I am too young for marriage as I had learned from radio drama serial but they did not accept my request. After a few days I shared this with my RLG center friends and they were surprised. They decided to try to convince my parents. Almost all participants of the RLG met my parents and convinced them about the disadvantages of early marriage and after that my parents agreed on that. Now I am 18 and participating in post PLA/RLG sessions and decided to marry at the age of 20. I really want to say thanks to radio health program and our friends who saved my life.
"Almost all participants of the RLG met my parents and convinced them about the
disadvantages of early marriage and after that my parents agreed on that."
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