“The first day attending the class was one of the happiest days of my life”, says Ratan. “I wanted to continue my education to secure a good future for my child. I have to be a good example for my daughter.”

Ratan, then in grade 6, was forced to drop out of school because she was arranged to be married. She became a mother at age 21 and cared for her family. Ratan’s options were limited, as engaging in public activities  outside of the home is often stigmatised according to social customs in the Sudurpashchim Province of Nepal.

After convincing her family, Ratan attended the functional literacy classes held under the Joint Programme. “At first, she was too shy and nervous to introduce herself in the class, but now, she can speak her mind in front of a crowd”, says Saraswoti, Ratan’s facilitator.

Ratan gained confidence as her literacy skills improved and she learned about family planning, reproductive health and hygiene, and harmful cultural practices. Ratan often shares her new knowledge, especially about reproductive health and hygiene, with women in her community. She has now found a greater sense of independence in life.

Before the training, Ratan lacked the skills to access her own bank account and withdraw money sent by her husband who is a migrant worker in India. Now, Ratan is financially literate, capable of accessing her own bank account, making withdrawals and deposits and organizing her family’s finances.

Last stop, Tanzania

In Tanzania, the Joint Programme reached girls and young women in remote areas where access to learning can be more limited. To prevent violence against girls and increase the retention of girls in school, 40 primary and 20 secondary schools across 4 districts now provide counselling services through 112 youth clubs. Out-of-school girls and young mothers were provided with vocational, literacy, numeracy as well as sexual and reproductive health programmes. Over 4,000 in-school and 1,000 out-of-school girls and young women benefited from quality educational opportunities. Over 180 local government officials, 440 teachers and 60 curriculum developers from higher learning institutions were trained on gender-responsive pedagogy, life skills, sexual and reproductive health, HIV and AIDS, and gender-based violence (GBV).