First , I would like to say something about myself. Since 2058 B.S till 2066, I worked in a Dohori Restaurants (where they sing songs). Even after working for so long there, I did not get respect or recognition from my family and society. Because of that, I faced financial as well as social abuses and violence. In 2064, I started and organisation with an aim to ensure rights of women working in entertainment sector. After establishment of the organisation, I formally started to advocate for the rights women worker who work in the sector of entertainment sector, for the transformation of way of thinking about such worker in society and respect for their human rights. During this time I had to face many problems, many forms of physical and mental abuse at work as well as from my family.
Just because we were working in a restaurant, the working women were regularly arrested and detained by the police, put on handcuffs and abused as “those who are responsible for moral decline of the society”, for no reason. It was very painful, but we were unable to do anything because the society was not with us. We were stigmatised, no one respected the sector we work in. The whole society was against us. Through all this I went moving ahead, and kept learning. There were high walls of all kinds of barriers for us. I did bnot know how to take care of myself amid problems everywhere.
It was not easy even after the organization was established, it was also the beginning of a difficult journey. We had limited English language skills. Nobody would understand the issue we are raising in this sector. These things made me more frustrated and stressed and I gradually went into mental depression.
In 2014, with support of GAATW, I took a ten-days training for “dance movement therapy” in Thailand. After I took this training, I gave this training to many of my friends in the organisation. After that I started to feel lighter. I started to take to heart new things and try new things.
In 2072, Baishakh 12 and Jestha 29 the big earthquake hit Nepal. People were stressed and in mental depression. My first thought was I need to help people get out of this depression. During that time I started a campaign named” Smile Campaign”, to train the people to come out of mental depression, and to make the people resilient. In Fourteen districts of Nepal I gave sessions on “Dance Movement Therapy” which proved to be very effective and I too felt happy and light. Very contained with this service I gave to people who were going through trauma.
My Experiences: I used to I think I was a failure, that I will not be able to do anything with my life. But when I understood myself I also understood there are stress out there is happened also. That not everyone is fulfilled and content, everyone is going through something. There are good and bad people out there in the world. Now I understand that first you have to understand yourself to become happy yourself and then only you will be able to make others happy. Whenever I feel bad and I am under stress I go to meditation center, and meditate. I have learnt to love myself and now I know how to take care of myself. I also motivate others to be positive and motivate them through positive thoughts.
As I am an activists and a human rights worker, first I have to take care and control myself. I need to believe there are opportunities in our communities. Of course there are challenges and problems and I will continue to work to address I them. But to be able to do that, I need to take care of myself, I need to be able to give myself the time I need. Nobody is responsible to take care of myself but me. I think to be alive is the greatest and important thing.
How do people give me suggestions:
People have given me a lot. During the course of my work, I have gone through supportive and discouraging both kind s of people. But I think both kinds are supportive for me. Even people who bring hurdles teach us many things gives fuel for more enthusiasm. Thinking positive will make us go ahead in life. We should not loose our will power. Even though your society and the State do not support us , if we have will power, one day we will win. For this we need new and positive thinkings, new ideas and experiences, for which I am always working towards.