By Pratigya Khaling, Communications, World Vision Nepal

A year ago, Sabbu Khatri, 15, was a shy little girl who thought that girls in a male-dominated country like Nepal should keep quiet. Starting school at the correct age was a privilege for her, and she had never considered her talents and abilities as useful.

Then, at school, Sabbu started noticing some changes in her girl classmates. Suddenly they had become bold, open and courageous and this made her wonder how? She found out that they had become members of a Child Club.

Sabbu joined up too. There she learnt skills on public speaking, debating, magazine design, to name a few. Those skills increased her confidence.

There are more than 10 community-based Child Clubs in Bhaktapur, accommodating more than 400 children so far. World Vision suggested the structure and trained the youth leaders in partnership with local NGO Hatemalo Sanchar, then stood back to let the community, and its children, take over.

According to Ramila Karmacharya, Team Leader for World Vision in Bhaktapur ADP, “Children have different needs, and the child club is like a platform where they can raise issues that concern them."

"Joining a child club, they can voice out their thoughts, their opinions, raise awareness on issues as child abuse and girl trafficking. They start thinking and doing developmental activities at a younger age because they are coming here."

These Child Clubs are open to any child from the age of 8 to 16, however, younger children also seem to be enthusiastically involved. The clubs promote child rights awareness; child rights development, advocacy and capacity building for children, so that they can plan their lives. Voluntary facilitators, once a week, gather the community children, teach them how to talk to people, how to respect your elders, how to help your neighbors, how to keep yourself, your house and your environment clean, and other relevant life skills.

Child clubs also organize regular activities as writing enhancement skills, spelling contests, drawing competition, skit shows, preparing wall magazines, street dramas and so on. Street dramas are based on social issues such as discrimination of a girl child or disadvantages of drinking and drug use.

Sushila, aged 21, was once a child club member like Sabbu. Now she facilitates at one of the clubs. She says the parents are very happy to see their children becoming smart and disciplined. 

She adds “ I love being with the children, teaching them and learning new things at the same time and I am so overwhelmed by their interest, involvement and their enthusiasm”.

Sabbu was hesitant at first, but as she started going there regularly and learning things, she soon started seeing some changes. Through the club, she attended a World Vision drawing workshop which, being an art enthusiast, she enjoyed thoroughly. With all the dictations and quiz and spelling contests and debates, she developed her thinking capacity as well as her writing skills. She is now winning awards in various youth competitions.

With all the things she’s learnt from the child club, Sabbu actually goes to her neighbors and teach them about general hygiene and how to keep the environment clean. Even though she's a child, and a girl child at that, her neighbors can’t seem to say no.  

Says Sabbu, “Before I was a very shy person, now I know about my rights, my thinking capacity has increased. I have become so bold, I can go anywhere and talk about anything amidst any number of people and I owe all that to my child club.”