Aastha Kumari Chaudhary
Peer Group Leader
July 2019
"My father is a social science teacher and my mother is a housekeeper at a local hospital. My older brother is in tenth grade and goes to a private school. I am studying in eighth grade in a government school in Parsa.
Out of 30 students who gave test for the British Council’s Peer Group Leader (PGL) training, only five were selected. I and my parents were really happy to know I was one of them.
The PGL training is helping me to enhance my knowledge and skills in English language and improve my computer skills. This is the first time I am using a computer. I haven’t used a computer before because I don’t have it at home. But I am slowly learning about the digital skills in the training. I really like using flash cards. It helps to learn fast.
During our last election time, police officers visited our village in big jeeps. I talked to one of them and since then, I am inspired to become a police officer when I grow up. My parents and my brother are totally against this idea. They think girls should not travel a lot and stay at home, but I think the other way. I am determined to become a Police Officer when I grow up. In our school sports days, I always win the races. I am good at running so I am sure I can catch thieves easily when I become a police officer.
After this training, I will go back in school and run clubs for other girls. I will use the games and flashcards that we used in the training, boost their confidence and motivate them to pursue their dreams.
Aastha represents the district where caregivers of around 66 per cent girls reported that it is difficult to afford to send their girls to school. Among them 16 per cent reported that the family is unable to meet the basic needs of the family with around 7 per cent missing their dinner due to the poverty. In a quarter of the families, the household heads were illiterate. Pursuing a dream is difficult in such circumstances, but Aastha is determined as a Peer Group Leader to help herself and others in her school to choose life paths on their own and having to confidence to do it."
