STARS Foundation

Meet Monica

Monica Kumari is a 17 year old trainee of Jyoti Vocational Training Centre (JVTC). Her ambition is to become a care giver.

Monica was born in eastern Nepal to a very poor family. When she was younger, her father used to drink and become violent. He would often beat up her mother and blame her for giving him a daughter instead of a son. Ultimately Monica’s father left her mother, leaving her to raise Monica alone. Monica and her mother then decided to take refuge at an uncle’s home. But Monica was forced to work hard and was not given any time for study. One day, her mother came across an organisation working for marginalized children and women. This organisation referred Monica to the Jyoti Vocational Training Centre so she could learn a vocation and become independent. She joined JVTC in January 2011.

In her first six months, Monica felt uneasy and found it rather challenging to adjust to the environment and make new friends. This was partly due to cultural differences, including language, which at first made it difficult to communicate spontaneously with others. Thanks to regular support and care from JVTC staff and to the positive environment in the class, Monica gradually started to mingle with her classmates and gained confidence. She was encouraged to participate in various social activities.

Today, Monica can communicate and write in Nepali and has gained appropriate life skills. She feels very happy in the centre and is enjoying her training with her friends. She has a plan to work in a child care centre in Pokhara as a care giver to gain some professional experience. She then wants to return to her home village to establish a Day Care Centre and help children in need.