By Pratiksha: Pathway to fulfil my dream

Life is strange. I am doing a bachelor of Social Work (BSW). When I was a child I always dreamed of becoming a social worker not knowing what that actually meant. I was very much influenced by Florence Nightingale and Mother Teresa.

As I grew up I began to know about many career paths and I was always confused about which one I should choose. I thought about becoming a fashion designer, an air hostess, a nurse, an officer, and many more… When my 12^th Board exam results came out my percentage put down my dreams. After that there came a drastic change. I faced a lot of hardships but I was always looking for hope.

Finally, I got this opportunity to study SOCIAL WORK that I had first dreamed of.

And today when I look back at those days, I feel glad that everything happened this way. I have always believed that everything happens for a reason and in its own time.

“SOCIAL WORK” is the art of bringing various resources bear on individuals, groups and communities by the application of a scientific method of helping people to help themselves. Social work has many fields like Health, Mental health, Community services, Vocational training, Rehabilitation, Education, Child care, Legal aid, Economic and social development, Women welfare, etc.

Social work students are placed in various fields. My university has placed me in the “Children Based Rehabilitation Center” (CBR), which is specialized in disabled children. In a week I have 4 college days and 2 practical training days, leaving Saturday as government holiday.

CBR lies in Sankhamul, Kathmandu.

sankhamul temples

Students from many universities have been placed in this organization, which also has volunteers from many countries.

Many of us are unknowledgeable about disability and we tend to believe that all disabilities are the same. But actually there are very different kinds of disability. Some children have profound cognitive impairments or intellectual disabilities while some others have abilities to understand and to do things by themselves.

CBR is a profit motive organization yet its social work is remarkable. CBR helps children to be enrolled in general and special schools. It gets them actively involved in children’s clubs in their communities, with equal respect and status. It also focuses on services for the early detection and prevention of diseases causing disability. CBR has different classes for differently able children. We have child care for those who need special care, play group for those who can play and do some activities, learning class for those who can study a little and vocational class for those who can read, write and learn themselves.

They make candles and decoration stuffs, and we have exhibitions too.

My field work is on Sundays and Mondays. On Sundays, school is closed for the children, so on this day I do official works for the organization. On Mondays we have the children so we look after them. I am sometimes in childcare sometimes in playgroup and vice versa. Social work students should make weekly reports on their work at the organization.

We submit our reports to our teacher in weekly individual conferences (IC) and every six months we share our experience in group conferences (GC). My bachelor course is for three years, and each year our university places us in different organizations with different specializations.

Being a social worker student is a wonderful opportunity to reach out to people and help them. And it feels great to help children/people who are in need. I took this subject from the perspective of returning back to life what I have received from life. That is all because of Marie-Helene Duprat (Helen mom) and all the SEA sponsors. SEA has provided me with everything one ever needs while playing a vital role in making my dreams come true. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart.

I would like to add that while my childhood days were largely influenced by the great people I mentioned at the beginning of this article, now, as an adult, I feel that I am actually more influenced by our own people. Helen mom specifically makes me the person I am today.

And I would like to conclude my article by two words: “HELP PEOPLE”.

Tagué: association caritative, Disabled children, humanitaire, Kathmandu, Népal, SEA-nepal.org, Social Work, Solidarite enfance Asie