Prema Rijal Kusari

Prema Rijal Kusari was 30 years old when she joined EPSA Nepal in August 2018. She is from Nepaljung, in the Banke district. She has five other sisters as well as four brothers. With twelve persons in total her family is very poor and barely getting by. Their farm is only providing them with food for so long. Then they sell the milk of their cows to be able to purchase the additionally needed food.

Her family history is characterized by a tragedy which left her with a disability on her leg which hinders her to properly walk. One of her brothers had been kidnapped by Maoists to be trained and to fight. Her courageous mother retrieved her son forcefully. Then, Prema was eight years old, the Maoists came for revenge and she as well as her little brother were hit in the gunfire. It took a couple of days till she could see a doctor and the bullet could be taken out.

Ever since then she has problems to walk. She could not go on to school after the incident as it was too far to walk for her. Being keen on education she had some informal private tuition and self-studied. This way she could complete the SLC. Additionally, she got some vocational training in sowing and making candles. At her village she mainly stayed at home cooking, tending to the household and herding cattle.

Prema had been told about EPSA Nepal by a friend. Four unmarried sisters still living with their parents she was very keen on joining the organization to get some training, and to no longer be dependent on her parents. She wishes to learn the handicraft skills. Eventually, she wants to start an organization in her village herself that is employing people with handicap.