Older Women Who Weren’t Sent to School Get a New Chance to Learn

Older women in Nepal are finally getting the chance to learn how to read and write.

“At home, I get bored when my son and daughter-in-law go to work and grandchildren are at school. I want something to do. Now, I finally have the chance,” says 77-year-old Sushila Gautam.

Gautam’s generation of women often weren’t sent to school; instead, they helped around their villages, never learning how to read a book or a watch or sign their name. Three years ago, a community learning center was created in Kathmandu, Nepal, to educate older women who missed out on the possibility when they were young. Today, over 200 women have become literate thanks to the center. From learning English to writing in Nepali to being more physically active and making friends, the center has become a supportive environment for these women’s personal and collective growth. Though many were initially reluctant to join, these women are now proud that they are learning.