From August 2 to 4, 2025, our partner Chhori organized a training course for 25 Chepang girls aged 12 to 18 in Dhading. For three days, they discovered new ways of expressing themselves, managing their emotions and believing in their abilities.
In a friendly setting, they were able to tell their stories, draw their "river of life", share their difficulties and, above all, look to the future with confidence.
The "River of Life" workshop is a creative and introspective activity. Each participant receives a large sheet of paper and colors to represent her life's journey in the form of a drawing.
The river symbolizes their personal path: stones for obstacles or difficult moments, sand for trials that fade with time, water for emotions and changes, flowers for happy or meaningful memories. After drawing, the girls present their river and explain what it means to them. This allows them to put words and images to their emotions, to share their joys and wounds, and to be listened to in a reassuring setting.
" Before, I thought my problems were impossible to solve, but now I know I can overcome them," confides one. Another added: "This training has taught me to forgive and to be happier. "
The program includes meditation, dance, role-playing, discussions on relationships and self-confidence, as well as practical workshops on dealing with criticism, gratitude and forgiveness.
The boarding school team and their school principal were on hand to close the course. All praised the courage of the participants.
These gestures, combined with the promise of material support (such as the installation of a sound system so that the girls can practice speaking), show the importance of this training beyond the three days: it opens up a lasting path to autonomy.
The teenagers left with concrete goals: to pass their exams, to speak in public every week, to practice meditation, but also to allow themselves to dream bigger, like becoming a teacher or a nurse.
" I now know that my value does not depend on what others think of me. "one participant sums up.
