After a month of major celebrations in October with #StandUpForGirls, Rukmini Foundation anniversary, Diwali (Festival of Lights) and more, we wanted to re-connect with members of LitClub Nepal to better understand what LitClubs mean to them. The goal of this program was not only to create a better connection between LitClub mentors and members, but also to thnk about how we can keep improving for the coming new year. LitClub Coordinators across Nepal organized an interaction session where they met with LitClub members to understand what they like best about LitClubs, how it has changed their life, and what ideas they have to improve their LitClub experience.
LitClub Shikharapur Mentor and former Rukmini Scholar, Sushmita discusses with LitClub Shikharapur members about their likes and dislikes as part of a belonging session
As we expected, the members of LitClub Nepal had mostly likes and replied that they love LitClub sessions because they get a chance to play news games, learn new things through read aloud sessions, bond with their friends and mentor, and most importantly they get to be in a safe space where they can be themselves.
Outdoor LitClub session
During the interaction session, Reshma Gurung of LitClub Greenland said LitClub has boosted her confidence to make new friends and to be able to talk with new people. Prior to being a member of the club, she said she was very shy and even scared to talk with strangers. She further said that she really likes the community building activities a lot because it gives her a chance to know more about her friends and therefore she can establish a good bond with them based on understanding. LitClub Greenland Mentor, Sajina is very happy to see these positive change in her girls and says that now the LitClub session are not as quiet as before. She adds that she feels happy that my girls talk to me freely and give me suggestions about the activity they want to do during LitClub sessions. Our LitClub session is like teamwork, where we understand each other’s likes and dislikes and work accordingly.
Reshma, LitClub member of LitClub Greenland (right) bonds with her friend from LitClub Niharika
Similarly, LitClub Setidevi member, Sumina shared that through her mentor guidance she has been able to explore her skills. She has come to know that she has an interest in speaking and doing presentations and this was discovered through LitClub activities. Since then she has been able to help her teachers organize school quizzes as emcee for the program. Sumina also said that she has been able to use reading skills that she learned from the LitClub to improve her academics. Her teacher and LitClub mentor, Ms. Devaki said that her girls are doing well in their studies as well as extracurricular activities and seeing these changes in the children makes her proud.
Litclub Setidevi member, Sumina hosting a quiz program for her friends during a LitClub session
From LitClub Bhaktapur to Niharika, Sikharapur and Durgha Bhawani, we heard similar feedback about the positive impact of the LitClub sessions. Amrita, LitClub Bhaktapur mentor learned through the interaction session with her girls that the members want to do even more of the reading activities during LitClub sessions. Reading activities include reading stories about people and the world, and the girls mentioned that they want to learn more about the societies and cultures different than their own. Kavya, a LitClub member said that the club has been a platform where she has been able to shape her personality as well as improving her studies. An idea she uses during the read aloud session is that while reading books she relates them with a real life situation. She is using the same technique to better understand her school texts as well.
LitClub Durghabhawani members collecting gifts and funds to support local disabled children
Bandana, the mentor of LitClub Niharika learned during the interaction session that her girls liked the LitCamp and HerStory summits, and now she plans to use the story sharing techniques from those programs in her LitClub session as well. She thinks this will make her girls even happier. She also thinks that story sharing will make the girls become even more creative and expressive. Mentor Sushmita from LitClub Sikharapur and Supriya from LitClub Durghabhawani reflected that the girls have developed a good understanding of the 7 Strengths: kindness, confidence, courage, curiosity, friendship, hope and belonging and they want to implement their learning into some projects. Currently, LitClub Durghabhawani is making plans to raise funds to distribute gifts to disabled children during Christmas. Mentor Supriya is happy that her girls are bringing the ideas to contribute to society and she is working together with her girls to execute this idea. It is great to not only see that they are really understanding the value of the 7 strengths, but are working together to contribute to society.
LitClub Niharika Mentor, Bandana (left) working with her girls
LitClub Nepal believes that reflecting is important for us to provide an even better LitClub epxerience for so many girls. Program like this is also a great way to build and strengthen the relationship between children and their mentors. We will use the ideas that the mentors and girls came up with to keep improving and to make LitClub Nepal girls even happier.
Happy LitClubbing !!!
Prakriti
Liaision to LitWorld
- Learning Mentorship and Creating Leaders - June 28, 2018
- LitClub Nepal Celebrates Stand Up for Girls 2017 - October 28, 2017
- LitCamp 2017 An Annual Festival of Empowerment - August 3, 2017
- LitClub Mentors Always Looking to Improve - May 25, 2017
- LitClub Members Share HerStory - April 28, 2017
