An Hour’s Walk to Hope: This Is Candrakal’s Story
In the remote hills of Nepal, a resilient 14-year-old girl dreams of a brighter future. As one of eight siblings, Candrakal is determined to take her newfound opportunities and transform her life.
Candrakal walks an hour to and from school to attend the eighth grade. Her favorite subject is English, and she loves playing with her friends over breaks during the day. She thinks Nepali food is the best food in the world. Her smile is bright and genuine, but life has not been easy for her.
Financial struggles have deeply affected her family. Her parents often quarrel from the stress, which is compounded by alcohol consumption and leaves Candrakal weighed down with emotional burden.
Despite the hardships, Candrakal remains focused on school, believing her continued education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty in her family and community.
Through Convoy of Hope’s programming in Nepal, Candrakal receives school supplies, nutritious meals, and training in life skills. The hot lunches at school ensure she has energy to study and play and continue making her long walk to school. Convoy’s Girls’ Empowerment program equips her with essential knowledge about menstrual health, her rights as a young woman, and her inherent worth.
“Before Convoy, I couldn’t focus on studies because of hunger, and attending school during my period was difficult since my parents couldn’t afford sanitary pads,” Candrakal said. Now, Candrakal has access to menstrual health products and resources and confidently mentors other girls in the program.
Candrakal’s hard work has paid off. Recently, she achieved first place in her school exams — a moment of immense pride for her and her family.
“Eating hot meals every day at school is a blessing to me and my friends. My parents are happy, and I can focus on my dreams,” Candrakal said. “Thank you for giving us the hope to dream big.”
