Prayatna Nepal is a self-help organization dedicated to empowering women and girls with visual impairments. The organization is founded on the principle of inclusivity, with both visually impaired and sighted women serving on its board. Notably, the majority of board members have visual impairments, and the organization is led by a blind woman as its President. This inclusive structure aims to ensure equal participation and understanding in addressing the social, cultural, economic, and political challenges faced by women with disabilities.
The organization recently conducted a four-day refresher training program in collaboration with the training institute "Fight Back." The training was inaugurated by Ms. Sarita Lamichhane, Chairperson of Prayatna Nepal, who introduced the organization and outlined the objectives of the training. The sessions included theoretical and practical components, with Ms. Pooja Gurung leading theory classes on topics such as revisiting the story of Ramayan and its relevance to real-life situations, understanding violence and harassment (including sexual violence), and discussing the concept of consent in detail.
Following this, Ms. Rabina Lama, a physical trainer from the training institute, conducted physical skill sessions that involved warm-up exercises, cardio, vocal techniques as a form of defense, and various self-defense maneuvers such as strikes, palm strikes, and knee strikes. Participants were encouraged to use their voices as a form of self-protection and were taught to employ physical techniques to defend themselves against violence. On the second day, Ms. Pooja Gurung continued with theoretical sessions focusing on fear management and dealing with public vehicle sexual harassment, while Ms. Rabina Lama led practical sessions on physical exercises and self-defense techniques, including practicing strikes and defensive maneuvers. The third day involved theoretical discussions led by Ms. Pooja Gurung on situational awareness and online security, followed by group work to analyze scenarios related to violence and harassment. This was complemented by physical exercises and self-defense techniques conducted by Ms. Rabina Lama, including the use of improvised weapons and the practice of self-defense techniques using a white cane.
The final day of the training program included a workshop where participants discussed and created stories related to violence and harassment. Ms. Sarita Lamichhane concluded the event by expressing gratitude to all those involved in the training program.This comprehensive and inclusive training program aimed to equip women and girls with visual impairments with the necessary skills and knowledge to protect themselves and address the challenges they may encounter in various aspects of their lives.
