My First Encounter with the Internet

My relationship with the communication world, particularly the Internet, is very young. My bond with the online network “officially” started from 15 August 2010 when I first came to Bangladesh for my university education. And the association with World Pulse is one of the fruits I achieved from being exposed to the Internet.
Honestly, the Internet and social networking did not exist in my life before 2010. I was an ordinary small-town girl, whose daily routine was going to school, doing domestic chores, and studying. Nonetheless, after attending my university I learned about various services of the Internet. Even, I made my own Face book account!
The connection between me and Pulse Wire community was possible because of my involvement as an Editor in the Magazine Club at the university. The advisor of the Club helped me learn about the opportunity of Voices of Our Future for rising journalists and social change makers. With an intensive workshop, I learned about World Pulse and its contributions to women’s empowerment and development. Likewise, Voices of Our Future, a promising opportunity for enthusiastic writers intrigued me. This program not only gives a platform for citizen journalists, but also empowers them to be voices for others. Moreover, it provides an international connection with the people around the globe, from whom they can learn and foster their knowledge.
Words are powerful tools to bring a change – the things you cannot achieve through speaking can be easily obtained through writing. I am not only a writer, but also a social worker: this opportunity will help me incorporate both of my passions to initiate a social change in my community.
As a writer, I want to write against injustice and social stigmas that chains people, especially women in rural Nepal. In the rural areas, there are still prejudices regarding gender, in which girls are deprived of quality education, women are bound into socially constructed orthodox called Chaupadi (a tradition in rural Nepal, where menstruating women are excluded from every social activities both socially and physically). Worse, young girls are either victims of early marriage or trafficking. Therefore, through this program, I would like to write about these problems, and be a voice for these women.
More importantly, I believe when mothers are educated, whole family is educated, so I would like to focus on girls’ education and communicate with international and national public to promote gender equality in education. As a tangible proof, my writings will help people to know about the condition of female education in Nepal. Moreover, through an appeal for funds, I hope to introduce advanced education with computer knowledge and technology so that both girls and boys will be benefitted with the skills of technology, exploiting the opportunity to learn, and contribute for the development of their own community.
Hence, through Voices of Future I will actualize my dream: changing people’s perceptions about gender and becoming a voice for the silenced.