Our previous stories in our Captivating Village Development Program (CVP) about girls dropping out of school were mainly because of poverty and gender discrimination. Manisha Karki* (15) is on the brink of suffering what many girls her age have suffered from before: child marriage. Before this ordeal, she was happily attending school and possessed a genuine desire to learn. But earlier this year, her father started making arrangements for her marriage.
Her father had concluded that his daughter’s future lay in marriage rather than schooling. His reasons were not unusual in communities where early marriage of daughters is normalised by tradition, economic pressure, and a persistent undervaluation of girls’ education. He did not consider himself to be harming his daughter. He genuinely believed he was securing a better future for her.
The thing is, this is not new to the Karki family. Manisha knew it was coming because it happened to her sister, whom her father had tried to marry off before. Manisha wanted to study. But at fifteen, in a household where the father’s decision carried the full weight of authority, she felt like she had no choice.
Her older sister knew how it felt to be forced into a union that a girl did not want to be in, so she came to our staff in tears, telling us about their home situation. Because of her concern, we were able to intervene in this situation respectfully.
We scheduled a meeting with their father, and it was a candid one. The purpose of the visit was not to confront or accuse, but to open a conversation with the family and understand the full circumstances before any decisions became irreversible. We can tell that the father’s care for Manisha was real, and his decisions of what he thinks is “good” are shaped by cultural norms. When we explained to him how marrying his daughter off would likely do more harm than good, he listened intently, but still initially stood his ground.
As he stood his ground, we laid out facts. First, we told him that child marriages are illegal in Nepal, and that he could be suffering from legal consequences. Second, we discussed the long-term health consequences for his daughter. And third, the real-world value of Manisha’s continued education: what it would make possible for her as she grew older, and what it would cost her if it ended now.
The father gave it a thought, and he eventually realized that his daughter’s precious life must not be easily subjected to marriage. especially when she is a girl who values her own education. This intervention made us realize how important open communication and thoughtfulness are to completely change a person’s life. Right now, Manisha is happily attending school and not fearing for a marriage that she does not want.
*Name is changed for privacy.
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