By Tenzin Choephel
Phayul Correspondent
Kathmandu: May 15: A week-long training on Home Science to about 40 young Tibetan women, mostly unemployed, from Swoyambu areas and main Kathmandu city areas was started on Monday at Lazimpat by the City and Swoyambu Area Office Lazimpat.
The training aims to empower young unemployed Tibetan women (some even college graduates) by imparting them with a standard knowledge on quality life, house keeping, family health, importance of motherhood, child care and growth, common female diseases and contraception, first aid, cooking and displacement patterns etc.
Mr. Norbu, the Settlement Officer of City and Swoyambu Area Office and the person organising this training workshop said, “This training is mainly to educate young Tibetan women about importance of being women and their role at home and in the society. It will definitely help these young women to become more skilled as they will eventually become mother in future”.
“Mother and child health care and development are also recognised by Tibetan Government-in-Exile (TGIE) as one of the most important health policies” Mr Norbu told Phayul.com.
At the end of the training, the participants will be given certificates. Similar training was also given to about 120 young Tibetan women in Pokhara in the past. According to Mr Norbu, the participants found it very beneficial in their day to day living.
Presently, growing unemployment is a serious concern among Tibetans in Nepal. The problem has been particularly quite serious in recent years. Employment in Nepal mostly requires Nepali citizenship and Tibetans find it hard to get jobs because of their undefined refugee status. Besides, the temporary and contractual jobs offered by Tibetan Government-in-Exile (TGIE) in Nepal are very limited. Little of the business undertakings by Tibetan Government in Nepal too have to be shut down in recent years due to change in its policies. The TGIE’s petty loan scheme to unemployed Tibetans could not be implemented so far in Nepal due to technical difficulties.
“We have recently made requests to some foreign embassies about this growing problem for Tibetans in Nepal and we will very soon request the Government of Nepal also to issue legal document or provide some alternatives to these young Tibetans to get job” says Mr Norbu.
Like many Tibetans here, Mr Norbu also feels that one of the key solutions to unemployment problem of young Tibetans is possible resettlement to western countries like the impending American resettlement programme. “Otherwise, our unemployment problem here without any other viable solutions will continue to increase” he adds.
The ongoing training has eminent professional resource persons, including Mr. Dorji Wangyal, director of the Vocational Training Center, Pokhara; Dr. Kundu Yangzom, a Tibetan Gynaecologist; Dr. Tsering, a Tibetan TB specialist; Dr. Jyoti Dhakhawa and Chef Babu Kaji.
The training is funded by Nepal Initiative, Sochongan, Germany.
