Menuka
Nepal
"I was born and raised in Kathmandu. My parents moved to the capital from a village after they got married. Although they didn't get a chance to study, they made sure that my sister and I got the opportunity.
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My grandmother wanted a grandson from my father. She was disappointed when I was born because I was the second child and they expected a son. Though my father was her eldest son, she never showed love towards us because she expected a grandson. I felt sad about this. However later I realised that this is not just my story; there are a lot of people who have faced gender inequality."
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The first challenge a girl faces is her own family. Nowadays, more people support girls' education in Nepal. However, there are still a lot of uneducated families who have no idea about education and women's rights.
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If we want equality then we need to involve boys as well as girls in advocacy. The boys should know how girls feel when they are teased, or when the boys are allowed to go out but girls have to stay at home after 7pm.
Biggest challenge: Balancing my studies with extra-curricular activities is one of my biggest challenges. My parents were happy to see how concerned I was about women's rights and my activities in community, but they always had a fear that it might affect my studies.
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Proudest moment: Organizing a flashmob with Hollaback, which campaigns to end street harassment, was one of my proudest moments. More than anything, for me being a part of Women Lead, the first and only leadership organization for young women in Nepal, makes me proud. As a trainee and as an intern, I was able to interact with people from different backgrounds and spread the word about women's empowerment and at the same time learn from their experiences.
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"Currently, I am an undergraduate in Webster university in Thailand, majoring in management and international business. I want to pursue a career in social entrepreneurship. My dream is to transform Nepalese society through responsible solution-oriented business.
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When we talk about women in business it is about more than sewing, knitting and household work. Some people in Nepal feel that women can't go beyond that. I want to change their misconception about women in business and as a whole."
Story and content courtesy of the Guardian News & Media Ltd written by Anna Leach, photography by Ewen Bell.