Born and brought up in Rukum, Khalanga, one of the most rural Nepal, Anjana Sharma had to struggle a lot for a job. Having a troubled marriage earlier in her life, Anjana wanted to build a career for herself. But, she was determined to find a job that would help her be self-reliant, more specifically, to take care of her son who was just eleven years old.
Today, Anjana Sharma, 29, is the only woman instructor at heavy equipment operator training center in Nepalgunj. Thanks to MAW Foundation and MAW Skills Academy who offered her scholarship for the operator’s training.
But, her pathway to today’s position was not that easy. She gender disparity in each step while hunting for a job after completion of training session. People questioned her ability to operate and drive the machine. But, she didn’t stop and went on for searching a job to service providers. Her sheer determination, hard work, and dedication convinced the management of operator’s training centre that she can be the first and only female instructor there. Today, she trains young people and motivates them daily to lead a life with an example.
Anjana is very committed to her work and mentions that she will contribute her life to learning and teaching of heavy equipment.
‘The more I practice in the field, the more I remember the theory that I learned in class room,’ she says, ‘This made me even more confident to share the knowledge I gained.’ She wishes to train as many young girls as she can and make them capable to break the stereotype that she faced.
Anjana remembers her days of struggle when she had no money to fulfil the need of her son and her home. Though her earning is not so much to fulfil all her desires, but she believes some day, that day will come which she had always dreamed of.
‘There is always room for improvement and I am always hungry for the knowledge. I will make myself such an expert that people will start offering me the better job,’ she adds.
She opines that women need a lot of encouragement and words of motivation to come out of their comfort zone so that they can do bigger and better things on their own. Anjana mentions that being an instructor has helped her regain her confidence and made her more independent and self-dependent.
In the future, Anjana wants to operate heavy equipment in the hilly areas of Nepal. She wants to be able to operate the machine as much as her male companions can, and even beyond because she believes that skills lies in her hands and head, and not in her gender. She ponders if she can motivate many women like her who lived in scarcity of resources, will then be able to live a life of satisfaction with training like these which will help create a self-sustainable environment.
Anjana wants to bring her son to live with her in the city who is now living with his grandmother. She wants to give him a good life by the fortune of all the hard work she has done.
Anjana is a representation of many young women living in the corners of Nepal. With the available resources and access, MAW Skill Acadamy aims to reach out to many Anjanas who are in dire need of skill that will help them enhance their lifestyle and improve their quality of life.
We wish Ms. Anjana all the very best in her future endeavours!