Ganga's Story

"My parents had to flee to Nepal when it became clear that life in Bhutan would be intolerable. My parents left the country with nothing but the jewelry around my mother's neck. I was 13 years old when I left home. I am one of nearly 105,000 Bhutanese refugees currently living in seven camps in eastern Nepal." In 2004, Ganga and Pingala founded Voice for Change, a Global Fund grantee that builds leadership among Bhutanese refugee women and advocates for policy solutions to the plight of refugees living in Nepal.

My sisters were left in Bhutan; they are married now and living with their children—whom I hardly know. I was 13 years old when I left home; I am now a responsible mother.

As a Refugee in Exile

I am one of nearly 105,000 Bhutanese refugees currently living in seven camps in eastern Nepal. After leaving Bhutan, I never thought I would get a chance to study again. Luckily, when I arrived in the refugee camp, I was able to join school and became a student again. With great difficulty my mother managed to send me to higher studies (by selling her jewelry). After my graduation, I become an assistant teacher in Beldangi II Camp School for three years. But in return I have not been able to do anything for my mother in her old age. When I was a student, I had high hopes to become a great person. The aims of my life have been scattered. As a refugee, opportunity never knocks at our door. When we go looking for opportunity, many doors remain closed.

Life in the camp is very difficult, particularly for women. Life is so uncertain that we have to live each day as it comes. Day by day, the problem is getting more complex. Fifteen years have passed now since the problem began. The governments of Bhutan and Nepal could not find a solution through bilateral talks. The Bhutanese government even claims that some of the refugees never lived in Bhutan and are just in the camps to get free rations from UNHCR-The UN Refugee Agency.

What I Feel as a Refugee Woman

I feel that if the Bhutanese people had been more politically aware, as we are little bit now, the refugee problem would never have occurred. We would have never left Bhutan and the problem would have been solved within Bhutan itself.

Living as a refugee for too long is very miserable. It is very difficult to return to normal state of mind once destroyed. We can see no way out.

I have asked myself several questions: Where can I go? How can I live a dignified life? Where is my future? What are you going to do in the future? How? They all remain unanswered. In school, I used to tell my teachers that I would become a lawyer in the future. While I was teaching in the camp school, one of the children got up and asked me what was my ambition, I had no answer for him.

When I see people of my age making a significant contribution to the community, I get inspired and try to make up my mind to do the same. But as a refugee, I have come across so many limitations and restrictions to implement ideas into reality. Slowly the spirit vanishes and I lose hope and give up.

Solution

However, we have chosen to come forward for a change in our lives. We want to make a difference in the lives of refugees everywhere by highlighting the sufferings to everyone who will to listen to us. WE HAVE SUFFERED MUCH IN SILENCE. Particularly the mothers feel that it is their moral obligation to work for their children. I, along with my friends, am striving to look for a practical solution for all of us. We also want to live and progress in life. We are making an effort to raise our voice for a change in our lives. We intend to work together to find a practical solution now and we want to contribute something to our society as a whole. We do not want to be burden to other people. We have formed a small working team named as "Voice for change".

Message to All the Human Rights Activists Around the World

I strongly feel that the refugee camp is not a place to live all our lives. Human Rights should be made accessible to all.

Appeal to All

Help us find a practical solution and live a dignified human life.
Help us to help others

Source of Inspiration

Despite the bitter reality of my life, I am inspired by many people. They are such amazing people that I feel very empowered and inspired just thinking of them. They are none other than my beloved Mother, Dr. Rachel Hinton, Mrs. Rita Thapa* and Ruth Marsden. They are the foundation of good. They have taught us to live life and work hard to strive for our goals.

Thank you very much,
Ganga

Ganga Neupane is the co-founder of Voice for Change, a Global Fund grantee that builds leadership among Bhutanese refugee women and advocates for policy solutions to the plight of refugees living in Nepal. She and Pingala Chhetri formed Voice for Change "to lend strength to the search for a solution to our problem." The Global Fund is supporting the efforts of Voice for Change with a $3,000 grant.