Ujyalo Bato: Becoming Me

Ujjyalo Bato Project Report
Coordinated under the Naya Paila Initiative by Pyari Education
Implemented by: Rotary Club of Baneshwor
Partner: Pyari Education Pvt. Ltd.
Location: Mulpani
Partner School: Shree Ananda Bhairav Secondary School
Project Duration: 9 November – 15 March
Students Reached: 304 (Grades 7–9)
________________________________________
The Award Note
Rotary Club of Baneshwor’s Ujjyalo Bato initiative reflects a deep and sustained commitment to advancing adolescent health, education, and wellbeing in underserved school communities. Under the leadership of Rtn. Rupali Sarawgi, the project has actively engaged young minds in critical conversations around sexual and reproductive health, emotional awareness, and personal safety—areas often overlooked within the formal education system. Her dedication extends beyond Rotary, as she also personally sponsors the education of two children, demonstrating a strong individual commitment to nurturing future generations.
The initiative is implemented in collaboration with Pyari Education, founded by Ms. Nikita Paudel and Mr. Priyanshu Pokhrel, and led by a team of passionate young professionals, including young female leaders who are driving meaningful change in child and adolescent mental health and health literacy across Nepal. This partnership brings innovation, empathy, and evidence-based approaches into classrooms, making learning both accessible and impactful.
Ujjyalo Bato is a holistic and evolving project, going beyond awareness to create real support systems for students. Building on the needs identified during implementation, the next phase will include gynecological health camps and psychologist-led support sessions, ensuring that children receive comprehensive care—physical, emotional, and psychological.
By focusing on one of the most critical yet neglected stages of human development, this initiative is not only transforming students but also influencing teachers, families, and communities. The support from this award will enable the Rotary Club of Baneshwor to replicate and expand this model to another school, amplifying its impact and continuing the mission of empowering young individuals with knowledge, confidence, and dignity.
________________________________________
Background
Rotary Club of Baneshwor
The Rotary Club of Baneshwor, based in Kathmandu and part of Rotary International, is committed to advancing education, health, and community development across Nepal. Guided by the motto “Service Above Self,” the club brings together leaders and volunteers to create meaningful and sustainable impact.
Under the leadership of President Rtn. Rupali Sarawgi (2025–2026), the club has aligned its initiatives with Rotary International’s theme “Unite for Good,” emphasizing collaboration and community-driven solutions. The Ujjyalo Bato Project reflects this vision by addressing critical gaps in adolescent health education which greatly impacts the mental and physical well-being of these young children.
Partner – Pyari Education
Pyari Education Pvt. Ltd. is a creative education company supported by Yale University and Wesleyan University working to improve and reshape sexual and reproductive health (SRH) education across Nepal. Since 2024, Pyari has already reached over 2,200+ students through classroom programs, conducted more than 25 school and community-based sessions, and partnered with over 40 national and international organizations in the field of education and health.
Pyari Education was born out of a Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) course at Yale University. In 2023, founders Nikita Paudel and Priyanshu Pokhrel (Wesleyan University) began researching menstrual health inequities in Nepal. What started as a classroom project quickly evolved into a movement aimed at addressing systemic gaps in adolescent health education.
Through its flagship Naya Paila (“A New Step”) Initiative, Pyari aims to achieve much more in the field of adolescence and mental health of the children.
________________________________________
The Need
In many Nepali schools, adolescent health education remains limited, inconsistent, or entirely absent due to curriculum gaps, lack of trained educators, and persistent cultural stigma. The recent removal of Health and Physical Education (HPE) from the national curriculum has further widened this gap, leaving young people without structured guidance during one of the most critical stages of their development.
As a result, sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and mental health—both essential components of overall wellbeing—are often neglected. These topics are either superficially addressed or avoided altogether, not only within classrooms but also in homes and communities. Students grow up with limited access to accurate, age-appropriate information and without safe spaces to ask questions or express concerns.
This lack of education has far-reaching consequences. Adolescents frequently internalize shame, fear, and misinformation related to their bodies and natural developmental processes. Without proper guidance, they may rely on unreliable sources such as peers or unfiltered digital content, leading to confusion, risky behaviors, and distorted perceptions of relationships and consent.
Equally concerning is the impact on mental health. When young people are unable to understand or talk about the physical and emotional changes they are experiencing, it can lead to anxiety, low self-esteem, social withdrawal, and behavioral challenges. Emotional distress often remains unrecognized and unaddressed, especially in school environments that lack structured support systems.
Over time, the absence of both mental and sexual health education begins to affect physical health outcomes as well. Poor menstrual hygiene management, untreated reproductive health issues, lack of awareness about consent and personal safety, and delayed help-seeking behaviors can all contribute to long-term health risks. Furthermore, emotional stress and unresolved trauma can manifest physically, impacting concentration, academic performance, and overall wellbeing.
At Shree Ananda Bhairav Secondary School, these gaps were clearly visible. Teachers reported limited capacity to teach sensitive topics, while students showed hesitation in asking questions. Gender segregation in classrooms further reinforced discomfort, preventing open dialogue and mutual understanding.
These interconnected challenges highlight the urgent need for a holistic, school-based intervention that integrates physical, emotional, and social health education. Addressing adolescent health cannot be limited to biological explanations alone—it requires creating environments where students feel informed, supported, and empowered to make healthy decisions.
The Ujjyalo Bato Project, coordinated under the Naya Paila Initiative, was developed in direct response to this need—bridging critical gaps in knowledge while fostering confidence, awareness, and long-term wellbeing among students.
________________________________________
The Naya Paila Approach
Naya Paila is designed to be comprehensive, interactive, and student-centered. The program combines activity-based learning, discussions, and visual tools to engage students actively in each session. It is flexible and adaptable, allowing sessions to be delivered according to school schedules and class sizes. Each topic is presented in an age-appropriate and culturally sensitive manner, ensuring that students can relate the content to their everyday experiences. The program also includes reflection exercises and interactive worksheets, giving students opportunities to process information and express their thoughts in a safe environment. Each session was followed by two creative worksheets designed to help students reflect, express their opinions, and process their emotions. These worksheets played a key role in deepening understanding and provided an alternative outlet for students who were initially hesitant to speak openly.
To address these gaps, Pyari Education designed Naya Paila, a participatory adolescent health education program that emphasizes safe dialogue, inclusive learning, and age-appropriate information.
The program is guided by three core principles:
1. Safe Spaces for Conversation: Students are encouraged to discuss topics that are often considered taboo, helping normalize conversations around health and wellbeing.
2. Interactive Learning: Sessions include activities, discussions, and visual learning tools rather than lecture-based teaching.
3. Gender-Inclusive Engagement: A criss-cross seating arrangement was introduced, where boys and girls sat together in small groups. This encouraged collaboration and helped reduce the discomfort students initially felt discussing sensitive topics with peers of different genders.
________________________________________
Program Implementation
The Naya Paila program was conducted through weekly sessions with students from Grades 7–9.
Key Implementation Details
● Total students reached: 304
● Total sessions conducted: 11 per grade
● Session duration: 45 minutes each session
● Facilitators: Pyari Education team with support from a medical professional during selected sessions
● Classroom format: interactive workshops

Although the original program design included 12 sessions, the schedule was adjusted due to school events such as sports day, winter holidays, examinations, and elections. Despite these interruptions, the program maintained consistent engagement with students and successfully completed its core learning objectives. The program was facilitated by a team of young educators, creating a relatable and approachable environment where students felt comfortable engaging in sensitive discussions particularly important in topics often shaped by silence and stigma.
Teachers and the school health staff were also encouraged to observe sessions to better understand the program’s approach and support students during discussions.
The Curriculum included:
• Introduction
• Puberty
• Body image
• Brain development
• Nutrition
• Menstruation
• Hygiene
• Consent and boundaries
• Gender and sexual identity
• Media literacy
• Bystander intervention
• Reflection
________________________________________
Impact and Outcomes
The most significant impact of the program was the transformation in students’ confidence and willingness to discuss health topics.
❖ Increased Student Participation: At the beginning of the program, many students were hesitant to engage in conversations about reproductive health. Over time, participation increased significantly, with students actively answering questions, sharing opinions, and engaging in discussions.
❖ Greater Confidence in Discussing Sensitive Topics: By the final sessions, students were openly discussing topics such as:
➢ menstruation and irregular cycles
➢ wet dreams and ejaculation
➢ pregnancy and reproduction
➢ consent and personal boundaries
These conversations demonstrated a clear shift in students’ comfort level and understanding.
❖ Improved Understanding of Health Concepts: Students showed stronger comprehension of puberty, reproductive health, and respectful relationships. Teachers reported that students expressed feeling more comfortable discussing these topics and appreciated the opportunity to learn in an open environment.
❖ Empowerment and Safety Awareness: Students learned to identify unsafe situations, assert personal boundaries, and seek help from trusted adults. Through guided discussions and role-play, they also explored bystander intervention learning how to safely support peers in situations involving harassment or discomfort.
❖ Emotional Awareness: Sessions helped students better understand and articulate their emotions, manage anger, and communicate their needs, skills essential for both personal wellbeing and healthy relationships.
________________________________________
Stories of Impact
● A particularly memorable moment, as shared by the education specialist, was when Grade 8 students voluntarily attended Grade 7 sessions during their free period, despite being scheduled to receive the same content later. This reflected a strong sense of curiosity, trust, and engagement with the program.
● Another particularly meaningful moment occurred during a session on menstrual health when a student shared that she had just experienced her first menstrual cycle during the time the program was being taught. The session helped her understand what was happening to her body and reassured her that her experience was normal.
● In another session discussing intersex bodies, a student asked thoughtful questions about pregnancy in intersex people. Such questions demonstrated that students were engaging deeply with the material and challenging previously held misconceptions.
● Student testimonials also highlighted the program’s impact. Several students mentioned that learning about menstruation, reproductive health, and sexual wellbeing were among their favorite topics, as they had previously only associated sex with reproduction and had never discussed these topics openly.
● One student even suggested that the program should be expanded across Nepal so that students in other schools could benefit from the same learning opportunities.

________________________________________
Challenges and Lessons Learned
While the program achieved strong outcomes, several challenges were encountered during implementation.
● Scheduling Constraints
School activities such as examinations, sports events, and holidays required the program timeline to be extended.
● Initial Discomfort with Mixed Seating
Encouraging boys and girls to sit together was initially difficult, as students were not accustomed to mixed seating arrangements. However, this approach gradually helped normalize communication across genders.
● Student Fatigue
Some sessions occurred during the final period of the school day, when students were more tired, which occasionally affected concentration levels.
These challenges provided valuable lessons for improving scheduling and program delivery in future implementations.
________________________________________
Cost and Impact Analysis
The Ujjyalo Bato Project represents a highly efficient and impactful investment in adolescent health education. The Rotary Club of Baneshwor invested approximately NPR 1,50,000 to implement the program for 304 students, making it a cost-effective intervention with significant and far-reaching outcomes. In addition, Pyari Education contributed supplementary resources, including extra stationery, worksheets, and learning materials, further enhancing the quality and depth of the sessions.
While the direct beneficiaries of the program were the 304 students, the impact extended far beyond the classroom. The knowledge, awareness, and behavioral shifts observed among students have begun to influence their families, peers, and the wider community. Students are now better equipped to communicate, question, and challenge harmful taboos related to adolescence, sexual health, and emotional wellbeing.
Importantly, the program also contributed to a shift in perspective among teachers and school staff, who gained a deeper understanding of the importance of structured, open, and age-appropriate discussions around adolescent health. This has laid the foundation for a more supportive and informed school environment.
Unlike one-time awareness campaigns, the Ujjyalo Bato Project has created sustained impact by addressing not just knowledge gaps, but also attitudes, confidence, and communication. By influencing students, educators, and the broader community simultaneously, the program delivers high social return on investment, making it a scalable and replicable model for future interventions.
________________________________________
Project Significance
This project demonstrates the importance of comprehensive adolescent health education in schools where such topics are often neglected or insufficiently addressed.
By introducing structured sessions, trained facilitators, and open dialogue, the program has begun to:
● break long-standing taboos around reproductive health
● equip students with accurate knowledge about their bodies
● create safe spaces for questions and discussion
● identify deeper health and emotional needs among students
The initiative has also highlighted the importance of integrating medical and psychological support systems within school health programs.
________________________________________
Future Plans and Sustainability
Based on observations, student interactions, and feedback gathered throughout the program, it became evident that the need extends beyond classroom-based education. While students showed increased awareness and confidence, several deeper concerns also emerged.
A number of students—particularly girls—expressed confusion, anxiety, and unanswered questions related to menstrual health, including irregular cycles and physical discomfort, highlighting the lack of access to reliable medical guidance.
At the same time, some students displayed signs of emotional distress and behavioral challenges, including instances of aggression, withdrawal, and difficulty in communication. Through discussions and classroom engagement, it became apparent that a few of these behaviors may be linked to underlying trauma, exposure to violence, or experiences of abuse, emphasizing the urgent need for professional psychological support within the school environment.
Recognizing these critical gaps, the project team is planning the following follow-up interventions to ensure long-term and holistic impact:
1. Gynecological Health Camp
A female gynecologist will be invited to the school to conduct health consultations for students. This initiative aims to provide:
● Guidance on menstrual health
● Screening and awareness regarding conditions such as PCOS and PCOD
● Reassurance for students experiencing delayed or irregular menstruation
● A safe and confidential space for girls to ask medical questions
2. Psychological Support and Awareness Sessions
Recognizing the importance of mental health, the project team is also planning to collaborate with professional psychologists.
These sessions will focus on:
● Emotional regulation
● Understanding trauma
● Addressing harassment and abuse
● Coping with family stress
● Building healthy communication and trust
The goal is to equip students with tools to manage emotional challenges while fostering a safe, supportive, and responsive school environment where both physical and mental wellbeing are prioritized.