4 - Ms. Mina Baral: A Lesson in Devotion

As this fourth and ultimate interview of the series is about to start, I find myself saddened by the fact that this weeklong journey is almost over. Meeting such inspiring women over the last few days has filled me with great joy. I wish it would never end. I feel like making a living out of storytelling would render my days rather fascinating. I was absolutely mesmerized by our interview with Ms. Mina Baral who is not only a pillar of her community, but a blessing for humanity.

Just like Ms. Tulasha Devkota, Ms. Mina Baral lives in a district adjoining India, but east of the country. She similarly believes that it has both advantages and disadvantages. When the border was sealed during the pandemic, the difficulty to access many goods in the Morang district brought to light the high level of dependance of Nepal on India. Our guest therefore wishes for her country to be more self-sufficient, but she also thinks that guaranteeing a certain openness would be beneficial for both nations.

Her choice to settle in this remote eastern region is not aleatory. She went where the need was as her focus is helping disadvantaged children and empowering women. Born herself in an isolated area back in 2012 BS, so 1955 of the Gregorian calendar, her childhood was too soon stolen from her. At the tender age of 10, she was taken out of school and forced into marriage. This distressing start to life led her to become the woman she is today. Although she never officially divorced, she hasn’t seen him since she turned 18, when she vowed to herself that she would never again depend on anyone.

As a strong and proud single woman, she runs the Namuna Bal Griha Children Home where she currently looks after 40 girls and 28 boys aged 18 months to 22 years old. Throughout the years, not having children of her own has allowed her to be a mother to numerous underprivileged kids who were orphaned or whose parents didn’t have the means to care for. She welcomes all children as they are, regardless of their caste, ethnicity, or religion.

When she spoke about her children, even if I couldn’t understand a single word, I could witness her limitless passion carried by her tone and gestures. She believes that all children, no matter what their upbringing is, should benefit from the same opportunities. After all, every human is blessed with qualities and talents, and it is unfair that only a selected few can access the resources to make them flourish. Therefore, reaching people in the most remote areas and supporting them can lead to a happier and more equal society.

Since the Namuna Bal Griha Children Home does not benefit from governmental funding, its operations mostly rely on local participation. The NGO supports its community, so the community gives back to the NGO. Isn’t it beautiful? The same goes for the children. Some are in school while others work in neighboring farms. Even with degrees, it is hard for several of them to find opportunities, so being involved in agriculture keeps them active and invigorates the local economy at the same time.

The genuineness of her devotion moves me. She has absolutely no interest in fame, only the children matter. As their wellbeing is strongly connected to that of their mothers, Ms. Mina Baral is also involved in women empowerment efforts. She built the Nari Srijana cooperative from the ground up, having its member base grow from 32 to 32 000 in as little as two decades. She is also a founding member of WECCSL and the current vice-president of its board.

Along with a small group of trailblazing women, she envisioned an organization that would empower women, make their voices heard and create opportunities for them. Thus, WECCSL was born. Proving that the passage of time has not eroded her commitment, she still has grand ambitions for WECCSL. She wishes that the organization could set up offices in every province so to support more women with their income generating activities and to help them access decision-making positions.

When our discussion came to an end, I felt very emotional, trying to process everything that I had just heard. Using humor to tone down my overwhelming feelings, I told her that if she ever wrote her biography, I would be the first one to read it. I am extremely grateful that I had the honor to spend a couple of hours in the presence of this monument of a woman. The world would be such a better place if there were more people like Ms. Mina Baral.

 

Image: Ms. Mina Baral / Ms. Mina Baral surrounded by the children and employees of the Namuna Bal Griha Children Home