Bini Dahal

Like every year, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has published a list of 100 inspiring and influential women from around the globe. The BBC has stated that the year 2020’s 100 Women is featuring those girls and women who have been courageous enough to lead change and make a difference in this time of turbulence.
Sapana Roka Magar from Nepal is among those inspiring personalities to have been nominated for this prestigious title. Sapana, 18, who is originally from Myagdi district, was homeless for three months. After she came to Kathmandu, she joined an organisation that cremates unclaimed bodies as per the Hindu tradition.
The organisation retrieves abandoned bodies from the streets and mortuaries and takes them to the hospital for post-mortem examinations. And if no one claims such bodies within 35 days, it takes them to the crematorium and performs their last rites. Working with this organisation, Sapana has so far cremated more than 35 bodies at the Pashupati Aryaghat.
Only a few people voluntarily get involved in such activities and looking at the teenager’s dedication to such great social services, everyone is amazed. The inspiring girl was quoted by BBC as saying, “There are homeless, abandoned people across the world. People who die on the streets deserve proper last rites. I do this job not as a social service but for my own peace of mind”.
Her immense sense of social service and ability to change a bad situation into a good one is highly appreciable. Especially, in this pandemic situation, most people fear for their lives. They are not ready to perform such rituals or participate in one even if a close relative dies because they fear of contracting the deadly virus disease. She has tried finding opportunities for herself even when she was homeless and was unsure of her future.
Our society has a stereotypical belief that the line of works like that of Sapana’s is hard to perform and that only men can do. But she has been able to break such taboo, with guts and desire to serve the society in a unique way which many think odd and baulk at undertaking it.
She is a role model for every girl and woman from around the world, especially in our country showing the way for young girls and women to do something challenging for their society. She is a real change-maker who has the capability to motivate young girls and women to bring about changes in the society.
As young teenage girls like Sapana come to limelight for their great work, the hope and expectation for more girls and women unsurprisingly increase. The government and other concerned authorities in Nepal too should work on motivating more young girls and women towards getting involved in such activities.
If they cannot find the platform for themselves, it is us who need to work on creating a platform for them to shine bright. Girls and women should not be demotivated by boundaries and hurdles. Instead, they should be prepared to fight against the various challenges headstrong. Only then can more and more Sapanas emerge in our society.