Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, July 2:

A number of hostels in the capital have been providing women and girls with a secure home away from home, enabling them to lead their lives in a secure environment and pursue their studies. Puja Ale, a student of the Nepal Commerce Campus, who used to share a flat with friends, has been staying in the Kathmandu Girls’ Hostel in Kamalpokhari. Ale feels the hostel is the safest place. “We can devote our time to studies since we do not have to take care of the flat and other things.” Sushma Sharma, who has been running the Holy Home Girls Hostel (HHGH) for two years, says, “A hostel is a home away from home for women and girls.”

“Women and girls can stay in my hostel even for a few days,” she says, adding: “Since our priority is to serve the needy, we do not go after their backgrounds and status.” While these hostels cost, a shelter run by women working in non-governmental organisations has been taking care of destitute women for free. The NGOs also offers counselling services to the victims and their families. According to Pramila Shah of Saathi, an NGO working for women, women and their families are provided legal help to address their problems.