Ashiya

Ashiya

Ashiya is a key member of the Danusha jewellery team. Married at 12, she has 2 sons, both of whom have leprosy. She also has a daughter.  Ashiya and her family in a small village called Aurahi.

Ashiya contracted leprosy several years ago. A local doctor prescribed a very expensive medicine which didn’t work. After several months her doctor referred her to Lalgadh Hospital where she was diagnosed with leprosy and given a course of treatment. The medicine caused bad side effects so Ashiya had to stay in hospital for a long time.

To help her get back on her feet she joined the Danusha training group in June 2008 and has been a valuable part of the project ever since.

Ashiya is a very keen and reliable person and we appreciate her sense of humour and resourcefulness. She’s taking more responsibility within the group and joins us on bead buying trips in Kathmandu. In 2011 she began giving jewellery training to a group of young girls who live nearby.

Ashiya says: “Because of the jewellery work I’m now respected in my community.”