Strength TogetHER 16 - Session 7


January 22, 2022

"You have been criticizing yourself for years, and it hasn't worked. Try approving yourself and see what happens." -- Louise L. Hay


For the last few weeks, we(Team Lokopakar) have been learning and growing togetHER with the students of Mahendra Bhawan School through our program Strength TogetHER. 


Lokopakar is an youth-led and youth-based organization which has been running numerous projects all over Nepal. One of our programs, Strength TogetHER was specifically initiated to bring forward girls and young women of various mindsets and backgrounds to come togetHER and share their personal stories, views, insights and experience. This platform allows them to develop as individuals by providing a safe platform where they can just express themselves without the fear of judgment.


On January 22, 2022 we conducted our 7th session with all the enthusiasm and excitement on the topic “Love Your Body” via Zoom with the sole purpose of making the participants explore their physical insecurities and start this journey of Body Positivity. 


The session was moderated by Ms. Kavya Biswokarma who has been working as a Jr. Communication and Portfolio Officer at Swisscontact. She has also gained experience by working as a scriptwriter at RBK Production. Previously associated with Maiti Nepal, she has also worked as a junior journalist at The Republica. 


We started the session at 4PM by welcoming our participants. Following the casual conversation, our speakers started to share their stories.


  • Our first speaker shared how she wished she was on the lighter side than how she is right now. She would feel more beautiful if she was a bit thin.

  • Our second speaker shared that she has been constantly taunted about her weight by people around her. But she doesn’t care about it anymore and loves her body the way it is. She ignores all the negativity and likes her body the way it is. This was a huge inspiration for all of us.

  • Our third speaker came forward and told us that she is taller than the boys in her class. Hence, they tease her time and again giving various names like ‘Bamboo’. She expressed how the boys would not have taunted her if she was not so tall. 

  • Our fourth speaker shared how she could flaunt her clothes if she could gain a bit more weight. She feels heartbroken when her own family members comment about her weight and skin tone and tells she is not beautiful.

  • Our fifth speaker shared that she feels her body weight is fine. But she would be happier if she was a bit taller.

  • The remaining speakers shared how they feel they are fine right now. Their friends pass comments about their physical appearances but that doesn’t affect them and they could also defend themselves.


After listening to all the stories, our moderator also shared her personal experience. She shared how she was very interested and good in public speaking. She used to Emcee at her school events. However, she stopped taking part in such events with the fear of getting comments on the stage. She made us realize how we are stereotyped to follow a certain beauty standard since a very young age which is very disheartening. We lose the most valuable years of our life trying to fit the criteria of other’s beauty instead of focusing on our growth.


Our moderator gave us insights on how there will be numerous people who will keep on pointing out our insecurities as we grow up. But it should not bother us. Loving our Body does not happen overnight but it is a long journey. This session was indeed fruitful.


We concluded the session by assuring we will always be grateful to our body with a group picture.

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