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Art gives your home a personal touch. It makes any space come alive. A home without art is pretty soulless. But how do you decide where to put up a painting or what kind of art to bring into your house? It can be pretty confusing. You don’t want something run-of-the-mill but you also don’t want to invest a lot in something you might still be unsure about. So what do you do? You can actually get inexpensive pieces of art if you get a little creative. Here are six tips that can help. 

Commission a friend to make something

Have a friend who is good with a paintbrush or someone who likes to paint? Ask her to make something for you. If you can, tell her what you want. You could pay her to make a special piece for you. That way, both of you benefit from it. You will have something personal and she will have done something with her skills. Alternatively, you can also get a friend or an artist to help you make something by yourself. 

Get free prints off the internet 

This has to be done with caution and you have to be willing to browse through the hundreds, if not thousands, of free photos online. Decide on a theme—it could be rain, sunshine, water or anything you want. Choose three photos to fit the theme, get them printed on A4 size paper, frame them, and then hang them together. Don’t choose the first thing you see. Chances are many have already picked those. Dig around a little. 

Black and white photographs

Go through your grandparent’s or parent’s photo albums and pick out some black and white photographs to display on your walls. These could be photos of your grandparents, your parent’s wedding, or those of the extended family. It’s a neat little way to give your home an artistic touch while displaying your history as well. Buy inexpensive frames, sand them a little to give them a rustic touch, and get decorating. 

Frame fabric

Fabrics with beautiful patterns, motifs, and embroidery make stunning displays especially when framed and hung as a focal piece in a room. Do you have a beloved scarf or a sari that your mother used to wear that you really loved? Cutting a sizable piece from one of these and mounting it on a wooden frame works really well. The good thing about this is that it’s an inexpensive idea and you can easily change things up when you are bored with the decor. 

Hang memorabilia

Pretty greeting cards, handwritten notes, pressed flowers, ticket stubs, and anything else that you might have saved over the years because they remind you of happy times works for this idea. Someone we know framed their daughter’s baby clothes and it made for an eye-catching display. You could create a gallery wall of sorts with the things you want to display. Just be creative with how you choose to frame them or put them up on the wall. Postcards from your travels could also be a nice thing to display. It will remind you of the past while inspiring you to travel more and create new memories.

The written word

You might have a favorite poem, a song, or a recipe that has been passed down through generations. Type it out, choose a fun font, get creative with the margins and designs of the layout, print and frame it and voila, you have just made a neat piece that is uniquely you. You can also print quotes you resonate with. Try not to stick to cliches though. The same goes for some good advice you might have received that you want to be reminded of time and again. Print the blurb of your favorite book and hang that.

The National Earthquake Safety Day on Jan 15 serves as a critical reminder of the importance of preparedness and collective efforts to mitigate the risks posed by future earthquakes. Natural disasters not only test people’s resilience but also highlight the preparedness and response mechanisms of communities. ApEx spoke to three people to learn about their experiences with disaster and its immediate and long-term impacts. 

Prem Bahadur Thapa, 25

Every earthquake, big or small, brings fear and anxiety into our lives. It also causes much damage, with houses developing cracks or collapsing, which in turn significantly affects the community. An earthquake is a natural disaster that can cause unexpected events when it occurs. To ensure safety during such times, it’s essential for everyone to be prepared with an emergency bag in advance. Additionally, during an earthquake, it’s important to stay calm, seek shelter near the main door of the house, and move to an open area if possible. Adopting these measures can help ensure safety during an earthquake. To prepare for earthquakes and minimize damage, constructing and promoting earthquake-resistant houses in the future is essential.

Agya Shrestha, 28

Every time there is a tremor, I become very anxious and search for my family members. My immediate reaction is to go to a safer space with everyone. Back in 2015, life came to a standstill and we had to leave our homes. We couldn’t return for a month. News of people looting houses during such times made things worse. We spent our nights at Ratnapark or Tudikhel and people brought cylinders from their homes and started cooking there as well. I don’t think anyone is prepared for an earthquake. Even though you know what to do, you forget all of it during the calamity. The government and emergency response could have been better. They could have worked proactively rather than adopting a reactive approach. We need to have regular earthquake drills and everyone should prepare an emergency bag with essentials to take with them.

Gita Shakya, 47

I was at home, in the kitchen, preparing tea for my family when an earthquake struck. At first, I thought it was a truck passing by, but when the shaking intensified, I realized it was an earthquake. My family and I rushed out of the house as fast as we could, holding onto one another. The earthquake made the community come together to help one another, but the fear and uncertainty lingered. Honestly, we were not prepared at all. During the event, the only safety measure I could think of was to get out of the house as quickly as possible. The initial response felt slow. We needed more immediate help and better coordination. There needs to be more education and awareness about earthquakes. People should know what to do during and after one. Regular drills and training, especially in schools and communities, would help us feel more prepared.

Looking back on all of the women that I have met over the years, the oppression, lack of opportunities, and expectations that were placed upon them, all I see is strength—strength passed from mother to daughter. In today’s world, women are defining the rules of the political game and leadership. They are entering the political field as dynamic leaders, demanding and changing the politics of all domains.

Digital platforms have democratized access to political participation, enabling more women to engage actively in political spheres. Through technology, women can express themselves and engage with a relevant communication platform, thus eradicating barriers that have in the past limited women’s political engagement. This is not just a change of political power dynamics, but also a sign that the time has come for women to become masters of the future.

Many times on my way to my college in Maitighar, I used to see protests and rallies for various causes, and in the early days, most of the participants used to be men. This has changed in the last five years. Today, I see more women participants in protest rallies. This shift is perhaps due to the concerns of gender, for women are no longer mere spectators.  They are actively participating in the political and social battles for change through digital media. It is a refreshing sight to witness.

The Global Gender Gap Report 2021 unveiled by the World Economic Forum indicates that women occupy only 25.5 percent of parliamentary seats in the world. Nevertheless, the decreasing gap of difference is noticeable between them. Social media platforms are being used to a greater extent in narrowing this difference. According to the Pew Research Center, 61 percent of the women in the United States actively participate in politics through the use of digital platforms. Changes are being observed in Nepal as well. For instance, a survey of Nepali women in the last year (up to mid-2022) showed that 19 percent more women participated in local elections in comparison to 2017, thanks to the wide reach of digital platforms.

But there is still a long way to go for a meaningful women’s participation in politics. A survey conducted by UN Women identified that the level of rural women’s digital literacy is low, and only 37 percent of them have access to the Internet. The necessity of improving the availability of digital technologies is evident, particularly for women. If we look at these numbers, we can only conclude that despite the fact that digital media created new opportunities for women representatives in politics, more needs to be done to support greater equality in access, especially in rural areas. A profusion of women in regional and federal leadership positions gives the political process a new and promising perspective. Women leaders like Sumana Shrestha, Prakriti Koirala, Shobita Gautam, and others have proved that the use of digital technologies makes political work even more efficient. During my stay in my hometown Gulmi recently, the disparity in which most people still travel two hours to access a nearby hospital is very much real.

However, it was encouraging to discover in such areas that people do know about the kind of political activities that are conducted by leaders such as Shobita and Sumana. This means that even in the most excluded areas people are becoming more informed and politically active in the leadership processes. This on its own is evidence of the progress being made in regards to establishing political awareness all across the regions in the nation by the leaders who leveraged digital media. These women have been privileged to campaign for the change they want using social networks and other digital avenues.

Social media has also provided immense value for generating information-based political participation. Specifically, Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Balendra Shah ‘Balen.’ The rapper turned city mayor showed that by applying relevant tech tools, one can broaden their electoral outreach and win an election despite being an independent candidate. Balen’s victory showed that the old established parties failed to use social media effectively.

However, the problem of inequality in terms of political voting between the urban and the rural areas still persists. While urban women can engage from their homes, rural women often lack access to these platforms, underscoring the need for targeted efforts to bridge this digital divide.

For this, enabling rural women to use technology is essential for enhancing good governance in our societies. Technology plays an important role in ensuring that rural women have access to information, resources, and networks to engage in politics. Mitigating the unique hardships peculiar to women in rural areas will not only improve their political participation but also promote more diverse and inclusive political systems.

The inclusion of women in politics is not just a matter of representation or quotas; it is about effecting progressive growth. In this context, digital platforms can really help women to step up to the plate, because it offers the necessary tools to avoid such traditional barriers.

In Western countries, there has been a lot of development of digital platforms for supporting women leaders. The Feminist Action Research Project in Canada brings people together for dialogue and work online to strengthen women’s political participation in leadership positions. In the UK, the Women’s Equality Party uses social media and digital tools to build a broader political presence and empower women in leadership roles. These technologies enhance interaction and stakeholder management in acts of governance and women’s political participation.

In online campaigns, these platforms have helped women discharge their duties better by facilitating interaction with the people. However, the facilities and other infrastructure-related support available in many regions, including Nepal are still inadequate.

To address this, policy and action-oriented recommendations the state should expand digital infrastructure to ensuring that rural areas' budgets also include technology as a priority to guarantee the availability of the internet and tools in the rural regions, and organize digital literacy programs to educate women in the use of the new digital platforms as a way of enabling them to take control of the platforms. There should also be right policies in place to support and encourage women’s participation in politics. To this end, collaboration with tech companies is imperative.

Kathmandu is beautiful. Tourists are fascinated by the myriad things you can do here, from cultural walks and temple visits to one-day hikes and hilly getaways. But for those of us living here, things can become a bit mundane, especially if you don’t have a full day to indulge in activities. This week, we bring to you four things you can do when you are bored and need a little something to cheer you up but only have a few hours at your disposal

Attend the evening aarati at Pashupatinath

The Pashupatinath temple is a really nice place to go to when you want to spend some time by yourself or immerse yourself in some spiritual or religious activities. There’s a lot of space and a lot of things to do in the area. The evening aarati in Pashupatinath riverbanks which in winter takes place from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm every day is something everybody must witness. It’s a special puja that priests do to worship Lord Shiva and the entire environment comes alive with the sights, sounds, and smells of prayer and worship. Those who have seen it confess to wanting to attend it whenever they can. It’s a sight that slowly calms you down and fills you with a sense of peace. Make sure you go a little before time so that you get a nice place to sit as it can get a bit crowded.

Evening stroll at Patan Durbar Square

A mini vacation is just what we need after a hectic work week. It’s a great way to relax and recharge for another busy week. But a weekend getaway isn’t always possible or practical. This is when a visit to any one of the Durbar Squares in Kathmandu Valley comes in handy. It’s like a mini getaway. There is so much to do and see at the Durbar Squares. Patan Durbar Square is one of our favorites. From quaint little eateries and tea shops to various kiosks selling all sorts of knickknacks, a stroll at Patan Durbar Square makes you feel like a tourist in your hometown. You can just sit on one of the benches at the center of the square and take in the surroundings. It’s especially beautiful at night when all the lights come on. Be sure to bargain if you decide to do some shopping as the vendors tend to hike the prices at random.

Enjoy some delicacies at the farmer’s market at Le Sherpa Restaurant

There are many farmer’s markets in Kathmandu these days. Some happen during the weekdays while others are up and running on the weekends. Our favorite is the one at Le Sherpa that takes place every Saturday from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm. People can be seen just basking in the sun, indulging in some hot tea or coffee or some cold beer too. There are all sorts of stalls with various kinds of food available here to suit your taste. From Biryani and Pad Thai to cakes and cheeses, you can take your pick depending on what you are in the mood for. You can also shop for jewelry, perfumes, handicrafts, home decor, etc. Gather your friends and family and spend a lovely Saturday morning catching up with them at the market while you buy your week’s worth of groceries. You will also be supporting local businesses so it’s a win-win situation.

Spend a few hours at a bookstore

There was a time when Kathmandu didn’t have good bookstores. Now, the book industry is trying to change that. There are many new bookstores coming up and even the ones that have been in business for years have revamped their spaces and services to make shopping for books a fun affair. Ekta books at Thapathali, Kathmandu, spread across three expansive floors, is a nice place to hunt for your next read. They have recently opened a cafe too so you can even have a drink and grab a bite to eat while you read a few pages. Books Mandala in Baluwatar, Kathmandu, is another great place to visit. Here, you are very likely to find the book you have been searching for as they stock all sorts of titles, from popular authors to lesser known writers. Wisdom Books and Aroma Center in Bhanimandal, Lalitpur, can be your go-to place to browse through books, buy some cool notebooks, incense, candles, stationery items, and handicrafts. They have recently opened a small cafe of sorts where you can get some tea, coffee, and homemade food.