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Samita Devi Shakya is a braille translator with a 16-year tenure at Laboratory Higher Secondary School in Kirtipur. Passionate about education and committed to making an impact, Shakya has been doing her best to provide support and guidance for visually impaired students. As a braille educator, she has played a pivotal role in fostering an inclusive learning environment, ensuring that every student, regardless of their visual abilities, has the opportunity to thrive and succeed.

With a wealth of experience and a genuine passion for her work, she stands as a testament to the transformative power of education in breaking down barriers and creating equal opportunities for all. In a conversation with Evana Manandhar of ApEx, she shared her insights and experiences while talking about the profound impact of Braille education on the lives of visually impaired students.

How do you make learning braille engaging for children?

Creating an engaging braille learning experience for children involves tactile activities like crafting braille letters and interactive games such as Braille Bingo and Scrabble. Storytelling with braille storybooks enhances language skills, while technology like braille learning apps and 3D-printed tactile graphics adds a modern dimension. Art projects and collaborative activities foster creativity and social learning, making braille a memorable part of the curriculum. Integrating music and rhythm adds an auditory aspect, and celebrating achievements reinforces a positive attitude toward braille learning.

 What specific challenges do you encounter when teaching braille to young learners?

Teaching braille to young learners poses challenges due to their developmental stage and the tactile nature of braille. Key hurdles include the gradual development of tactile sensitivity, limited fine motor skills for precise finger movements, and potential cognitive overload. Challenges like letter reversals, short attention spans, and limited exposure to braille in daily life further complicate the teaching process. The scarcity of suitable resources and potential social stigma add to the complexity. Overcoming these challenges requires adapting to visual learners, providing teacher training, and ensuring a positive and inclusive braille learning experience for young children.

Can you share some creative activities or games you use to reinforce braille skills?

Teaching braille to young learners poses unique challenges, given their developing tactile sensitivity and fine motor skills. To overcome these hurdles, engaging in activities is crucial. One effective approach is the Sensory Letter Hunt, where braille letters are crafted from various textured materials and hidden for children to find by touch, making the learning process interactive and enjoyable. Braille alphabet puzzles provide a hands-on method, allowing children to match tactile puzzle pieces to form braille letters, enhancing both braille skills and fine motor abilities.

Integrating music with braille, such as associating each braille letter with a musical note, adds a creative dimension to learning. Children can create tunes using braille letters, linking auditory learning with braille practice and making the educational experience more enjoyable. These activities not only reinforce braille skills but also address challenges specific to young learners, creating a positive and inclusive braille learning environment.

How do you involve parents in the learning process and encourage practice at home?

During admissions, I stress the pivotal role of braille literacy for visually impaired children, portraying it not just as an additional skill but as a fundamental tool for education and independence. I emphasize braille’s unique benefits, promoting literacy, enhancing cognitive development, and fostering independence. Engaging parents in hands-on activities, such as labeling household items with braille, illustrates its practical applications.

Encouraging a supportive community, I propose a forum for parents learning braille, fostering camaraderie and mutual support. Even a basic understanding can greatly assist their child. Supporting a child’s braille learning involves integrating a patient, multi-sensory approach into daily activities. Celebrating small achievements builds confidence. Lastly, showcasing successful teachers with visual impairments exemplifies an inclusive mindset, fostering an educational space where all students can thrive.

What advice would you give to educators or parents who are supporting a child in learning braille for the first time?

For educators or parents guiding a child in learning braille, prioritize patience, consistency, and creativity. Start early and maintain regular exposure to braille, using a multi-sensory approach for engagement. Celebrate small successes to build positive associations, and involve the child in goal-setting. Integrate braille into daily activities for practical relevance and establish a supportive environment with open communication. Seek guidance from certified braille instructors for effective support. Remember, learning braille is a gradual process, and fostering a positive and encouraging atmosphere is crucial for the child’s successful braille literacy journey.

Shyalpa Tenzin Rinpoche is a spiritual Guru, the author of the book titled Living Fully: Finding Joy in Every Breath and the president of the Universal Peace Sanctuary. 

When the globe-trotting Guru was recently in Lumbini to lay the foundation stone of a universal peace sanctuary, Devendra Gautam caught up with him to discuss his journey, world peace, international tensions and ways to find inner peace—even in crowded settings that he frequently finds himself in, with friends and aides always in their toes to remind him of some or other important engagement. Excerpts from the interview:   

What brings you to Lumbini?

From the foothills of the Himalayas to the United States, it has been a long journey. While spreading the message of peace, love and compassion based on Gautam Buddha’s teachings,  I have traversed the length and breath of the US, a rarity even for most Americans. 

While journeying around the world, many of my friends suggested: How about establishing monuments for world peace and spreading Gautam Buddha’s messages through them?

The suggestion sounded wonderful. A search for locations for establishing such a shrine brought me to Lumbini in Nepal, the birthplace of the Buddha. 

While talking about the contributions of Shakyamuni Buddha, we tend to forget the sacrifices of Mayadevi, Buddha’s mother and the wife of Shuddodhan, the king of Kapilvastu. 

She chose to give birth to Prince Siddhartha Gautam, who later transformed into Gautam Buddha, undeterred by a prophecy that she would die soon after childbirth. The prophecy came true. 

The world would not have gotten its Buddha if Mayadevi had decided to choose her own life over her child’s. Like Mayadevi, mothers make great sacrifices, giving and nurturing life. Without them, life would not be possible. 

The Universal Peace Sanctuary to be built in Lumbini is dedicated to Mayadevi; it is dedicated to mothers around the world; it is dedicated to world peace; it is dedicated to humanity as a whole and not just to one sect or the other.      

Your dream project—Universal Peace Sanctuary—suffered delays during the coronavirus pandemic. Now, project work has resumed with the laying of the foundation stone for the sanctuary. How long will it take for this project to materialize?

It’s teamwork, you see. We need support from all quarters, including the media and donors, among others. Our aim is to build a superstructure with a very long lifespan, a structure that can withstand mega-quakes, so our team of engineers has designed it accordingly. 

Talking about its features, the hall of the sanctuary will have room for 1500 people. 

Also, we are building a monument for the whole of humanity and not just for some cast or creed. 

Think about the impact such a monument built on the sacred land of Lumbini will have on Nepal’s economy as a whole, not just on the tourism sector. Ideally, the government should support such a project, shouldn’t it? 

Rather than seeking support from any government in a deeply-polarized world, we are reaching out to the people for help. A large number of people from various walks of life turned up from far and near for the foundation stone-laying ceremony and laid stones. A huge turnout has encouraged us further. 

Rome was not built in a day and I want this spirit of cooperation to continue as we move ahead with this project. 

 Developing a superstructure like this takes time, resources and cooperation from all sides. I have friends who are super-rich and willing to donate for this cause. But I have made it clear to them that I need unconditional support, whether it’s just a dollar or a huge sum. 

As for the project completion deadline, we are working with the aim of completing this monument within three years.

Is any particular country supporting your project? 

No. Nonetheless, we want selfless people from all walks of life to contribute to this project. 

Your future plans?

The plan is to build similar shrines for the entire humanity around the world. At present, we have centers of faith for different sects and not for humanity as a whole. We want to change that by building monuments for all humans. The idea is to build universal peace sanctuaries the world over. You see, peace costs far less than war. The idea is to make peace more fashionable than war.  

Please suggest ways to tame the monkey mind.

You don’t need to tame ‘the monkey mind’. The idea is to let it wander, to let it buzz with ideas. But you should keep a close watch over it.  

 Rather than taming the monkey mind, our focus should be on understanding it. 

By understanding it right, we can choose right from wrong. That way, we will not do something that will make us repent later.  

So, the challenge is to understand your mind. And meditation is the best way to understand it.

Samrat Upadhyay is a Nepali-born American author whose works are centered on Nepali society and culture. He is the author of acclaimed books, Arresting God in Kathmandu, The Royal Ghosts, The Guru of Love, Buddha’s Orphans, The City Son, and Mad Country. He has received numerous accolades for his books, including the New York Times Notable Book, San Francisco Chronicle Best Book, 2007 Asian American Literary Award, and Society of Midland Authors Book Award. The Royal Ghosts was also a finalist for the Frank O’Connor Int’l Short Story Award. His new novel, Darkmotherland, is being published by Soho Press in 2024. Currently, Upadhyay is a Distinguished Professor of English and Martha C. Kraft Professor of Humanities at Indiana University.

Upadhyay also sponsors and judges Writing Nepal: A Short Story Contest in partnership with La.Lit magazine. Upadhyay, who is currently in Nepal, is due to announce the winners of this year’s La. Lit short story contest on December 21 at 2 pm in Malpi Institute, Baluwatar. Ken Subedi converses with Upadhyay on his affinity towards books, writing, and teaching.

You have written short stories as well as novels. In your experience, what was more challenging, story-story collection or a novel?

I feel more at home with short stories, but novels present more difficulties, perhaps because I feel that I’m not a natural novelist. Apart from the novel’s larger canvas, which presents its own challenges, the writing process is a bit nerve-wracking. You can write for three years or more (Darkmotherland took me about a decade to write) without fully knowing whether the project is going to be successful. But lately I’m finding that my short stories are getting longer and longer, and often they want to veer off into tangents and discursions, so perhaps I’m growing into a good little apprentice of the mighty novel

How has reading books shaped your personality as an author?

Reading is such an integral part of writing for me that at times it’s hard to tell where one ends and the other begins. I am quite impressionable, so I get easily influenced by what I’m reading at the moment. When I’m reading Cormac McCarthy, for example, I wish I could write into my own fiction the kind of dark and desolate landscape he envisions. Currently I’m reading the Argentinian writer Mariana Enriquez and am totally in love with her menacing and morbid stories of dead babies and demons and the occult. Reading her, I feel like I ought to write at least one horror story before I die. I actually like that I can get so excited by new authors I encounter, and I also am delighted when what I teach makes an impression on my students. Recently, after reading the latest Nobel winner Jon Fosse, I taught a chapter of his superb novel Morning and Evening, and I was pleased that Fosse’s free-flowing style with its eccentric syntax empowered a student to discover, in her own writing, a voice that was uniquely her own.

Do you agree that only a handful of writers from Nepal are able to produce fiction in English? Why is Nepal’s representation in English fiction negligible?

If the recent Writing Nepal contest is an indication, there is a lot of talent in fiction writing in English. In this year’s contest, I was impressed not only by the craft these writers showcased but also the risks they took. So, they might not be publishing, but they are certainly making wonderful creations. And, judging from the crappy books published every year—in America, in India—publication isn’t necessarily the only sign of the health of literature. But yes, we do need more good fiction to be published in Nepal. Radha: Wrath of the Maeju by Rishi Amatya, is a good example of quality fiction rooted in our culture that’s been published with an amazing editorial care by Safu.

Can you tell us more about your life as a creative writing professor?

I teach primarily fiction writing at Indiana University, in a department with a national reputation. Our competitive MFA program attracts students from all over the world, so I work with writers with amazing talent. Most of the time I am teaching graduate and undergraduate fiction workshops, and I find my teaching life very rewarding. Not only do I love teaching but I’m teaching the stuff I love. Sometimes I feel like I have the best job in the world. I have the opportunity to shape future writers, keep my own creative faculties sharp, and also learn a lot in the process. My students inspire me with their talents and their insights.

So, does this mean that creative writing can be taught?

I think people need to think of the teaching of writing as the teaching of, say, music, or tennis. Even if people have natural talent, that talent needs to be developed and nurtured. A good coach or a mentor, or even an intelligent peer, can provide guidance and inspiration that can lead to breakthroughs.

Do you suffer from writer’s block? If so, what do you do to overcome it?

I wouldn’t be a writer if I didn’t suffer from writer’s block. I’ve also discovered over the years that thinking of it as a “block” is counter-productive. A ‘block’ also implies a ‘flow,’ which is then supposed to be the ideal state of writing. But perhaps we should stop thinking of it as such a strict binary. When there’s a block, our brain might be trying to find ways to move to a higher level of creativity. Similarly, it’s quite possible that a good flow doesn’t necessarily lead to good writing. So, when faced with a block, I allow myself the freedom to explore. I do a lot of free writing, granting myself liberty to create work that might be useless or crappy. Often, in this exploration, I discover an opening that then leads to breakthroughs. A disciplined writing practice can also help. When you force yourself to write daily, blocks and flows recede to the background.  A writer’s block can be also cured by doing something physical–play a sport, go swimming or running etc. Sometimes watching a smart movie can trigger creativity in interesting ways.

It’s been more than two decades since you published your first book, Arresting God in Kathmandu. You’ve written three story collections and three novels. In what ways have you grown as a writer? Any advice to writers who are at the beginning of the process?

When I was first starting out, I used to think that all I had to do was write my first book and everything would be hunky-dory after that. I thought that a first book would mean that I had “arrived,” and I would no longer have to struggle with writing. How wrong I was! Each book has presented a different challenge, and each book has been more difficult to write than the previous one. My forthcoming novel, Darkmotherland, was the most challenging of them all. It’s a book of experiment and absurdity and dark humor, and it’s unlike anything I’ve written before. So I’ve grown in the sense that I’ve become more experimental, and I want to take even greater risks in my writing. I’m writing more than ever before–I have several books in various stages of completion, including a book about a talking dog.

My advice: there are no short-cuts in this business. Writing is hard, and it’ll get harder as you become better. You have to stick with it, you have to be disciplined. Don’t look for easy success. Don’t follow literary trends. Allow your writing to come from the depth of your being. Read voraciously, including books from far-flung places that might be very different from where you live. Make reading and writing such a part of your daily life that they become as natural as breathing.

No matter your age, it’s important to keep your breasts healthy and have a basic understanding of what’s normal. That way you can nip problems in the bud, should they arise. Dr Sundar Shrestha, general consultant at Bir Hospital in Kathmandu, who specializes in Endocrine, GI, and Laparoscopic surgery, runs us through the basics of breast care in a conversation with ApEx.

What are the symptoms of breast health issues?

Usually, breast health issues come with the symptoms of breast pain, heaviness, and nipple discharge, whether bloody, watery, or black/blue. Also, you should pay attention to changes in your breasts, like lumps, changes in size or shape, persistent pain, tenderness, and skin texture. One should be mindful of changes in breast temperature as well, as heat could be indicative of some problems. To avoid risks, it’s better to do routine self-checks and seek medical help if you notice any unusual signs.

How do you differentiate between a normal breast and an abnormal one?

During puberty, girls typically experience natural breast growth and some women may feel like their breasts are getting heavier before, during, or after their menstrual period. These are normal. However, unusual discharges (bloody or greenish), the presence of breast lumps, tenderness, hot areas (with or without fever), and uneven nipple position or size (either up and down or the nipple turning inward or to the side) can indicate some abnormality within the breast tissues.

What are some of the common breast health issues?

Some women have breast abscesses. These are usually common in lactating mothers. Fibroadenoma are little lumps which are also called ‘breast mice’ and they are usually found in women aged 15 to 35. It’s important to take notice of these issues and consult a doctor. A retracted nipple, where your nipple dips into the areola and doesn’t stick out as it should, can be a cause for concern. Breast eczema may cause itchy and scaly areas around the nipple. Uneven breast size can be considered normal unless there are other signs and symptoms or it’s congenital. Ductal ectasia, causing discharge from some nipple ducts, is another issue you should be aware of. If you’re facing any of these problems, it’s very crucial to seek medical help as soon as possible.

What are the main risk factors for breast cancer?

It’s important to know if breast cancer runs in your family. If you haven’t had children, you should pay extra attention to your breast health as nulliparity comes with a higher breast cancer risk. If you have been exposed to radiation, whether for medical reasons or at work, that’s something to think about too. 

As we get older, the chances of breast cancer increases. Carrying heavy loads can also increase your risk. Drinking alcohol and smoking are also risk factors. The onset of menstruation before the early age of 12 or experiencing menopause after 55 can also impact breast cancer risk. It also depends on ethnicity, with white women at higher risk. 

Do the menstrual cycle and contraceptives affect breast health?

The menstrual cycle and the use of contraceptives impact a woman’s breasts in different ways. During menopause, the decline in estrogen and progesterone levels may affect breast tissue, while the reduction in breast density can result in abnormalities later. Throughout the menstrual cycle, hormonal fluctuations can alter breast tissue density and sensitivity, causing breast tenderness in some women. While modern contraceptives with low estrogen are safe and don’t increase the risk like some pills do, it’s important to consult a doctor before taking anything. Also, be careful with other hormone treatments and try to avoid radiation exposure. 

What can be done to prevent breast health issues?

To keep your breasts healthy and lower the chance of getting breast cancer, you can do a few things. First, make sure to go for regular check-ups, like mammograms, which are x-ray checks for breast health. Catching problems early can help fix them with minimal hassle. Also, check your breasts yourself each month and look for any changes. Eating good, nutritious food, not smoking or drinking too much alcohol, and staying active by exercising can also go a long way. 

How can we self-check for problems and what’s the right age to start regular mammogram screenings?

It’s a good idea for women in their reproductive years to check their breasts for any changes every month. For that, stand in front of a mirror and look at your breasts. Check if they look different in size, shape, or skin texture. Lift your arms and use your fingers to feel your breasts for lumps or anything unusual. You can start with mammograms after you turn 40, and I recommend the test every couple of years.