In the far-flung village of Choonaha, nestled within Rapti Sonari Rural Municipality in Banke District, life is shaped by scarcity. Access to clean water, reliable transportation, and quality health care remains a distant dream.

Each year, contaminated water triggers waves of diarrhea, and food security is a constant struggle. In this part of rural Nepal, survival often depends on labor migration to India or the Gulf, and tradition dictates clear roles: men earn, women nurture.

Prakash B.K., 31, knows what it means to chase survival. He spent seven years working in India and another six in the Gulf, supporting his wife, Sunita, and their two young daughters. But rising costs and growing responsibilities at home meant the income from abroad was never enough.

Eventually, Prakash returned to Nepal, uncertain of what came next but sure that his family needed him close.

Hope Returns with the Poshan Project

In August 2024, the Mother and Child Wellbeing Partnership Program (MCWPP), better known locally as the Poshan Project, breathed life into the dormant Janachetana Health Mothers’ Group in Choonaha, focusing on families with children in the critical first 1,000 days.

Sunita, curious and eager to give her daughters a better start in life, joined the group. Not long after, the project partnered with the local health post, ward office, and female community health volunteers to hold a health screening. It was then they learned that their two-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Prakriti, was severely acutely malnourished. The news hit hard.

Health workers acted swiftly. They counseled Sunita on feeding and hygiene practices and introduced her to Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF), a high-nutrient treatment for severely malnourished children. Trained volunteers began regular home visits to monitor Prakriti’s recovery and guide the family step by step.

Just as hope began to return, another major change followed. Sunita received a visa to work abroad—an opportunity the family could not afford to decline. Overnight, the responsibility for caregiving fell entirely on Prakash. He had never changed diapers or prepared porridge for a toddler.

Breaking Stereotypes, Building a Future

In a culture where men rarely enter kitchens, let alone parenting circles, Prakash’s decision to join the Mothers’ Group was both radical and brave. Neighbors whispered, “With the mother abroad, how can a father care for his daughters?”The doubt seeped in.

“At first, I didn’t know what to do,” Prakash recalls. “I heard what people said. It hurt. But I looked at my daughter and knew I had to try.”

With encouragement from health workers and driven by love for his child, Prakash attended every session. He learned how to prepare nutritious meals, plant a kitchen garden, use clean water filters, and care for children during illness—skills rarely taught to men in his community.

“I did it for her,” he says simply, glancing at Prakriti, now stronger and smiling. “She needed me to show up.”

At home, he began feeding her jauulo (porridge) and planted a small nutrition garden with fresh vegetables. When the project distributed biosand filters, he made sure his family had access to safe drinking water. He also began saving NPR 100 (approximately USD 0.74) each month with the group.

Three months later, Prakriti had gained 1.5 kilograms—a small but powerful sign of recovery. “Seeing her get better gave me strength,” Prakash says. “Her laughter, her energy—it reminded me why I stayed.”

Health workers noticed the change, too. Sofiya Khadka, the focal person at Khaskusma Health Post, explains, “It is rare to see a father, especially in a remote and traditionally male-dominated community, take such consistent initiative. What Prakash is doing is remarkable.”

Among the 2,500 women participating in the Poshan Project’s Mothers’ Groups, Prakash remains the only male member. But he is no longer alone. He now encourages other families with malnourished children to visit the Health Post and seek support, passing on what he has learned.

In a place where gender roles are deeply entrenched, Prakash’s journey represents a quiet revolution. By challenging the belief that caregiving belongs only to women, he is showing that nutrition, care, and responsibility know no gender.

“I just wanted my daughter to be healthy,” he says. “Now, I see that I have become something more. I have become the father she needed.”