Asmita works at Eager Bridge Secondary School teaching 1st Grade. Along with her teacher’s path, she is pursuing BICTE (Bachelor in Information Communication and Technology Education). This 22-year-old is the breadwinner of her family. She views life as a simple act of living, thriving, and learning. Her family is proud of her, and so are we!

When Asmita went home with exciting news and told her parents she got a job, it was a moment of intense pride and relief. It felt like an exciting new chapter in a long, difficult story that began when she was just 14 years old.

Below she tells her own story.

I was born in the shadows of an obscure town, Surkhet. I can remember how tiny the town was at that period of time. There was a Bodhi tree near my house where neighbors would go seeking shade and to share gossip. Now the tree is old and no longer visited. Every time I walk past it, it reminds me of the book, ‘The Giving Tree.’  Once a shallow and slow town, Surkhet has turned into a rushing life of people. Nevertheless, Surkhet has always made me not want to leave. There is just something magical about the place you grew up in. 

My father ran a small local shop selling galaincha (woolen knotted carpets). He used to weave them by himself every afternoon after closing the shop. I loved the creativity and freedom it gave him. His business was not amazingly successful, but it used to earn us meals, and a decent average life. 

As we were just living our simple lives, the opening of the Kopila Valley School was a talk-of-the-town subject in our community. Everyone wanted their children to be in that school. As luck would have it, I joined the school from its opening day. That just changed the spirit of our home. It seemed like one burden was off of my parents’ shoulders. 

What do I say about Kopila Valley School? It’s a special place that holds a special place in my heart. Not just mine, but my family’s life got so much easier because I was taken care of.  

I distinctly remember when my dad had to close his shop because of his illness. He could no longer weave, the remaining carpets were sold, and just like that, our lives tumbled down to fine dust. My mother had been a housewife all her life and knew nothing about earning. 

The only member who could potentially earn was my older sister, but she had recently married, taking our hope along with her. While my home became a place of worries, Kopila Valley School eased it for me. It provided me with warm meals, hugs, and a place to forget all that was pent up within me. It was a time when, if I was not a Kopila student, I would have already given up on school.  Who would have paid for my studies? 

My childhood was terrifying, hopeful, and all too relevant. But despite it all, with the immense guidance of Kopila Valley School, I graduated in the year 2020. 

One thing I take away from my time in Kopila Valley School is to always know what your path is. 

MY PATH

Currently, I am enrolled in Surkhet Multiple College pursuing BICTE (Bachelor in Information Communication and Technology Education). It’s surprising how the world changes when you just blink. This era of technology is inevitable. With technology, the potential to achieve almost anything is immense, and attaining knowledge serves as the pathway to excellence. Moreover, I am inspired by the prospect of being an agent of change in the education sector. 

I thought getting into college would make me feel content in life, but something felt unsettling. After my dad lost his business years ago, he was never able to revive it. The only way our family survived was because of the little farming my parents did to their best abilities. 

Given that my younger sister is pursuing a degree in Management for her higher education, substantial tuition costs are a reality that we must contend with. I started scavenging for any kind of work. I applied to many places and got no responses. 

That was when it seemed like life had attached strings to my self-worth and was playing me as a puppet. I got really discouraged, but I had no time to sulk.

Yet in this desolate-feeling place, where it seems impossible for HOPE to make an appearance, a door opened,  and  with the door my heart opened also. 

It probably was my last hope when I went one day to Eager Bridge School for an Interview. They open-heartedly welcomed my enthusiasm and supported my goals. 

When I went home with exciting news and told my parents I got a job, it was a moment of intense pride and relief. 

I am thrilled to support my family, but what I am proud of is the fact that I am sending my sister to school. She attends the same school I teach at. I hope she gets inspiration and dreams of big things in life. I am in the midst of my early career – and the chase for progress, it’s never ending. I wish this journey of discovery never ends. 

To my dear juniors and readers;

Embrace the joy within your reach. My JOY was sending my sister to school. When you can find your joy, there is nothing stopping you. And please, please, please, stay in the moment, be real and present. 

We are thrilled to have one of our very own Kopila Valley School graduates write this guest blogger series and share alumni stories! Anjali Karki graduated in 2019 and is pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism along with a journalism career. We can’t wait to see what each of these world-changers does next. Follow us on social media with the series hashtag (#NarrateYourKopilaStory) for more about these young adults and their adventures.