Dear readers, meet our graduate Bindu who is embarking on her journey with an insatiable thirst for knowledge and passion for the ever-evolving world of technology. She continues to harness her passion in order to spread it to other young dreamers. She is unstoppable. Below she shares her story, in her own words.

We are four sisters and one younger brother. I am the oldest, probably one that has to be a role model, my parents hope, and definitely a young empowered lady. But when my father’s shop business started tumbling to the ground, I felt helpless, even aimless. I was very young at that time. I remember my parents were distressed. Parents who had never held a pen before or and did not know the power of knowledge and information became wary, wondering how to keep our family in a good financial position.  Putting five children in a school was a price they were not going to afford to pay.   

Then one day, my younger sister came home holding what looked like a piece of paper weighed down with heavy information written in block black ink, giving me hope. I took it and then looked at it for a long time, not trusting the information it held. 

A FREE SCHOOL. 

How I ‘should’ feel (skeptical – this can’t be true) fought with how I did feel (JOYFUL!), and the symphony inside won.

A FREE SCHOOL, I repeat it. 

The next day, I reached the location. And there it was, a school built out of bamboo. 

Before I came to know Kopila Valley School existed, I had three thoughts: I have to be responsible. I  cannot go to school. And I have to help my parents earn money. 

I realized my dream to study only went one way, to a dead end. I had started anticipating the feeling of my dream pulling away.  

When I got into Kopila Valley School, the three thoughts resurfaced one more time. I was going to school, I was going to be responsible, and I was going to be learning. These thoughts painted a smile across my serious disposition. There is no such thing as wrong timing; there is today and then there is tomorrow. 

One of the highlights of my time at the school was the close-knit community. Students from diverse backgrounds came together, forming lifelong friendships. I felt valued and encouraged by the nurturing environment that the teachers and staff created. I not only received a well-rounded education but also developed a deep appreciation for cultural diversity, social responsibility, and the power of community. I looked forward to getting ready in the morning and walking to the school. 

At school, I looked forward to my computer class. Computers fascinated me. We were assigned a personal laptop, and I loved practicing my typing, writing, basic coding, editing, designing, and so much more. I graduated from Kopila Valley during the year 2018.

After Kopila Valley School, I wanted to pursue Agriculture. I remember during my +2 courses, the only void I felt was during the lunch hours. Perhaps, after eating Daal Bhat and Tarkari at Kopila each day, my body was accustomed to consuming proper and nutritious meals and my appetite could not be filled with just a tiny plate of fried rice or beaten rice. Because of this, I sensed that food is important, and I want to help produce organic food. 

But just as the lightning strikes without warning, I had a major setback in my plans – I did not pass my entrance exam for an Agriculture university program. I decided to wait a while, not wanting to rush. I would read and watch success stories and when the Agriculture entrance exam opened again, I would apply. However, no matter how determined I was, it seemed that nothing was working in my favor. 

So I had to look at other fields of study. And I found one I love!

I am now pursuing a Bsc.CSIT [Bachelor Of Science in Computer Science and Information Technology] in Kathmandu at a college that is affiliated with Tribhuvan University. I am in my 6th semester and learning so much. I worked for approximately three months as a Social Media Handler at a company called Green Growth. Now I am a mentee of a company called AWS (Amazon Web Server) in Province 6, Surkhet, where I am from. I love what I get to do, because it’s so rewarding to see wide-eyed children eager to learn and explore. 

For my junior sisters and brothers who want to learn the magic of technology, remember that the market is constantly changing and evolving with new new technologies as well as new trends emerging. Always keep your eyes on what’s coming next, and strive to learn new things. The sun will not rise or set without you achieving what you worked so hard for. 

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.