College is not meant for everybody. 

For some, it’s a dream fulfilled, a place where goals are set, dreams are created, and the future is carved. But for others, it’s a distant fantasy. Prakash’s story doesn’t begin with a bang. It begins with the forgotten dream. 

The day Prakash walked out of the gate of his college, never to go back, was not marked by a dramatic scene or a tearful goodbye. It wasn’t the kind of situation that would make headlines or tug at anyone’s heartstrings. It was simply the day when he would not have to rely on his parents for his tuition fee – because sometimes, the hardest part of chasing a dream is realizing it’s not yours to catch. 

“Let me give you a little bit of a preview after finishing my +2,” Prakash says. “After finishing my +2 [Grade 11 and 12] from Kopila Valley School, I had a dream to go abroad for my higher education. Dreaming and reality sometimes don’t work in coordination. Of course it meant collecting funds for tuition and visa fees. Not to overwhelm my parents with the finance, I joined Model College in Surkhet for a Bachelor’s in Business Studies (BBS). I was hoping to find a job to pay for my college. Four months had gone by, I kept receiving payment reminders from my college, and I hadn’t secured a job yet. Feeling helpless…I did the unthinkable…I quit college. By the time I had walked out of my college gate, I did not know what I would plan to do with my life. All I knew at that moment was college was not meant for me; instead, something out there was waiting for me – something much bigger. A purpose for me to change someone’s life.”

Prakash’s father is a teacher at a local school in their village, Dillikot. Nestled between treacherous hills and towering mountains, Dillikot is a place where the unexpected is a constant visitor. One morning, you might wake up to the roar of a landslide, and by afternoon, the forest might be engulfed in flames. Wild animals steal cattle, and illnesses strike without warning. Life in Dillikot is always on the edge of uncertainty. But even with the existence of uncertainty, life still continued…

With what little his father earned from his income, they barely had enough to feed four of his younger brothers. Thankfully for Prakash, there was Kopila Valley School in Surkhet. 

“If someone ever asks me what my most treasured moment is, I would say being a student at Kopila Valley School. I was actually a young boy living an ordinary life, worrying about grades, football, dreams, and friendships. Most young men from my village don’t even get a chance to finish high school, but I had that opportunity. I graduated from Kopila Valley School knowing that I will always be able to lead a decent life whatever path I take, wherever destiny blows me. Because I was ready for life, ready for adulthood!”

He hadn’t told his parents yet that he quit college. He couldn’t simply spin even a web of half-truths. So, he stayed away from calling them. 

Tomorrow, he will tell them. 

Again, tomorrow, he will tell them. 

Again, tomorrow, he will tell them. 

His tomorrows turned into months. 

Prakash traced the rim of his chipped teacup, the lukewarm tea doing little to warm the chill that had settled deep in his bones. Outside, the Surkhet monsoon hammered down, mirroring the tempest brewing inside him. He carefully inspected his father’s contact number on his phone. They will eventually find out, and he thought, “Better to rip the bandaid off as soon as possible.” 

“Hello?” came the voice on the other end of the line. Prakash couldn’t help but hope the signal would cut out, but of course, it had to be perfect when he least needed it—clear, crisp, and a constant reminder that he was about to face something he wasn’t ready for.

“I don’t want to go to college anymore. In fact, I haven’t for months,” he spilled out. When there was a long pause at the other end, guilt gnawed at him. “I have a plan. I want to go abroad, apply for a degree and find a job. But I need your help with that. I need some funds,” he confessed. 

He stammered, he apologized, he explained, painting a picture of his guilt and his decision to ease their burden. The truth hung heavy in the air. He could hear his mother’s muffled crying in the background. However, his father remained silent.  After what felt like an eternity, he finally spoke, his voice rough with emotion. 

“How much?” 

The next morning, Prakash’s father deposited money into his account – 5 Lakhs, which he had collected from relatives and friends as a loan. Without taking a beat or a pause, Prakash started to apply to universities and search for work in Canada. It looked like luck really wasn’t in his favor. The Canadian government changed their rules, making it difficult for Nepalese citizens to get visas. 

Prakash was rejected. 

Dejected, Prakash returned to Surkhet with only one thing in his mind – how do I pay back the loan? Asking for more money was out of the question—after everything, with such a massive debt hanging over him and his family, no one would trust them with another cent. 

Rather than searching for distant opportunities, Prakash found himself turning to family. His  relative brother (in many parts of the world, this is a cousin), who had been working in Dubai, became his bridge to a new life. Through that connection, Prakash landed a job at a packaging company in Dubai, and in less than a month, he was on a plane, leaving Nepal behind. It wasn’t the grand solution he had hoped for, but it was a chance—a fresh start in a place where he could begin to rebuild.

One question remains though, WHAT ABOUT COLLEGE? 

“Ahh…to be honest, I’m not really sure,” he says, pausing for a moment. “Right now, my main focus is on paying off the loan and doing whatever I can to help my parents educate my four brothers. They have their own paths, and none of them will follow the one I’ve chosen.” It’s been a little more than 7 months since Prakash arrived in Dubai.  

“The world may not always hand you the tools you want, but it will always give you the chance to forge your own path. Nothing brings me more happiness than knowing I’m doing everything I can to give my family a simple, stable life—putting food on the table, ensuring my brothers can go to school, and helping them lead a healthy, fulfilling life.” 

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.