Aashish is a remarkable individual whose life is woven with the threads of knowledge and literature. He is a reader, a leader, who first started writing when he fell in love. His life is an enchanting blend of hope and passion. Coupled with strength is an innate caring nature, extending warmth and passion to his juniors. He says music pulls him to sanity. 

He is a being born for the hope of it all. 

1999 (Before)

Hope seemed unutterable. A third rail. A lightning rod. A voice unheard. 

Hope seemed elusive, fraught with danger, and unheard. 

From my earliest recollections, a good life seemed like it was too distant to keep hoping for. ‘Be hopeful,’ they say, lest I think, ‘What is hope when there is nothing to hope for?’

Ever since I was old enough to remember or make sense of things happening around me, I have known nothing but new places, where new faces became a fleeting parade, and new worlds an ever-revolving impermanence. 

We moved around a lot. From states to states, places to places. 

Never stable. 

When I was a boy, my parents fought constantly. Sometimes, it stuns me to think that they had a love marriage. After some heartfelt bickering and fighting that lasted for many years, my parents separated. And I was left in the middle of their departure, which felt like I had no hope at all. 

After my parents made the difficult decision to pursue a divorce, I found myself in a courtroom, entangled in the complexities of a child custody battle. In the midst of this emotional turmoil, my father earnestly pleaded with me to choose to live with him. As a young and innocent boy, my world was centered around wanting the warmth of parental love, and now I faced the daunting circumstance of deciding between my mother and father.

In that moment, the weight of the situation made me reflect on the harsh realities of life. However, what seemed like a challenging choice at first turned out to be surprisingly clear-cut. Driven by my father’s apparent desperation to have me by his side, I instinctively chose him. Little did I know, the emotions people display can be veiled by deception. 

The very next day shattered the trust I had placed in my father. He walked out on me. He abandoned me, leaving me to grapple with the painful realization that life isn’t easy. Not at all. 

My grandparents took me under their care in Surkhet, Nepal. And by God’s grace, they enrolled me in Kopila Valley School. I never kept contact with my parents. Slowly I started to forget what a parent’s love meant. My grandparents became my safe elements. But you know what helped me escape this mundane world? 

Books.

The library at Kopila Valley School became my sanctuary. I drowned my spare time with books and stories with my best friend Surya.  And I fell in love with the English language. 

Harry Potter was my very first pick. There is a quote that I resonated with a lot, ‘Things we lose have a way of coming back to us in the end, if not always in the way we expect.’ In Kopila Valley, I found people who care for my future, who care that I learn and grow, who care that I find myself, and who hold my hands through thick and thin. I’ve stayed at Kopila longer than anywhere else. 

THEN

I finished my +2 studies at Kopila in 2018. I have to say, the last year of +2 was a difficult year for me. With the future ahead and so much to figure out in life, I broke down completely. Mentally, I found myself teetering on the edge, facing a cascade of emotions that seemed insurmountable. The weight of uncertainty bore down on me like a dark storm cloud. As my friends charted their dreams into the future, I stood at the crossroads with a heavy heart. 

I finally mustered the courage to go see my father in Kathmandu after my +2 completion, hoping to get some financial support from him. He assured me that he couldn’t help me and that I should be self-reliant on the path forward, prompting me to stand on my own feet. 

I returned to Surkhet, feeling disheartened. And I immediately joined Kopila Valley School as a paid trainee. Subsequently, I secured employment and took charge of covering my own expenses. I ventured through jobs and options just to keep me financially secure. 

After maybe a year or two of earning and saving up, I was able to enroll myself in College. 

THIS IS THE BEGINNING

I am in my sixth semester of BIM (Bachelor Of Information Management).  I have always loved technologies, and since our generation is digitally concerned, I find myself captivated by the world of technology. In the morning I learn, and during the day I teach computer classes to lower grades(6-8) at Children Paradise School (in Surkhet). 

Currently, after some heartfelt confession from both me and my mother, I have decided to live with her. I love this new bond we have formed with each other. 

I have always wanted to be there for someone who needs me, and I am finding ways to do that. I am a Vice President of Kopila Valley Alumni Association. We all work to make every graduate and student feel like they belong out in the world. 

Somewhere between this and that, somewhere in the in-between as I grew up, I realized how much my life has changed, how much HOPE I have found. And I want to be there for my friends, sisters, and brothers to remind them every day – there is HOPE.

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.