‘Sapana’ translates to dream in English. When Sapana was born in a rural village of Nepal called Dailekh,  her parents looked deep into the soul of her eyes and knew instantly that she was going to be a dreamer, so the name fit her well. But residing in a village where attending school was a privilege they couldn’t afford, Sapana faced challenges and hardships in the form of chores. There were domestic animals to tend to, fields to sow crops, forests to hunt food, and faraway streams to collect water. These activities kept her family very busy throughout the day. 

Sapana’s father was in the military force. He seldom had vacation time to visit the family or help them with the fields and household chores. It was a heavy load for her mom and an older brother, who shouldered the weight of responsibility for the family. 

In another part of the city, Kopila Valley School was in its inception, ready to serve and provide bright futures to vulnerable, and at-risk children. 

Everyone needs change and everyone wants change. The change Sapana’s parents wanted was to build her future. When an opportunity presented her family with hope, they took a leap of faith, traveled to Surkhet, and enrolled Sapna in the school. ‘Sometimes, even in the uncertainty, you must try.’ This is what Sapana’s father always said when they had to make hard decisions in life, especially those that were not certain to succeed. No one knows whether it was luck or privilege, but it was definitely fate because Sapana enrolled in Kindergarten and thus began her journey.

“You know, there are some people or some experiences that always leave an indelible mark on somebody’s life? Kopila Valley School is my indelible mark,” Sapana expresses. “I got to experience a normal student life where I was challenged with studies, extra curricular activities, leadership points, and always creating milestones for the brightness of my future. All the teachers, staff, aunties and uncles, and my friends played a huge role in getting me where I am right now.” 

The “normal student life” Sapana’s parents wanted for her became an extraordinary life. She is the first member from her family to study in an English-speaking school and also someone with a promising future. With the new life, she hoped to receive a prominent degree that would break her family’s state of poverty. In Kopila Valley School, she not only thrived but lived a childhood not many children in Nepal get to experience. 

“When I graduated from Kopila, I couldn’t bring myself to accept the new transition of my life,” Sapana tells us. “I know this is what I had always dreamt of, but when the time arrived, it suddenly became really surreal and it terrified me.” While Sapana was excited about the new transition in her life, she also was terrified to delve into her future. But with a heart full of hope, and eyes full of dreams, she set off to Kathmandu to Pursue ACCA (Association Of Chartered Certified Accounts) at Sikshya Academy. “As we are all aware that the future is unpredictable, vague, and likes to surprise us, I didn’t want to stay in the past and be terrified about the what-ifs. I knew that the next step had to be taken, so I did.”

“I was drawn to ACCA for its internationally recognized qualification, which paves the way for diverse career opportunities in accounting, finance, and business management. But the main reason why I chose this subject is also because I don’t have to pursue a Master’s Degree. Instead of planning to pay the tuition fee for my Master’s, I want to send it home so that my family does not have to worry about their basic needs.” Sapana is in her second semester, and every day she learns and grows. “I can feel it. The closer I get to finishing my college, the closer I get to achieving my goals.”  

When Sapana looks back to her childhood days, she realizes that everything happens for a reason – being born in the most remote part of Nepal, the existence of Kopila Valley School, her enrollment in Kopila, all the high and lows in her life, her beginnings and her currents, her future and her dreams. 

“Take a moment to reflect about this: Every action you have done, every step you have taken has led you to this point. I read somewhere that this beautiful chaos is a theory called the Butterfly Effect. The idea that even the smallest action you do has the biggest impact. This life that I am leading is the impact of BlinkNow’s vision, Kopila Valley School’s ethos, and everyone’s hope.” 

Sapana is moving on to incredible things in life. Just like her name, she truly is a DREAM. 

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.