ALUMNI-LED FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN BY NIRVANA THAKUR

A year of learning. A lifetime of possibility - Because the chance that once opened my world should open theirs too.
Nirvana (on the left) with her students and co-fellow at her placement school

 

Nirvana Thakur | 7th Cohort | Co-Founder of Fingerwave Technologies

 

I began my Teach for Nepal fellowship in 2019, returning to Nepal after 14 years in the United States to join a movement I had admired from afar. As a student in New York City Public Schools, I had seen the impact of movements like Teach for America, how committed teachers could expand opportunities for students who had been historically underserved. I wanted to contribute to that same movement for educational equity in the place where I was born. So, I joined Teach for Nepal’s 7th cohort and began teaching at Shree Ratna Secondary School in Manpang, Tanahun.

My passion for educational equity deepened quickly. In classrooms without electricity, where the blackboard was our only tool, learning unfolded through stories, imagination, and sheer determination. My students deserved more than facts; they deserved the tools to understand their place in the world, to question, and to imagine possibilities beyond their village.

But I also learned how deeply systems shape a child’s future. Even though I began my fellowship with energy, care, and an ardent desire to create change, I was not always successful in overcoming the challenges before me. I could not ensure sustainable structures for students, and I saw how weak accountability systems directly affected not only their learning conditions but also the futures they imagined for themselves. This was not just my struggle. Majority of TFN fellows in my cohort shared similar experiences during our learning institutes. It became clear that improving education in Nepal requires more than classroom level interventions; it requires systemic change grounded in research, community partnership, and a deep understanding of local contexts.

One student who shaped my understanding was Deepak. Paralyzed from the waist down due to Post Polio Syndrome, Deepak was carried up the steps by two classmates to his classroom because the building had no ramps. When my co-fellows and I raised concerns, we were told he was “not worth investing in,” that a child like him “would not have a future.” But I refused to accept that narrative. Despite such views, my co-fellows and I worked closely with Deepak through extra classes, communicated with his parents to encourage his attendance, and supported him in completing his district level exams in eighth grade. Watching a bright student be limited not by his disability but by adults’ assumptions showed me exactly why this work matters.

These experiences forced me to reflect on the inclusive classrooms I experienced in the United States, the education I received in Kathmandu, and the stark disparities I witnessed during my fellowship. I realized that Deepak’s story was not inevitable. It was the result of policy choices, resource allocation, and deeply rooted beliefs about who deserves access to education. That contrast stayed with me, and it shaped my decision to continue learning, advocating, and working towards systemic change.

I have seen firsthand what is possible when students are given the chance to thrive and what is lost when they are not. My students showed resilience, curiosity, and hope even in the toughest circumstances. If they refuse to give up on their education and their dreams, how can we, as a community, turn our backs on them?

Your contribution does more than fund a program.

It helps bring stability to classrooms that desperately need it. It ensures that Teach for Nepal fellows can continue supporting students consistently, building trust, and creating learning environments where growth is possible. It strengthens the structures that allow fellows to stay in classrooms, collaborate with communities, and advocate for students who are too often overlooked.

A donation of $75 can ensure continuous education for one student for an entire year.

But truly, any amount, large or small, helps sustain an organization dedicated to ensuring educational equity in Nepal. Your support helps guarantee that students like Deepak are not defined by the barriers around them, but by the possibilities within them. Together, we can help create the Nepal our students deserve.

 

 

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To Donate (Internationally, from USA): https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/sponsor-a-child-for-education-by-teach-for-nepal

To Donate (within Nepal): Fonepay QR (Please contact 9763688389, Rafael Poudel)

Start Date: February 11, 2026
End Date: April 15, 2026
Funds Required
USD $5,000.00NPR 700,000.00
44.58% Raised
Remaining
USD $2,771.24NPR 396,888.00

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