Fellows in cohort 2022
To shape me into what I am today, a good education has an immanence role. The extra activities of school helped me to think wisely in day-to-day life. I think because of my good schooling/education I was able to pursue higher education. Above all, a good education has ingrained a sense of discipline in me. Despite having a good education myself, I was always concerned about the state of education in Nepal. As I was studying in India, I saw the plight of migrant workers there. Upon interacting with the migrant workers I came to know that they were compelled to work in such harsh situations for two reasons: lack of education and poor economic conditions. One day I got a chance to attend a program organized by Teach For Nepal and found that TFN is working to solve education inequality. I got to understand more about the Fellowship program that day. I realized that if I were to join the Fellowship, it would provide me with the chance to give education to underprivileged children. Through…
As a kid, I was shy and scared of teachers. Ironically, I wanted to become a teacher from an early age. I do not have any particular feelings about my school life. Speaking with new people was never my strength. I still remember in the 9th grade, when I had to introduce myself in front of my new classmates, words did not come out of my mouth. I was aware of my inability to speak in large crowds, however now I do not have any problem addressing a big crowd. I have always wanted to learn new things, it could be my curious nature but I have always been interested to learn. I was studious by nature, if I saw a book lying somewhere I would leaf through it. Ever since I was in high school the thought of becoming a banker was in my head. Consequently, I pursued management for my undergraduate studies. As I was diligent and studious, I was always liked by my teachers. Education inequity was something that I had experienced closely. All my life I had studied in public institutions. In my col…
I was looking for something challenging after I finished my undergraduate studies. During this time, I came across a post from Teach For Nepal on social media. I began to research the Fellowship program provided by TFN. The whole idea of Fellowship seemed quite fascinating to me. The vision that TFN is working towards is challenging but it was exactly something I was looking for in my life. The very vision of the movement pushed me to apply for this Fellowship program. The Fellowship provides me the opportunity to teach students whose potential is yet to be explored. Standing in front of such students every single day, I will naturally have to be the best version of myself to provide the quality education that they deserve. The skills and competencies that I will learn as a teacher leading a group of students. Starting from setting big goals, investing in students and families, planning, execution, and reflection are the same as that of a leader, leading a group of employees in an or…
I have grown up in a busy street in Kathmandu with easy access to all kinds of services. My parents tried to give me the best life they could fulfill all of my needs. When I was in sixth grade, I watched a documentary at school that projected the everyday struggle of people in Karnali to fulfill their basic needs, economic crisis, poverty, lack of proper schools, and small children obligated to support their families. Those pictures glued to my memories and because of this documentary, I began contemplating how much people suffer and how I can help them in any way possible. While doing my bachelor's, Babukaji sir was the first to introduce me to TFN. When I learned about their fight for education injustice and inequality, it recaptured my memory of the Karnali documentary that I had watched. Also, I was looking to work with an organization that is trying to bring a change not just with words, but by action as well. I like how TFN is mobilizing the youths who are full of enthusiasm…
The only thing that inspires and fascinates me is stories of people; their experience of continuous hard work, willpower, and determination. Those kinds of stories give me a different type of energy and push me to become the best version of myself. I often look for inspiration in the stories of other people. Frankly, I had not heard of Teach For Nepal until the last 3-4 months, but when I got to know about it, I felt it was made for me. Instantaneously, I could connect to the work TFN was doing. I knew education in Nepal was plagued by multiple problems. I could see how TFN was working towards solving the problem in education through the Fellows and Alumni network. If we solve the problem of education, other problems can be solved; with this determination, I applied for the Fellowship. In my classroom, I want to show my students that an alternative future is waiting for them. I want to provide my students with the necessary care, motivation, and appreciation to make sure that they g…
Despite going to a community school, I received a good education. However, the state of community school is not the same everywhere. The state of community schools in the rural parts of the country is even more critical compared to the community schools of the city or town. I believe that despite having different circumstances all of the students have an equal right to good education. I am indebted to the education I received for making me the person that I am today. In short, I would not even qualify to become a Teach For Nepal Fellow, if it were not for my education. I wanted to work via organizations. People in Nepal often have this misconception that social work is social service. To do social work, you don’t need wealth in your pocket, you need wealth in your heart. The zeal to do something for society was there in me for as long as I can remember. During my college days, I started looking at organizations that were working in fields related to social work; that is when I came a…
As opposed to other kids, I was more into studies than extra-curricular activities in school. I felt shy about participating in ECAs. I was an obedient student in school and was always among the rank holders in my class. My school deserves credit for my proclivity towards studies. The teachers in my school motivated me to do better and as a result, I valued education more than anything else. The Science teacher in my school was one of the most inspiring teachers I had in my life. I remember his innovative ways of teaching, even after all these years. He is one of the reasons I was inclined to pursue science in higher studies. After completing high school, I tried almost two years for a scholarship to pursue medicine. This was my first failure in life. This phase taught me that failure is normal and it happens to everyone. I learned the importance of letting go after this experience. I see Teach For Nepal Fellowship as an opportunity to develop leadership qualities in me. During my F…
I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to go to Kathmandu for my schooling despite belonging to a farming, harsh mountainous background. And, working in Marpha after completing B.A. gave me a perspective on the education system in the villages. The thought and realization of quality education not being accessible to every child has always been in the back of my head. After four years in Marpha, I knew I had to look out for something new and greater for my growth. Above all, my experience in Marpha and my unusual childhood and upbringing in a boarding school encouraged me to apply for the Fellowship. I'm hopeful that these two years of Fellowship will help me grow both professionally and personally. Two years of Fellowship at Teach For Nepal will provide a broader understanding of the public schools in Nepal and help pave a path for me to pursue a lifelong teaching career. I will have the opportunity to work with like-minded people and have a great learning experience for me. Sin…
My life revolved around science, I wanted to become a scientist, I would watch sci-fi movies growing up, and I was certain that I would pursue science in the future. My prophecy came true and I found myself in an engineering college for my undergraduate studies. Despite being a science guy, I knew about the problems in the education system. Ever since I was a kid I had heard that private schools are better as opposed to public schools. Even in my neighborhood, I could see that the students that went to public school did not perform well in exams. Many of them failed the SLC exam and eventually dropped out of education. Devoid of education, foreign employment became the only hope for them. Seeing all this turned me cynical towards the public schooling system. When I first saw an ad for Teach For Nepal, I became curious to know more about the teaching conditions, outcomes, and student problems in public schools. When I leafed through TFN’s prospectus, the idea became clearer. I felt t…
I completed secondary education in my hometown Biratchowk in Morang district. The community was diverse with people from several ethnic groups residing there. Although my school followed a practical teaching approach to some extent, it heavily relied on the conventional way and was fixated on exams and grades as time went by. I had always stood among the top three students in my class but my ranking plunged to eighth or ninth during the grade 5 final exam. That day, the teachers reminded me of how disappointing the result was and how I had made them all feel ashamed. The constant ideation of achieving something on my own emboldened me to apply for the Fellowship at Teach For Nepal. The more I learned about the organization, the more I became interested to be part of the change-maker movement. Moreover, TFN’s motto of equity in education and reaching the unreachable inspired me as much as it fascinated me.