Home: Butwal, Rupandehi, Lumbini

Education: B. E. (Computer Engineering), Janakpur Engineering College, Tribhuvan University, Nepal

During my school days, I had a friend whose parents used to quarrel a lot so he spent most of his times in our home. My parents had admitted me to a private school since there was no public school close by. Despite being farmers and having just a rice mill for income generation, they didn’t compromise on money when it came to my studies. However, since the economic condition of my friend’s parents wasn’t that good, he was sent to a public school. We used to go to school together as the way was the same. I always wished we could go to the same school together.

Though we were in different schools, we were studying in the same level. I had to help him in many subjects. I always wondered why the way of teaching in same levels in different schools was so different. My parents would feel proud when they saw me teaching my friend. I couldn’t figure out why he kept saying that Math, Science and English were very difficult to understand. I knew it wasn’t his fault. I knew it was his teachers who didn’t teach him well.

Later on, my parents decided to send me to Kathmandu for my further studies. The decision was not an easy one for me as well as for my parents. By that time, we had finished our +2. I asked my friend what he wanted to do next. He hadn’t decided anything yet. I always wished I could take him wherever I went to study but he had financial constraints. I left for Kathmandu. One day, my mother informed me, over the phone, that he left for foreign land to work. That was the moment when I decided that later in life I would do something for students who wanted to study but couldn’t because of various circumstances. During the four years of engineering I always missed my friend and always regretted not being able to help him.

This made me want to be part of TFN. I have seen how different public schools are from private schools. It’s high time I start working on what I’ve always wanted to do. Knowing that my friend is just a low-paid worker in a hotel abroad disheartens me till today. I cannot let another boy from a village go abroad at an early age to work and make a living, When I told my parents about my Fellowship plans, they were not very happy. They didn’t have the confidence that I could join the mission and be an agent of change. But I’ve somehow managed to convince them that I can do it, since this is what I’ve always wanted to do.