Manisha was only six years old when her father passed away in a construction accident. Her father brought her to the city of Pokhara from Rolpa, a highly undeveloped area in Nepal, in the hope of providing her a better education. To make ends meet, he worked grueling and dangerous 14-hour a day shifts at a construction site, only to make less than three dollars per day. Her father showed his unwavering love for his daughter through the blood, sweat, and tears he shed at work. He happily spent almost a third of his salary on her education.

She also has a lovely mother and a four-year-old brother. After Manisha’s father passed away, her mother also worked as a construction worker, earning a wage barely enough to cover rent and food, let alone Manisha’s tuition.

She has been part of our organization for over four years. She is currently in 10th grade in the English medium at Sitaldevi School in Pokhara, Nepal. Manisha hopes to be an elementary school teacher.

Like many parents, Manika’s mother, Saraswati Sunar, and father, Sher Bahadur Sunar, moved from the rural municipality of Madhi to Pokhara, Nepal in the hopes of providing a better future for their two children. Both Saraswati and Sher Bahadur worked as construction workers. Despite working 12-hour shifts, seven days a week, the Sunar family’s salary was not enough to meet basic needs like paying rent, buying medicine for Manika's disabled 83-year-old grandmother, and funding their children's education. Saraswati and Sher Bahadur still remained hopeful for the future, so they borrowed money from their neighbors and family members to pay the remaining expenses. The couple was certain that they would be able to repay the money by working more hours. Unfortunately, inflation decreased the value of their salaries. They had to borrow more and more money, and defaulted on their debts.

At this point, Saraswati’s future was looking dim. She fell into despair, feeling that her life wasn’t worth living if she could not even provide her children with a basic education and necessities. In May 2019, 35 year-old Saraswati took her life, leaving behind her husband and two children. Saraswati's death completely shattered the Sunar family. Manika was on the brink of ending her educational pursuit, but with Bidya’s support, Manika is now in 8th grade at Shree Laxmi Secondary School. Manika shared that while she will never be the same after Saraswati’s death, she now has hope for her future, knowing that she will be able to go to school without having to worry about the finances.

Rupa’s father, like many others in Nepal, struggled to find stable employment. After Rupa was born, he went to India to work, so he could bring back his savings to build a life in Nepal. Shortly after Rupa’s father left for India, Rupa’s mother abandoned her and remarried. Rupa says she does not know her mother's name or even her face. When her father returned, Rupa saw only a glimpse of him as well. He also abandoned Rupa, built a new life by remarrying, and stopped providing her any financial support. Rupa had been living with her alcoholic brother, his second wife, and his two kids after her mother left, and she now lives with her brother permanently. Rupa was known to be a hardworking and dedicated student among her teacher and classmates. After her abandonment by both parents, Rupa missed school regularly, and when she was in school, she came with ripped clothes and no pencil. Rupa was no longer a top performer in class. With the support of Bidya, Rupa is attending an English Medium school at Janajyoti Mavi in Pokhara, Nepal. Rupa says she will be able to go to school without worrying about not having a pencil to do her math homework with. We have an officer conducting quarterly wellness checks on Rupa to make sure she is attending school and being taken care of.

Asika Paudel and her parents Tara and Sukraraj built a stable life for themselves farming a small plot of land in Kalika, Nepal. The income brought in from their farm helped pay for basic necessities like sugar, oil, and Asika’s education.

At one point, Asika's father suddenly grew weak and rapidly began to lose weight. Tara even remarked that her husband looked like a “daura” (stick in Nepali); you could see his bones through the skin. He became both physically and mentally unwell. The Paudel family, like most villagers in the area, initially turned to home remedies for a cure. But after these treatments failed to improve Sukraraj’s condition, they were forced to take him to the hospital. He was diagnosed with tuberculosis, and the Paudels had to sell their family lands to pay for Sukraraj’s treatment. Because he received treatment very late, Sukraraj has suffered lingering long-term effects from his illness. He has stopped talking to people almost entirely, and he is unable to work.

As a woman in a Nepalese village, Tara has had difficulty finding a stable job. She still helps her neighbors farm lands for additional income, but that money is not enough to sustain the household. Asika has struggled to make payments for her school tuition and other educational expenses. With our assistance, as of 2022 she is now enrolled as an 9th grader in English Medium at Janajyoti Mavi.

At Bidya, we are strong believers in the power of family as a support unit. Although our sponsorship has kept Roshni continuously enrolled in middle school despite the pandemic, the team at Bidya was disheartened to find out that Roshni’s brother, Ujwal, was substantially delinquent on his fees and was on the verge of expulsion for failure to pay. Even though our main focus is on helping girls, it was crucial to our mission to make sure that Roshni’s brother could also attend school, because we wanted to foster a healthy environment for the family throughout Roshni’s adolescence. With our support, Ujwal is in 3rd grade. He said he enjoys going to school with his sister Roshni.

We are excited to announce that your generous contributions have allowed us to onboard another scholar: Susmita Burtel. In a small remote village, Susmita, a ninth grader, faces the harsh reality of life from an early age. Unfortunately, her father took his life, leaving her mother, a farmer, to support her and her one year old sister. Despite the hardships, Susmita remained determined. With no nearby schools, Susmita embarks on a daily hour-long walk each way just to commute to school. Through your generous support,you have provided Susmita an opportunity she so rightfully deserves- a chance to pursue her education.

Susmita Kunwar is a determined and hardworking young girl from Majathan, Nepal. Despite facing numerous challenges, Susmita remains focused on her education and future. Tragically, her mother passed away, leaving her and her family to cope with her loss. Susmita lives with her older brother, who is in Grade 12, and their father, who is physically weak and suffers from poor eyesight, making it difficult for him to work. As a result, he relies on taking care of four goats to provide a modest income for the family.

The financial situation is dire and the Kunwar family is struggling to make ends meet. With limited resources, Susmita is on the verge of dropping out of school. However, she is incredibly determined to continue her studies and believes that education is the key to changing her future.

Through Bidya, we are ensuring that she stays in school and continues to pursue her education. Education will give her the opportunity to build a better life for herself and help her family rise above the challenges they face.

Shristi Kandel is a bright and motivated 13-year-old girl from Suryagadi Rural Municipality, Ward 5 in Nuwakot, Nepal. She currently studies in Grade 8 at a school located in a nearby village. Shristi dreams of a better future, but her path is filled with uncertainty due to her family’s difficult circumstances.

A few years ago, Shristi experienced a life-changing loss when her father passed away. Since then, her mother, Nanu Kandel, has worked tirelessly as a farmer to support the family of four. Despite her hard work, the family's income is extremely limited, and making ends meet is a constant struggle. With no father and a mother who carries the entire burden alone, the emotional and financial stress on Shristi is immense.

Still, Shristi remains deeply committed to her education. Her teachers describe her as driven, attentive, and full of potential. She believes that education is the only way to rise above her challenges and support her family in the future.

Through Bidya, we are ensuring that Shristi can stay in school and continue working toward her dreams. With consistent support and access to education, she will have the chance to create a more stable life for herself and uplift those around her.

Samikshya Mijar is an 11-year-old student from Panchakanya Rural Municipality in Nuwakot. She’s currently in Grade 5 at Indrayani Secondary School, a local public school near her home.

Life hasn’t been easy for Samikshya. Her parents, Tikaram and Rammaya, work hard as daily wage laborers—taking on whatever jobs they can find to support their family of five. Some days there’s work, other days there isn’t. And even when there is, it’s rarely enough to cover everything they need, let alone the cost of education.

Still, Samikshya shows up to school with a quiet determination. She’s bright, focused, and genuinely enjoys learning. Her teachers speak warmly of her dedication and positive attitude. She dreams of continuing her education, but those dreams often feel uncertain because of the financial stress at home.

That’s why Bidya is stepping in—to make sure Samikshya can stay in school and continue learning without the constant worry of whether her family can afford it. With the right support, she has every chance to grow into the strong, capable young woman she’s already becoming.

Prasuna GC is a bright 12-year-old from Dasamure, Gaumukhi-5 in Pyuthan. She studies in Grade 7 at Janasahayogi Secondary School and lives with her maternal uncle, younger sister, and grandmother.

Life hasn’t been easy. Prasuna’s father passed away while working as a migrant laborer in India, and not long after, her mother remarried and left. With no parental support, her uncle has taken her in, but the family struggles financially, relying on small-scale farming to get by.

Despite everything, Prasuna remains focused on her education and dreams of a better future. With Bidya’s support, she can continue her studies in a safe, stable environment and begin to build the life she deserves.