Sarita grew up in remote Humla, Nepal. The second of five children, she was raised in a household where education was valued – her father was a teacher and her mother a farmer. They always encouraged her to study hard to allow her to one day become independent. However, accessing education wasn’t easy, it took Sarita half an hour trekking up and down rocky mountainous terrain to get to school each day.
After completing her Grade 10 exams, Sarita dreamed of becoming a pharmacist. But higher education opportunities in remote Nepal are limited, and pursuing this dream meant leaving her home and family behind.
Despite worries about moving away from home, Sarita knew this would be an opportunity to better her future and allow her to give back to her family , who had always worked hard to support her education. She made the difficult decision to move Kathmandu to enrol in a three-year pharmacy course.
This was the first time Sarita had been away from her parents and her home and it wasn’t easy. Adjusting to life in the city was challenging – she struggled with language barriers, homesickness, and financial constraints. At times she even had to go without food and walk to college to save money. Despite these challenges, Sarita carried on and did her best to make her family proud.
All this changed when Sarita was connected with Adara’s scholarship programme which helps youth from remote Nepal access higher education. This programme provides scholarships to students who wish to pursue higher education that is not available in their local communities and need to migrate to cities such as Kathmandu. These scholarships support youth to access vocational and higher education opportunities so they can build pathways to meaningful employment.
Sarita was overjoyed when she got the call that her scholarship application had been accepted. Adara’s support was more than just financial relief – it also provided her with emotional support and gave her the confidence to continue, knowing she wasn’t alone.
Today, Sarita is flourishing. She now feels comfortable and supported living alone. She continues to study hard and is determined to turn her dreams into reality.
Learn more about Adara’s Remote Community Development work and AdaraRemote.
