Bishnu Parajuli: An Enthusiast Volunteer (Story of Transformation 10 )

Bishnu sharing joys with the children of Jana Jagriti School, Sankhu

A child without education is like a bird without wings. Education lets a child to soar high in sky called life. It enlightens his/her life.

Life’s greatest tragedy – in my opinion at least – is a child who is compelled to struggle through his or her early years just to get some blank sheets to scribble. And there are so many kids in our country going through this tragedy.

Irony, there are also some who can get a new copy everyday if they desire. With no offence to those who are privileged, we need to concern for those who are deprived of it.

Is there any idea to bridge this gap?

The answer may be difficult but not impossible.

Bishnu, with his mates are busy preparing educational materials

Himalayan Climate Initiative is one organization which is working on it. And today I am talking about Bishnu who feels he has done nothing much as he is just a volunteer of this organization but in my opinion, he has done a lot as it needs a deep passion and dedication to work as a volunteer for the society along with your study and career.

For 'School for school' project of Himalayan Climate Initiative, Bishnu with his other friends gathered the old copies, once-read story books, used pencils, erasers and other educational materials. From the olds, they toiled to furnish new copies by stitching the leftover pages. With tireless effort, they, furnished the other old materials too so that they could be used again and help inscribe the future of the needy yet aspiring minds.

Bishnu Parajuli, 20, an enthusiast, is a student of Industrial Engineering has an interest in the goodwill of the society, energy and research development. Brought up in a middle class family in Butwal, Bishnu regards family as his blessing and follows the words of their parents "Do good. Do it in a responsible way. And, leave your footprints.” It seems that Bishnu has really made his family proud of his works.

Bishnu Parajuli

Bishnu realized that the smiles in the faces of those children whom he and his teammates provided the stuffs for their learning with so much effort provided him the inner satisfaction and sowed much happiness in him that he will always remember and cherish. This feeling in him further motivated him to do more for the society.

Besides the 'School for School' project, he was also a responsible campaigner of 'No Thanks I Carry my Own Bag' campaign, a dedicated campaign, which was successful to ban single used plastic bags in Nepal, thereby ensuring sustainable practice in community, and decreasing carbon footprint in global environment.

Being the student of Industrial Engineering, Bishnu also is one of the Executive Committee Members of 'Society of Industrial Engineering Students-Nepal', an association that is scratching endeavors to underline the essence of Industrial Engineers to pave a prosperous and sustainable road of development for the industrial, and economic sector by building collaborations and opportunities. 

Always ready to allocate so much of his time for the good, Bishnu shares with an immense joy that how much he has been able to transform through his volunteering. He expresses, " Developing ideas with young and determined team members, exploring ideas, and pulling endeavors towards the ideas and thus involving responsibly in nation building scratched a new curve of determination in  me to participate in nation building as a whole."  

Most of all, he cherishes his work as a media volunteer the most. "Having been involved as a media volunteer, I wrote to make impact on people’s mind and inspire them to do what they can. Thus, writing volunteer stories and publishing my works, through regular mentorship from the influential program leaders, helped me gain insights, dive deeply into research and explore several potentials for better tomorrow for me and everyone." says Bishnu. He adds, "Having started my writing from social good, it has now ignited me to learn and moreover explore writing about economy, industrialization and sustainability.

Bishnu taking part in the campaign, Trashfree Tudikhel

Really no one can take away that moment of bliss when we get motivated and transformed without going through the pain in our real life but by listening other's story. Bishnu feels that all these changes surround him wherever he goes and helps him make remarkable contributions.

Working as a volunteer needs a lot of dedication. Meanwhile, the positivity that we gain through it cannot be compared with any amount of wealth. Talking to this enthusiast volunteer was really a good moment for me, I wish him a very bright future and a lot of happiness which he is definitely going to share with others.

Last but not the least, I agree with what he says, "Even small and beautiful acts of kindness, integration and creativity can implant and create inspiring stories of transformation." Here, is one such inspiring story of transformation of Bishnu Parajuli, an enthusiast volunteer.

We, all women have vagina and it stinks

'Lonely', 'No one understands me', what she used to update as her Facebook status every month. She is one of my grade ten students. She is only 16, the age when one enjoys with friends, loves to roam around and have fun. When this status of loneliness became frequent, I thought to ask her. First she hesitated then she shared her actual reason of isolation. What she revealed, unveiled the truth not only of her classroom but of our whole society.

Figure adapted from http://us.mysimplefile.com/

The secret behind her solitude was none other than the monthly gift; we all women receive from nature mother. Every month, we women, soak up our pads with crimson. How much we try to manage it, let me be genuine and say how much we try to hide it, one way or the other, we get noticed. It may leak from our undergarments or even if somehow we are successful to soak it up wholly, our exhausted face may reveal it. As careful as we may be keeping in all evidences of our period hidden, sometimes we need a little extra help keeping the smell under control as well.

She had the similar problem because of which she was forced to live in isolation. Leave the boys even the girls were boycotting her.  I tried to ease her and said it's normal." Even I stink during my period, so we need to take care of ourselves properly. Change our pads on time." She interrupted me and said, it's impossible because they have the opinion that you can't carry pads in your bags. If anyone sees it, it will be the matter of joke. Everyone starts to laugh at you because you carry that. That was the reason every girls would come and ask pads with me whenever they were menstruating as they think carrying it themselves is a crime. And they think I can carry it as I am not from their village and I am rebellious one, so I carry it.

"Rebellious." What is there to be rebellious about when you are simply carrying a sanitary pad? My head asked for the answer. But that wasn't much important at that moment.

I just tried to make her understand that it's not about being rebellious or going against society carrying a simple white thing; it's for our health. I tried to make clear." Menstrual flow itself does not smell bad, but bacteria within menstrual flow can cause odor. Some menstrual products improve conditions for bacteria and contain chemicals that effect healthy bacterial levels, so choosing healthier options can lessen odor as well as keep your vagina healthy. So if we want to be healthy and be away from all those problems, we need to change our pads frequently for which we must carry it."  But all my words and consolations weren't doing any magic. From her constant denial, I realized how much she has gone through. For all these years after her menstruation, she has suffered loneliness.

Under Nepal's ancient practice of Chhaupadi numerous women, especially those who live in rural areas, are forced by custom to isolate away from their homes, life and family during each monthly menstrual cycle. Menstruation is considered as a sin. I have never been to those villages where women face that torture, also I have never faced any restrictions in my home, may be because of my parents, especially my father who doesn't believe in these restrictions. So I could never relate to these but when she, a resident of the sub-urban society expressed it, where all the information can be conveyed easily and where buying pads isn't so difficult, my mind started joggling.

Why is menstruation considered dirty? Is a menstruating girl really a powerful, polluting thing? Is she really a thing to be isolated?

A small chat with her made me brainstorm on these things. With some few consoling words, I left her. I know things aren't going to change so easily. I went inside the class and again shared that menstruation is a natural process. So it's not good to isolate anyone just because she is in her periods, which I have kept on saying continuously. I know not only me; other teachers too teach them these things. They even have a chapter on it. Then, why it's not working?

The reality is, actually I wanted to say in the classroom, "Don't tease her. Do you tease your mom or your sister for menstruating? No. We all are same. It's natural. We, all women have vagina and it bleeds. Not only it bleeds, it even stinks." Though my students call me rebellious, I couldn't shout and say these lines. May be inside I also have been influenced by the Nepali society and somewhere deep inside I am afraid of its taboos.

Share Humanity (World Humanitarian Day 2015)

http://www.aworldatschool.org/news/entry/Four-tales-of-hope-from-education-activists-on-World-Humanitarian-Day-2210

Nepal is one of the poorest nations in Asia and it struggles to feed and educate its children in the best of its times. A decade-long civil war between government forces and Maiost rebels left in its wake an unstable political system.

Nepal's challenges are many and the magnitude 7.8 tremor that hit Nepal three months ago brought a new suffering for the Nepalese. People are trying to pick up the pieces and get on with their lives despite the challenges, which definitely is very tough.

The country remains perilously unstable, with the risk of landslides from ongoing aftershocks, forcing thousands to leave their homes and camp out in open fields when the seasonal monsoon rain has already started.

Nepal's government estimates that reconstruction will cost a third of the country's GDP - but with so many barriers it could take years to rebuild the country. There is also the threat of the spread of disease and cholera, has already out broke in the capital. The children have started playing, but many fear still going to school in the worst-hit areas. Many of them show signs of skin diseases, coughs and fevers.

Living a life in this crisis has been a mixture of fear and hope. There is a constant fear that anything may happen at any time. Even a small jolt shakes our whole emotions now. But, at the same time, there were good people and organizations who helped us to overcome our grief, which gives some rays of hope. It gives faith in humanity.

As Mahatma Gandhi said: "You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is like an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty."

The crisis that occurred after the earthquake made me realize the value of his saying. Just because of this humanity we are surviving. If so many people and different national and international organizations hadn't helped us to rise, we wouldn't have become able to even hope for our survival and dreaming of rebuilding would be a hard dream.

World Humanitarian Day has a great significance in all our lives, when we can appreciate the humanity within us. We must help each other to live like a human and enlighten the world with the brightness of education.

Tangled life

Let it be where it is 

I want to be on ease

Let me be where I am

I don't want to involve in this game.

This game of time;

where my past doesn't affect the future

and my future wouldn't affect my present

where I don't have to categorize bad and decent. 

I don't have those ambitious dreams,

neither I want any dramatic scenes.

I just want to laugh and play

from morning, till the end of the day.

I want to go back at night,

sleep with my mom hugging her tight,

being far from any insecurities.

I just want to love and get loved,

without thinking of any pros and cons.

I just want my life straight and simple,

albeit, its always tangled. 

Reflecting on Silver Jubilee

Celebrating the silver jubilee of my life, I have so many feelings going through my head and heart at the moment. Till last year I had the opinion that I had to face so many challenges that year. I had the feeling like I had to take so many difficult choices.

 This year I feel, this year was much more challenging then I ever expected; the hardest one. Tragedy was that I was gripped by the sense of loss of my dear ones and had to go through the constant fear. There were some depressing moments and also had to make some tough choices.
While, one the other hand, I got some very good friend. I got the opportunity to enjoy the sense of liberty and love. With this I have understood the real definition of growing up and being matured. I have learned what to adjust, how to compromise and also what to let go of.

I too found myself. I found me within myself. When I went through all these, I was backed up my lovely and respected parents , supported by the love of my younger brother and led upon by friends and not to forget unknowingly my children helped me fight my battle of life.

Thank you all for helping me in my growth. This year definitely, I am feeling like celebrating a silver jubilee. Once again thank you every one for your wish. I am so grateful.
P.S. Got a lot of books as my gifts, hope I would read them all soon. The books of my wish list. Thank you so much guys. Love you all.