“It changed my life”: Sumit’s journey with inclusive education
Inclusive education opens pathways for all young people to learn, grow and choose their own future. For many children living with disabilities in the Himalaya however, access to quality inclusive education can be a challenge. From the physical terrain, limited accessible facilities and education not tailored to those with specific needs, vulnerable children are at risk of being left behind.
Through our Teacher Training and Quality Inclusive Education program with our partner REED Nepal, the Australian Himalayan Foundation is helping ensure that every child can participate fully in learning and their community. In lower Solukhumbu, Sumit Rai’s journey shows how this commitment to inclusion can ensure that all children can reach their full potential.
Meet Sumit
Sumit Rai grew up in a tight-knit family of four in the lower Solukhumbu. From birth, He lived with a spinal condition that affected his right hand and leg, making everyday activities like walking, dressing and getting to school a challenge. Despite this, Sumit was an active and ambitious child. With a love of volleyball and a dream of going pro, life for Sumit was happy and not unlike his peers.
Although his family faced financial strain, they did all they could to ensure Sumit attended school and received an education. However with the cost of schooling and Sumit’s medical treatments, his family were in need of assistance. In primary school, Sumit was identified as a candidate for AHF’s Going to School Support program, ensuring that he could continue his studies.
In Grade 7, life took an unexpected turn. Sumit’s spinal condition worsened and doctors in Kathmandu recommended a procedure to help his symptoms. The surgery was unsuccessful and Sumit lost movement in both his legs.
Quality, inclusive education
Learning to adapt to a new life of more restricted mobility, Sumit did not attend school for a year. On top of this, he was now presented with the reality of returning to his village. The uneven, hilly terrain of the lower Solukhumbu made mobility nearly impossible in a wheelchair. He feared being stuck inside his home and wondered whether he would be able to attend school again. But Sumit, known for his determination, did not give up so easily.
Sumit and his family identified a new school in Kathmandu, one catered to students with physical disabilities, and he was able to resume his studies.
“When I entered Khagendra School, I saw many children like me, some with even more serious disabilities. Some couldn’t speak, some couldn’t move their hands or legs. But they were smiling, studying, dreaming. It changed my life," says Sumit.
At his new school, Sumit found teachers who guided him, friends who understood him, and an environment where he was not seen as different. Sumit completed Grade 12 in Business Studies and received good marks.
“I am deeply thankful to REED Nepal. Without the Going to School Support program, I would have never reached Grade 12. Their support gave me not just education but hope to live again.”
With his education finished, Sumit was presented with the decision of what to do next. Inspired by the transformative experience in Kathmandu, he decided to return home to help others with disabilities like his. Today he works as a disability support worker for the local government, helping other people access services and support, and live with dignity. To overcome the geographical challenges of Solukhumbu, Sumit uses a specially designed four wheeled scooter for mobility. He rides every day through his village to work and has become a symbol of strength and independence in his community.
Sumit shares this message for children living with disabilities:
“Don’t cry for what you don’t have, be happy with what you do. If you focus your energy on something positive, you will succeed. Life will always give you another chance.”
He adds, “My story is just beginning. I want to study a Bachelor's degree in Business. I dream of becoming a businessman, helping more people like me and making my mother proud.”
Sumit on his custom scooter outside his office.
About our Going to School Support program
Part of our wider education program, the Going to School Support initiative helps ensure that underprivileged students have the supplies they need to stay in school. For $150, you can support one student’s education for an entire year with materials including including notebooks, pens, a geometry box, pencils, erasers, a backpack, and personal care items like a towel, shampoo, soap, toothbrush and toothpaste. These essentials, along with financial aid, help students at home and in the classroom to be school ready. Your donation can make a real difference in the life of a student like young Sumit.
Donate today and help more children access the education they deserve.
Our education program in Nepal is funded by generous Australian Himalayan Foundation donors and the Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP).
Read more about our Education Programs.
