Hawraa Rahal, Psychology, 3rd year
Country of fieldwork: Nepal
Canadian NGO: MAC
Local NGO: NCBL (Ban Landmines Campaign Nepal)
One of our duties at NCBL (Ban Landmines Campaign Nepal) is to support students from underprivileged backgrounds by providing scholarships and school supplies. On one Friday, we got the chance to do just that—and it’s where I met Sugam and Debakre.
Sugam is 11 years old. He enjoys going to school, loves English, and absolutely hates math. From the moment I saw him, something about him stood out. While most of the children were laughing and chatting during our speech, Sugam was different—quiet, focused, and fully present. He followed every word we said with his eyes, and when he approached us to say hello, it felt like I was talking to someone much older. He was incredibly polite and had a calm, kind presence. His smile was so genuine, and his eyes felt deep enough to get lost in.
At the end of the event, I couldn’t help but walk up to him—I was curious to know more about this kid who carried himself with such quiet strength. I found him and his classmates cooking lunch, chopping vegetables and frying food. I was confused at first—it was the end of the school day and most of the other kids had gone home. Sugam explained that he usually walks two hours just to get to school, and another two hours to get back home and that’s why he needs to eat before getting home. On top of that, he works one hour each day to help cover his school costs, especially since his father passed away. He has no siblings, but he considers Debakre—his best friend—his brother. They do everything together, even sharing their food.
Since NCBL is a small organization that depends on limited funding, we were only able to provide shoes and stationery to 15 students out of the 70 present. These students are selected based on financial need, but sadly, Sugam wasn’t one of them. That broke my heart. His story moved me deeply—and it reminded me that many of these children may have equally difficult stories that we simply didn’t get the chance to hear.
Meeting Sugam made me feel incredibly grateful to be here in Nepal. It reminded me that even small actions—like showing up, listening, and offering help—can matter. I truly feel that what we’re doing is making a difference, and for that, I’m thankful.