This is what Shristi remembers hearing often from her father. She is keen about learning new skills. Shristi loves hearing advice and insights from her father. Her father is a wise man with knowledge gained from the experience of being a tailor his entire life. He often jokes and says, “I dress people,” as if he is a renowned designer. But the truth is that he barely earns enough to feed his family of 6. Shristi’s parents own a small tailor shop called ‘Shristi,’ named after her when she was born. Shristi is the oldest and has three siblings.

“In my community, naming your business after your children is considered to be good luck,” Shristi explains. “But I’m not sure if I was good luck to them. My parents sew clothes all day, yet they are unable to send all of us to school.” In their early childhood, her youngest sister was enrolled in SOS (Save Our Soul), a non-profit organization based in Surkhet, Nepal. Her two brothers went to a local government school.

When she was a young girl, Shristi considered herself to be the fortunate one because she was a student at Kopila Valley School. She joined the school when she was just a child, from Grade 1. She says, “Kopila Valley School was my first school. I remember how my parents were relieved that I had an opportunity to go to school without any cost – because in the pursuit of educating my siblings, I was expected to sacrifice my own education. In fact, it is common for the oldest sibling to sacrifice their happiness, their dreams, for the exchange of their younger siblings’ in rural areas of Nepal, especially in families unable to provide for basic needs.”

But life had planned a path of education for Shristi. She went to school in the morning, and in the afternoon, she sat with her parents and learned how to sew clothes, hoping to help  with the pile of workload. She loved learning with her parents. Her father was a really good teacher. They let her sew ripped clothes, and clothes for dolls. That soon turned out to be the after-school activity that she looked forward to.

Sometimes, Shristi hoped her father could be a teacher at a school where he would earn a salary and fulfill their basic needs. But wistful thinking is seldom fulfilled, as Shristi knew.

“Even though my parents were not doing well, they never gave up because they didn’t possess any other skills they could use to earn an income. They got married young, even before they knew what life was going to be like. They never learned how to write their names. So you can imagine they would have many stepping stones to reach their goals and dreams. ”

Shristi says that there were many activities she wanted to do besides tailoring, like joining the Kopila Valley School girls’ soccer team, or playing badminton or volleyball, but  she knew bigger responsibilities lay ahead for her. She never took any extracurricular activities that required her time and expense because she couldn’t afford both. She helped with the household chores and looked after her younger siblings.

“But I found my dream even though I wasn’t looking for it,” she smiles. “Dance became my heartbeat.”

Shristi seized any opportunity to dance during school programs. She brought the very soul of understanding the value of culture in her dance. She would perform on ‘Magar songs,’ ‘Newari songs,’ ‘Tharu songs,’ (all traditional dances) and many more. Students, parents and audiences looked forward to her performances and cheered her on.

“Everyone complimented my dancing skills and the energy I put into it,” When asked if she took any dancing classes, Shristi says, “No. Dance classes were a luxury. But thankfully, Kopila Valley School urged me to participate in dance competitions, clubs, Talent Tuesday, and any festivals and programs. Every day my dancing skills got better as I gave more performances. And I couldn’t ask for anything more.”

After her graduation in the year 2023, Shristi weighed her options.  While all of her friends ventured into the world, chasing their dreams, she stayed back and took some time to think. Being the first person in her family to pursue further education, she realized she would now be the only source of financial support for her family. Shristi had always shouldered the responsibility of caring for her younger siblings, but now she wanted to help her parents who raised her and instilled in her the importance of family and community support from an early age. She also recognized her family’s pressing need for financial stability.

After some thoughtful reflection, she decided that it would be best and affordable to pursue a BBS (Bachelor in Business Studies) in her own town.  She REALLY wanted to join a fine arts course where she would get to take dance classes. But she soon realized that it wasn’t going to be enough. Her dream was not going to sustain her goal.  She knew that gaining a business degree would help her parent’s tailor shop. Shristi wanted to learn all the correct business terms and strategies for growth.

Shristi joined Gyan Sindhu College in Surkhet, pursuing BBS. She is currently in her first year. Although she was not able to pursue her dancing dream full-time, this is not where her dreams end.

Shristi is a Dance Instructor Trainee at Kopila Valley School! Drawing from the skills and values she gained during her time at KVS, coupled with pivotal experiences performing in music videos, concerts, and programs, she is now transferring her love for dancing to her junior sisters and brothers.

“Honestly, I can’t even ask for more. I’m pursuing a degree which will help my parents, all the while working a job I LOVE! Plus, I get to help my family financially.” Shristi expresses, “You know, life isn’t always full of hope. But what you do to raise that hope is completely on you. I am constantly working on my hopes and dreams but also my goal. I am a leader, I always have been, ever since I was born as the first child.”

Shristi is shouldering a life that many would not be able to lift. But as she puts it perfectly, “I focus on the step in front of me, not the entire staircase. And that is why I am able to do both, pursue BBS and teach dance.”

If you’re wondering, she still helps her parents in the tailor shop. Her skills have improved and now she can decrease the pile of her parent’s work whenever she has time.