Kathmandu, October 24, 2016:Â Samuel Ullman said, “Youth is the time of life; a state of mind; it is not a matter of Rosy cheeks, red lips and supple knees; it is a matter of the will, quality of the imagination, a vigour of the emotions. It is the freshness of the deep springs of life.” Therefore, youth forces are the herald of change who can transform country’s tomorrow.
Guided by the idea of making change that would make a difference and doing something productive during their summer vacation, Saharsha Raj Khatri and Ishan Mainali, both 17 years old, embarked the idea of ENLIGHTENING YOUNG SOUL while sipping coffee in their usual meet up in a coffee corner. Khatri said, “We were having a casual discussion on the possibilities of self-development. If only appropriate guidance was provided to us in our school days, our horizon of knowledge and experiences would have been a bigger and better one. If only we had the same opportunities, counseling and instruction we receive today that would give shape to our thinking.” Thus, they decided to share whatever they had learnt till date and started ‘Enlightening Young Soul’.
Not long ago as the idea was conceived, many showed interest in the project and many participated in their coffee-talks. “Unfortunately, the talks ended as the coffee mug emptied”, says Khatri. It was Saharsha and Ishan who laid the first stone towards building a HARSHEET NEPAL and took the courage and determination of taking a bold step towards this awakening journey. During the research, they found out a project called Shanti School Project, which linked them to Bishwamitra School in Jyamirkot where they begun their work. Saharsha said, “For now, we inspire people, make them identify their passions, bridge their passion to the real world and solve their local problems which aids in solving major global problems.” The major problems they identified were gambling, drugs and alcohol intakes, caste discrimination, gender inequality and brain drain. With these major loopholes that were hindering society’s development being identified, they came to a conclusion that the mindset of people needs to be changed for progress.
Just like every road has ups and downs, the road towards Harsheet Nepal was not an easy one. Though, the first ever step for a cause was not so challenging, what let their helping spirit ripped apart was the mentality of the people who thought that this selfless cause was meant to be a “certificate generating, some kind of volunteer program” that would apparently take them to greater heights leaving the village and its people far behind. “People would say that we would volunteer and spend a week there, pack our bags along with the certificate of volunteer and never come back,” says Saharsha. They were correct in their own terms since selfless service like social service today has somehow been hypocritical in which people believe that those volunteering are working for their betterment while the reality is stuck between certificates that add value to their CVS and making their own lives better,” he adds. However, this shattering experience made them much more determined. They understood people better and became much more committed.
Their movement is based on a sustainable approach. They have started a cause for change through children. The main reason for establishing enlightening young souls was inspiring the children and bridging their passions. Since children are the ones who now, if moulded to give a better shape, can lead to country’s development, they’ve chosen to work for children. Khatri adds, “Children now are more aware about the real world, they are making their parents aware about what should be done and what should not be done.”
As for the future plan, khatri says, “We will be collaborating with other NGOs and give them our expertise. We’ve got a hold of a promising team. We are growing hand by hand. We will mould ourselves as per the need of the situation.”
They have been aspiring youth with their wise thinking and perception towards making a difference. They say, “there are problems each of us face everyday and instead of just complaining about it, we can work and actually bring about some change.”
Proving that age is just a number, these young minds have been enlightening tomorrow’s Nepal by initiating change today. They believe that the seed they’ve sown today will be a big tree bearing fruits for all. Their enthusiasm led them to doing something exemplary which is certainly a boon to our society.
By Anusha Kadel
