Ashma Thapa’s story began even before she took her first breath. While her mother was five months pregnant, her father left the family simply because he wanted a son. Instead of joy, her birth was met with disappointment in her father’s absence. Yet, in that moment of rejection, her mother chose courage she chose to bring Ashma into the world and raise her against all odds.
Her mother’s life has been defined by struggle. At just 12 years old, she left for Kathmandu to work as a domestic helper in a Rana household, enduring long hours, little food, and no comfort. Even after marriage, hardship continued. Her husband became an alcoholic, sold her jewelry to feed his addiction, and eventually abandoned the family, leaving her alone with two daughters.
As a single mother, she faced constant judgment from society. People told her that a woman with two daughters had no value. But she refused to accept that narrative. For ten years, she worked relentlessly from dawn to late night, sacrificing her health and dreams just to ensure her daughters could survive and study.
Ashma, the younger daughter, grew up fully aware of these sacrifices. When she was sent to a hostel, she did not cry—she understood it was an act of love and necessity. Together with her sister, she spent ten years at Peace and Beautiful Children Welfare (PBCW) and studied at Toran Navajeevan Secondary School, where education became her only hope and her way of honoring her mother’s struggle.
She worked hard and became a disciplined, sincere student. Though she sometimes faced judgment as a “hostel child,” she turned that stigma into strength. During the COVID-19 period, financial hardship deepened, and after completing Grade 10, she began working to support herself. She funded her own Grade 11 and 12 education at Brilliant Multiple College, ensuring her mother would not carry that burden alone.
Her dream was to study Psychology and Social Work at Kathmandu Model College, but the cost of higher education made it feel out of reach. At that difficult moment, she learned about UGo Nepal. Applying for the scholarship became a turning point filled with hope.
When she was selected, it was not only her happiest moment but also her mother’s. For the first time, she saw relief replace exhaustion in her mother’s eyes.
Today, Ashma continues her studies with full determination, committed to making her mother proud and transforming her sacrifices into purpose. Her goal is to build a life where she can support her mother and become a voice for girls who come from broken homes, poverty, and silence.
UGo Nepal did not only support her education it restored her hope. And now, she carries one belief forward: being a “second daughter” is not a weakness, but her greatest strength.
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