Seema Chaudhary, 16, is a resident of Tikapur Municipality, Kailali District. She is a tenth grader at Birendra Vidhya Mandir and a GNI Nepal sponsored child since she was in grade three. She lives with her ex-bonded laborer (kamaiya) parents and a younger brother, also a GNI Nepal sponsored child. Both her father and mother are construction laborers. Seema is a bright and hardworking student. Among her sixty-eight classmates, she secured second position in her grade nine board exams with a decent 79%. Apart from academics, she has a gift for running which was discovered by the school sports and athletics coach, Arjun Thakulla, when she was in grade six.
Seema is a short-distance sprinter and has won many 400 and 800 meters sprinting competitions. So far, she has bagged medals in more than fifteen district level, regional, and national competitions. Among them, she came third in the President Running Shield Competition, a national level event held in Kathmandu, which is her most notable achievement till now.According to Arjun, her parents could not even afford to pay her grade ten admission fee of NRs. 3500, which the school later waived. She needed money to travel to and back from competitions and for accommodation, which the coach would pay out of his pockets.
In 2017, GNI Nepal to foster her sprinting talent provisioned funds for participating in major competitions (entry fee, room, board, travel), steady supply of nutritious diet, track-suits, jersey, slacks, inner vest, spiked running shoes and socks, accessories (water bag, armbands, watch, goggles, running hat), and a small allowance to her coach to enable him to travel with her to competitions. Seema needs external support for the coming three years until she reaches eighteen, the minimum age for enlisting in Nepal Army, which she is looking forward to eagerly. The armed forces is the most secure and favorable path for a career sportsperson in Nepal.
Seema’s mother shared her happiness, “we did not have the financial means to support our daughter for her games. Our family is very happy with the support GNI Nepal has provided her.” Arjun Thakulla, her coach shared, “First of all, thanks to Good Neighbors International Nepal for providing nutritious food and sports materials to Seema. If the organization supports her to train regularly and provides needed support, she will become an international sportsperson.” Along with regular classes, Seema is taking supplementary classes for her School Secondary Examinations (SEE) and training daily.
