Letter from Som Paneru: Empowering the next generation
The following is a version of a letter from NYF President Som Paneru. The letter was featured in a mailing in September 2024, sent to select NYF friends in North America. If you’d like to receive stories like this in the mail, please let us know. We hope you enjoy reading about the NYF Community’s heartfelt efforts to empower the next generation of children in Nepal!
Dear NYF Community,
This year, as we all commit to keeping Olga’s promise—now our shared promise—I often find myself reflecting on Olga didi’s inspirational impact on generations of Nepal’s young people. I am so grateful to you for making this remarkable work possible.
Nepali culture is deeply rooted in relationships, and in exchanges between each generation. Our language is full of special family-oriented terms of respect. Additionally, multigenerational homes are very common here. And our most cherished festivals highlight blessings offered to children from their elders.
In the early years, as our beneficiaries began to reach adulthood, Olga was tremendously proud that many of the children we supported began joining our efforts to empower the next generation of children. Their support, combined with the enthusiasm of our loving community in the U.S. and beyond, allowed our work to expand far beyond our expectations.
This trend has continued throughout NYF’s 34-year history. More and more, graduates are using their success to “pay it forward” for the next generation of NYF students. Even the children of long-time NYF staff members have joined our work!
Recently, I received a heartfelt email (below) from Nishant Mahat, the son of long-time NYF team member Reeta Mahat. When Reeta joined the NYF team in 2001, Nishant was only nine years old. Reeta had never anticipated needing to financially support her family. But she found a job at NYF at exactly the right time—and she has been a crucial team member ever since.
Nishant’s Heartfelt Email
To: Som Paneru
From: Nishant Mahat
Subject: Contribution to NYF
Dear Som Uncle,
I have seen NYF grow over the years very closely and it gives me immense pleasure that NYF continues to carry on Olga didi’s dream of making lives better for the most vulnerable in our society.
Among many things, what distinguishes NYF from other NGOs is the integrity it shows in delivering aid to the ones who really need it. As you know, my mother is one of the earliest staffs in NYF and I have witnessed first-hand the passion, devotion and sincerity that she puts into her work. That kind of devotion would not be possible if her work was not making an impact on lives of others. Her dedication strengthens my trust in NYF.
While NYF’s work of helping Nepali children and youth deservedly gets credit, I think what is often overlooked is the impact it has on its staffs’ life and family.
Without my mother’s job at NYF our lives would have turned out very differently and not in a good way. Sushant, Sidhant and I always considered ourselves beneficiaries of NYF. So, it is time I think I give something back.
The idea of giving back has always driven us. Sushant has donated to NYF before and his company matches his donation. Sidhant, when he was here, also made contributions. Therefore, it would be an honor for me to contribute to NYF as well.
Sincerely,
Nishant Mahat
The Mahat Brothers: Supporting NYF
Today, Nishant is a successful software engineer in Kathmandu. His younger brother Sushant works in the U.S. at a leading-edge tech company.
Their youngest brother, Sidhant, unfortunately passed away while hiking in Colorado in 2022. He was pursuing his master’s degree in computer science and already supported NYF whenever he could. His family finds comfort in knowing that Sidhant’s spirit of generosity lives on in the kids he helped to empower.
I was very moved by Nishant’s email. His thoughtful compassion clearly shows that he is following in his mother’s (and brothers’) footsteps. And his desire to give back to NYF to support the next generation of Nepal’s children means much more than financial numbers.
Caste Equality Project Updates & Next Steps
Now, I want to take this moment to share this one-pager which provides an overview of our Caste Equality Project work from the past year. It also includes exciting next steps. Photos from Saptari District remind me of the early days of the Indentured Daughters program. In 2000 and 2001, we had no idea how much we would accomplish by empowering young Tharu women to reject oppressive systems and demand change. Thanks to support from people like you, in just 20 years, childhood indentured servitude changed from a day-to-day reality in their communities to an illegal, widely-rejected relic of the past.
Now, with support from you and young, inspired Nepali people like Nishant, Sushant, and Sidhant, we are building that same momentum in Dalit-majority villages in Saptari District.
We hope you’ll help us keep our transformative shared promise by making a generous gift today.
Onward!
Som Paneru
NYF President