Every year 10th grade students and their families wait nervously as the results of the national examinations, known as the School Leaving Certificate (SLC) are published. It was that time of the year again earlier in June. With no specific date given for when the results for the exams would be released, the students were all waiting anxiously to find out whether they passed or not, and if they passed how well they did. 6 of our scholars from Shikarapur School, Setidevi School – Sokhel and Setidevi School – Talku were in this situation this year.
We are extremely proud of our 6 SLC graduates who did exceptionally well:(clockwise from the top) Deepika, Pooja, Asmita, Saraswoti, Kritika, and Sujata.
On June 18, 2016 the nervous wait was over, and we are so proud to announce that all of our Rukmini scholars who had taken the exams passed with fantastic results. This year there were changes to the way the exams were scored as Nepal has started to adopt the grading system that is familiar to US students where you receive a letter grade instead of a numerical “mark”. Deepika, Kritika and Pooja all received an A, Asmita and Sujata both received a B+ and Saraswoti received a B. This was a tough year for these girls considering the hardships they had to endure with the earthquake, harsh winter, food shortages due to the India blockade, and the countless days the schools were closed. Despite all of this they endure and ultimately prevailed and got past the so called ‘iron gates” of SLC with exceptional results. Their hard work and perseverance is a force to be reckoned with, and we know these girls will make us proud in their future endeavors.
Deepika Balami, Shikrarapur School – 3.5 GPA (A)
When I first met Deepika, I was immediately impressed with her confidence and her ambition. She knew exactly what she wanted to do in life – get good grades in the SLC exams and get into an engineering school. Not only has she achieved academic success by getting an A in her SLC, she is also a very talented singer and is often seen participating in school functions. Her enthusiasm is contagious and we know she will spread positivity wherever she goes.
Asmita Acharya, Shikharapur – 3.1 GPA (B+)
Asmita’s warm smile and quiet demeanor was very comforting, and I felt that she was very mature and grounded. Her father is a sole earner for their family of five and despite having to help out with the household chores and taking care of her two siblings, Asmita worked hard and made us all proud by getting a B+. She wants to continue her studies and we wish her all the best for the future and will provide what support we can.
Kritika Bista, Setidevi School Sokhel – 3.4 GPA (A)
Kritika is our very own tough cookie! She walks 3 miles to get to school every day and proved that hard work pays off by getting an A in her SLC results. Her dream is to join the Nepal Army when she finishes her studies, as she believes in protecting her country and her fellow citizens. We know Kritika has the brains, the brawn, and the perseverance and we feel safe knowing someone like her wants to protect our nation.
Sujata KC, Setidevi School Sokhel – 2.95 GPA (B+)
Sujata aspires to be a doctor and having gotten great results for her SLC – we believe she can make her dream come true if she continues to work hard in her studies. Sujata’s family had to overcome a lot of challenges the past year. With both parents having to work and still not earning enough to support the family, the earthquake and the devastation had further deteriorated their situation. Despite all this, her family have always been supportive of Sujata’s education and we know they will keep encouraging her to follow her dreams.
Sarasowti KC, Setidevi School Sokhel – 2.85 GPA (B)
Sarasowti has not had an easy life. Coming from a family of six, both of her parents work as laborers and they still don’t have enough to make ends meet. This has led Saraswoti to devote a lot of time doing household chores, time she would have loved to spent studying instead. However despite this hardship, Saraswoti has passed with great results and has shown her ability to excel even during the toughest time. We are proud of Saraswoti and believe she will continue to work hard in the future.
Pooja Balami, Setidevi School Talku – 3.5 GPA (A)
Pooja made a lot of sacrifices to go to school. She left her parent’s house at a young age and went to live with her uncle so that she could be closer to school and achieve her dream. Her dedication to education has been reflected in the A she got and we are extremely proud of her. Pooja’s love for science has inspired her to become a doctor and we know she will excel in anything she puts her heart and mind into.
The stories from our scholars demonstrate that their success goes beyond academic excellence. Each of our Rukmini scholars had to overcome personal challenges of their own – hurdles that one can’t imagine a 10th grader having to face. These girls are truly inspirational! Each of them have proven to us that with the right support and mentorship, no matter what the challenges may be in their life, they will emerge victorious. Please join me in congratulating our Rukmini Scholars for their wonderful achievement.
Priti Bhattarai
Vice President, Rukmini Foundation
- Former Scholars lead their first ever Didi Program - January 18, 2017
- Ogyen shares her story of resilience and hope - November 27, 2016
- Rukmini scholars and LitClub Nepal #StandupforGirls - November 21, 2016
- Celebrating 5 Years of the Rukmini Journey & 5 Key Lessons Learned - October 29, 2016
- Rukmini Didis Show Holiday Spirit to Bring Cheer for Scholars in Need - October 8, 2016
