Exploring a world of possibilities

From the Solukhumbu to Jakarta, BMKF scholars are teaching, working, and learning. Five alumni are pursuing graduate degrees in Nepal, in business and education, and one is doing her thesis research in Indonesia (see below). Others are preparing for government positions. Two have new jobs!

Empowering girls in Nepal

Pema Sherpa ’15 (social work and rural development studies) has an exciting new job as field coordinator for Her-Turn, a NGO that offers education and empowerment workshops to girls in rural Nepal. Since graduating last year, Pema has kept busy. She recently completed a position as a field supervisor at her alma mater, Thames International College. In May, she traveled to Mustang, along with two other BMKF scholars, her sister Neema Sherpa '14 and Babita Sharma '16, to do water sanitation field survey for the Living Earth Institute.

Yami gets promoted!

Yami Jhakri Magar ’15 (business studies) was recently promoted to an accountant position at Hardik Hotel of Bagbazar, where she has been employed for the past eight months. When not working, Yami loves sports, especially basketball. She also has a champion outlook: “Because I am educated, I can compete with anyone for opportunities.”

Conducting thesis research in Jakarta

An interview with Grishma Manandhar '11

BMKF scholar Grishma Manandar ’11 is interning at GIZ, a German company that specializes in international development, while she conducts research for her master's thesis -- in Jakarta, Indonesia. Grishma, who majored in mechanical engineering, previously worked as a renewable energy consultant for an international nonprofit organization. She says she loved being able to make a difference for people in Nepal's remote communities. She also worked in India for a year.

In 2014,  Grishma was awarded a scholarship for a master’s degree in environmental leadership at the University of Flensburg in northern Germany.  She will spend three months total in Indonesia, before returning to Germany to finish her studies.

We recently caught up with her  for an interview:

How’s your German?

“I’m not fluent in German, but I can understand and speak basic things. My classes in Germany are taught taught in English. In Jakarta, I can kind of blend in. People talk to me in Bhasa.”

What’s the best thing about your graduate study experience?

“Meeting with friends who are from all over the world!"

Why Jakarta?

“I am working with GIZ to develop technology scenarios for green refrigeration, i.e. to see the savings in CO2 emissions by replacing ozone depleting and global warming refrigerants with natural refrigerants.”

How’s the research going?

“It’s stressful, because the sector I am focusing on is reluctant to give us the data -- even if it’s positive. The whole process of formalities is taking so long and the biggest constraint for me is the time. Here in Indonesia, they still use refrigerants which are banned in EU, USA, and even in Indonesia itself. So, basically, I am visiting supermarkets (that is my focus area) and collecting as much data as possible. In most of the refrigerators you can see the technical specification. I feel like a secret agent making notes and taking pictures. People look at me weirdly because I take pictures of these cards attached inside the refrigerators.”