I was born to a large family of farmers with seven children living high in a remote village of the Himalayas. The conditions were harsh, and life was even more challenging. However, our very existence depended on our ability to farm to sustain us throughout the year, especially in the winter months.

In late 2000, when I was seven years old, a few other children and I were given an opportunity for a better life by Lama Tenzin Choegyal. I had never been away from home, so traveling to India was a little scary, where everything was different, unfamiliar, and new. I had never taken a bath; I had never been in a vehicle. Upon our arrival, we were overwhelmed the many beautiful gifts we were given, including new clothes and toiletries.

Following high school graduation, I took a gap year to learn about community service and think about my future education. After the gap year and the disappointment of being unable to obtain a student visa to study in the U.S., I enrolled in Siddhartha Law College to pursue a BBA LLB law degree. A BBA LLB degree is a five-year undergraduate program focusing on commerce and business administration and intricate law and governance details. I am proud to say I graduated in 2020 despite the interruption due to COVID during my final semester. Currently, I am pursuing a master’s degree in Law (LLM) at Chandigarh University.

I am most grateful to Lama Tenzin and his family but equally thankful to the incredible sponsors who saw the possibility of truly making a difference in our lives. I would have never had the opportunity to study law at the university. I appreciate all of the help you have given me.