From Nepalese Brick Factory to London Marathon

Here's the story of a girl's dream coming true.

Asma training in Nepal

My name is Asma. I grew up as one of six children in Nepal. After losing our mother

when I was ten, life with my father and stepmother became difficult. My older sister

left for Kathmandu at fourteen to find work.

At eleven, influenced by friends, I ran away from home hoping for something better.

Instead, I ended up working at a brick factory. My sister found me and brought me to work with her at a guesthouse, where things were only slightly better. I worked long hours for very little pay. I wanted an education, but it wasn’t possible. I saw the owner's children go to school each day, and I began teaching myself to read and write using their old schoolbooks after my shifts ended.

Rescued

I worked at the guesthouse for four years until Child Rescue Nepal rescued me in

January 2019. At sixteen, I finally received some informal education before enrolling

in school at grade five. During this time, I discovered running. I joined a running course and found I had an aptitude for trail marathons. I've participated in many races in the Himalayas and have won many medals.  My longest race was 160 kilometres, which took me 39

hours to complete. This has earned me recognition and some prize money.

Learning New Skills

At nineteen, I moved into Child Rescue Nepal’s halfway house in Kathmandu. There

I learned many practical skills like cooking, budgeting and assertiveness, while living

alongside others with similar backgrounds.

My siblings have found their own paths – my eldest sister works abroad, two siblings

are with another organisation, and two live with relatives. We're all doing well now.

I was desperate to join the Nepalese army, but I wasn’t tall enough. However

recently my dreams have come true as I have been accepted into the armed police.

The Marathon Challenge

I was amazed when Child Rescue Nepal offered me a place in the London Marathon

and invited me to the UK. It's a dream come true to compete internationally and to

leave Nepal for the first time. I've never travelled outside my country before. I've

never even seen the sea, as Nepal is landlocked.

My visa is approved, and I'll arrive in London on Easter Saturday. I'm aiming to

complete the marathon in three hours – a challenging but achievable goal based on

my previous races.

Beyond The Race

I'm looking forward to experiencing things I've never seen before. I'm also excited to

see Tower Bridge and Buckingham Palace. Every day I watch videos of the London Marathon on Youtube. I know I'll be running alongside people dressed as fridges and rhinos, which I can’t really imagine! I want to participate in a park run during my visit as well.

One of the main things I’m looking forward to is meeting the Child Rescue Nepal

supporters whose generous donations have changed my life. And running the

marathon also provides an opportunity to raise awareness for children still needing to

be rescued.

From working in a brick kiln to running an international marathon – my journey shows

what's possible with support and determination. Each mile I run in London represents

both my personal journey and the potential future for other children in Nepal still

needing help.

You can sponsor me here: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/asma

The London Marathon takes place on Sunday 27 April.