Neesha Koirala

School Nurse

It was always my dream to become a nurse. As a child, I watched hospital vehicles pass through my neighborhood and imagined myself inside one – not as a patient, but a caregiver. I am proud to be the first in my family to pursue a career in health.

When I first joined the school, the situation was heartbreaking. There were four to five student suicides every year. Some senior staff had normalized this, saying, "It’s a big school – at least one student will die each year." I couldn’t accept that. I knew something had to change. Discipline was another major concern – students would talk back to teachers, gang fights were common, and bullying was rampant.

Last year, I participated in a mental health training organized by the Nursing and Social Security Division of the Department of Health Services with WHO support. The training, focusing on Social Emotional Learning (SEL), was highly interactive, opening my eyes to the emotional landscapes children navigate every day. We discussed issues like bullying and mental health, and together we created strategies to support students. It was here that I met Dr. Amit, and together with other participants, we formed a group to share insights and challenges. I would often post about issues I was facing at school, and the feedback and interventions I received helped me realize something vital – we cannot fight these issues alone. Collaboration and coordination are essential.

Post-training, I initiated a regular SEL class every Friday, especially focusing on Grade 7 students. Other teachers have remarked how they’ve observed significant behavioral improvements in students. With support from the school principal and teachers, I organize mental health awareness activities during key health days. We conduct awareness rallies, organize interactive programs with hospitals and co-create awareness videos with students on topics like drug abuse and tobacco. Teachers have also now understood their role as role models. They realized that behaviors like smoking or chewing tobacco in front of students sent harmful messages. Many of them changed, and this ripple effect started shaping a healthier school environment.

One of our most significant initiatives was a mass mental health screening of 626 students from Grades 6 to 10. My colleague, Ghanashayam Sir, and I categorized the students based on risk levels and ensured support was provided accordingly. This year, for the first time since I joined, we have not recorded a single student suicide. That, to me, is the most meaningful sign of progress.

Photo credit for all images: WHO Nepal/S.Shrestha