NEPALGUNJ/KATHMANDU, Nov 19: Some five years ago, a young woman who had appeared before the chief district officer (CDO) of Surkhet started sobbing when he said to her, "Please go away... I cannot recommend the extension of your visa."
Recalling the incident, Maya Thapa, a local who was accompanying her, tried to comfort her. "Don't worry. I'll find some way," Thapa said.
CNN Hero Doyne helping people in dire need (with video)
Those words revived her hopes. Thapa quoted her as saying, "I left everything and came here to help the children but the government wants to chase me away." Maggie Doyne added that she liked to stay on as she had found happiness and realized her dream here.
She had not sought anything extraordinary from the government. She had asked for a residential visa as she had already lived here for three years on a tourist visa after opening a school in Surkhet district for needy children.
Once granted a residential visa, she did not have to keep returning to her native USA.
On Wednesday, Maggie was named the 2015 CNN Hero of the Year for her love and care for hundreds of needy children in Nepal. The world has duly recognized her extraordinary social service in a country on the other side of the globe.
Apart from the recognition, the award carries a sum of 100,000 US dollars for her BlinkNow Foundation. She also won 10,000 dollars for being among the top 10 CNN Heroes of the year.
The New Jersey native who first visited Nepal 10 years ago, started caring for orphans and children from poor families right from the beginning.
Start of a dream
As a teenager, Maggie used to deposit in a bank account all the money she got as birthday gifts and pocket money from her parents. Friends at school would wonder why she was so passionate about collecting money.
Every single penny that she collected and spent for community service has led the 28-year-old to becoming the CNN Hero, the annual award of the American Television network.
Maggie came to Nepal just after the decade-long Maoist insurgency ended in 2005 and saw for herself the sufferings of women and children during her two-year stay. Their struggle to survive inspired her to help the children, she said.
She came here after visiting India. She had just $5,000, which she had earned from babysitting. She did not have any big dreams, but just wanted to help the children affected by the conflict. She was especially interested in their education.
According to locals, she worked for two years with the community to build the Kopila Valley Children's Home for conflict-affected children. It is now home to about 50 orphans.
There were just five to seven children in the facility when she started. At that time, she didn't have sufficient funds. But that did not prevent her from expanding her social work, and soon the school was overcrowded. In 2010, she opened Kopila Valley School in Birendranagar, which today has 400 students. The school teaches up to grade 10 and the education is free.
Maggie then started the BlinkNow Foundation to help expand her initiatives. She now lives mostly in Nepal, and travels to the US a few times a year to mobilize funds for the school.
Expressing her happiness at being given the CNN Hero award, Maggie said, "I am super excited. This is the best day ever of my life! I cannot believe this."
The CNN award has strengthened her determination to realize her dream of starting a residential school for Nepali children.
"This award is not just for me, but also for my children in Nepal and all Nepalis," she told Republica from the US.
"I feel immensely proud to be welcomed by Nepal as her own daughter. The situation in Nepal is quite depressing. I just hope Nepal continues in the path of peace. I hope we care for our children, provide love and education," she added.
As per Surkhet-based Republica correspondent Nagendra Upadhyay, Maggie Skyped her school children in Birendranagar right after the award ceremony in New York on Wednesday.
"I won the world's biggest award. At this happiness, I miss you all," Maggie told them.
Replying to her, 15-year-old Hima Tamata could not contain her happiness and her eyes filled with tears. "This award is for all Kopila Valley School children like me," Hima said.
