Dreaming in digital: Amrit’s eye on the prize
‘‘When I was at high school studying, I thought I need to do something in computing. A teacher gave us a lecture on how a computer works and that inspired me.’’
Amrit Pant
The likelihood of a career in IT seemed as remote as the Nepal village Amrit Pant grew up in.
Not only were there no computers in Birta Deurali, east of Kathmandu, there was no electricity – bar the sparks in the young man’s head.
‘‘When I did my high school studies there were no roads and no electricity, there was nothing there,’’ Pant, who came from a large farming family, said.
‘‘When I was at high school studying, I thought I need to do something in computing. A teacher gave us a lecture on how a computer works and that inspired me. It was just a dream when I was in high school.’’
Pant, now 35, is in his second year of studying for a bachelor of information and communications technology at UCOL in Palmerston North, where he has received the Andrew Cliff Award scholarship.
His wife Sabrita had already been in New Zealand studying nursing at UCOL.
She returned to Nepal and they got married, before the pair moved to New Zealand in 2014. Sabrita is now a hospice nurse.
Once Pant moved here he focused on improving his English before starting the IT course last year.
He is thankful of the support he has received in Manawatu¯ and once he finishes studying he plans to stick around.
‘‘My first choice is Palmerston North. If I finish the course I’ve got a degree from here and I want to work here. Palmerston North is a really cool place.’’
Pant does volunteer work with the Manawatu¯ Bhutanese Society, where he teaches children about computers and helps the society with graphic design and social media.
He said Nepal and Bhutan had similar languages and culture, so it was easy to connect with the group.
Other scholarship recipients are beauty services student Munu Karki, who was awarded the Paul Mcelroy Scholarship, nursing student Tania Frank, who won the UCOL Scholarship for effort and achievement, and applied management student Chloe Maxwell, who has received the Jaycee Trust Scholarship.