Change in Nepal
Amid today’s national and international news, Education Now 2.0 would like to share a firsthand account of the youth uprising in Nepal, told from a young person’s perspective. Though they would like to remain anonymous we hope you will take a moment to read their thoughtful reflection below.
I have always loved to say, “Nepal was Heaven ruled by devils.” Politics has never gotten along with Nepal. Since the nation was born, it has been drowning in political instability. A recent example is the 2025 Nepalese Gen Z protests. Media often claimed the protests happened because of social media restrictions. That is partly true, but it doesn’t tell the full story. The protests were about corruption. When people spoke up online, the government banned it, giving illogical excuses. That ban sparked outrage.
I was never part of the protest itself. The day it was announced, I knew it would turn aggressive. A few months ago, a right-wing activist’s so-called peaceful protest had turned violent, and some people had lost their lives. I knew history would repeat itself, and unfortunately, I was correct. The authorities did not hesitate to shoot the protestors. The police, who are supposed to protect us, even raided a nearby hospital not to assist anyone, but to inflict more harm. I felt like I was in a dystopian movie. I was shocked and could not believe something so barbaric could happen in my own country. Sentences such as “Who do you call when police murders” were trending on social media, which had been banned, but people found ways to access them.
After this horrible day, I was convinced Nepalese would simply forget it, since we have a history of saying “you only live once” or “we don’t care.” The moment I realized I was wrong was overwhelming. My fellow Nepalese did not ignore what had happened; they were furious that the government had killed young men. This time, it was not only Gen Z everyone was angry. The curfew imposed earlier did not stop them. The police gave up, and many people marched into corrupt politicians’ houses, burned them, and even assaulted the former Prime Minister and his wife, who was the foreign minister. I stayed indoors for safety, but my friends, who played a major role on the second day of the protest, kept me updated constantly. Later, I found myself reading a headline I had expected next month: “The Prime Minister Resigned.”
From now on, I think it is more of a revolution, because this didn’t align with the definition of the word “protest.”
On the third day, I was more anxious and overthinking than ever, as anarchists entered abruptly, taking advantage of the absence of authorities. I felt extremely vulnerable, almost ambushed and completely helpless, as if I could be robbed or killed at any moment. It was not only me; my friends and family shared the same fear. Even hearing the neighbor’s dog barking, which I had heard every night for the past three years, made me feel like someone was screaming and marching toward me with the intention of harming me. In hindsight, this period was far from pleasant. To make matters worse, thousands of prisoners escaped custody, which only made me feel more restless. Luckily, around 10 PM, when my mouth was dry and my legs were shaking, I heard that the army would take control of the city to stop the violent crimes. Suddenly, my eyelids grew heavy, and I had the best sleep.
Never in my life did I think I would be waiting for another headline, and never did I think I would see a government fall or my own parliament in flames while hoping everything would turn out all right. Ultimately, it felt surreal because it happened so quickly. I blinked, and the next thing I saw was flames and smoke.
