A Karnali teen who has come of age early

Susan Sapkota initiated the ‘Go Green Go Clean’ campaign in Surkhet at the age of 12. Now 17, he wears multiple hats, advocating ecological preservation and addressing issues like menstrual hygiene and sexual health.

Despite being just an eighth-grade student and facing criticism like “This is the age to study, not to roam outside. Why are you wasting your time?”, 12-year-old Susan Sapkota embarked on a journey to make a positive impact on his environment. If the quote ‘Age is just a number’ had a face, it would be Sapkota. Despite his young age, his determination to do something good for society was significant, leading him to initiate an environmental campaign, ‘Go Green Go Clean’, in Surkhet at the age of 12. Now 17, he wears many hats—an environmentalist, campaigner, organiser and facilitator of various movements and campaigns related to the environment, sexual and reproductive health, menstrual hygiene, mental health and more.