CMS Memorial Academy Background:
- Born to a middle-class Nepali family on July 26, 1943, Chhori Maiya grew up in Patan, Kathmandu. Chhori Maiya had to take care of her younger brothers and sisters, and do most of the household chores. All her duties made it hard for her to get to school regularly. After a couple years, Chhori Maiya finally had to give up her dream of going to school and
she quit.
- At the age of 22, Chhori Maiya married Rup Kumar Shrestha, a middle-class man. The couple left Kathmandu for Bairahawa, where Chhori Maiya gave birth to her first baby girl. They lived in Bhairahawa only two years before moving again - this time to Waling, Nepal. The family lived there for 18 years, and Chhori Maiya gave birth to 5 more children. Altogether she had 4 girls and 2 boys. These children were the loves of her life.
- In 1984, Chori Maiya and her family moved to Bhimad, Nepal. There her husband owned a small grocery story, but he was gone on business trips most of the time. Chhori Maiya was left to raise the children by herself for the majority of her married life. Chhori made sure her children made it to school every day! Money was scarce and sometimes Chhori went to bed with an empty stomach, but Chhori Maiya made sure her children's education was provided for. She never let go of her dream to attend school, and was determined her kids would have the opportunity she never had.
- Chhori Maiya and her family had been happy before moving to Bhimad, but there life was hard. Since her husband was gone so much, and Chhori Maiya had made the children her priority, the business was failing. To make matters worse, some people of Bhimad were cruel. Because of her husband’s frequent absence and differing political views, community leaders looted her business in broad daylight. Chhori Maiya had to fight these people on her own.
- Chhori Maiya also had to stand up to her children’s teachers who attempted to hurt her through unfair treatment of her children. To Chhori Maiya, whose children were her world, this was devastating.
- Chhori Maiya lived in Bhimad for years with these difficulties, but she did it for her children. Like her, Chhori Maiya’s kids were hard-working role models in the village. She was waiting for them to finish school and do some good in the world.
- Chhori was a kind-hearted, hard-working, brave and honest woman. She had a heart for helping children and poor people. Though she was poor, too, she always put others before herself. If Chhori Maiya had any free time, she encouraged village women to learn skills, read books and guide their children in making good decisions in their lives. Chhori encouraged villagers to send their children to school. The women of the community never forget her, because she was a blessing to their families.
- At the age of 57, Chhori Maiya came down with Hepatitis E, a water-borne infection. She didn’t want to upset her children’s studies, so she didn’t hell them about her illness until it was too late.
- Chhori Maiya passed away on January 24, 2001, after three months of unsuccessful treatments. She died in a teaching hospital in Kathmandu where her youngest son had just started an internship as a new doctor. Chhori Maiya died happy. She had seen her children grow up the way she’d hoped and knew they would go on to do great things with their lives.
- Chhori Maiya Shrestha was a good person and a great mother. She had a passion for learning, teaching and serving. Her dream to serve underprivileged children is unfinished, but her children are working to fulfill the dream through this memorial named after their mother: the Chhori Maiya Shrestha Memorial Academy.
