Personal History: When Jasmati was five years old her mother died of tuberculosis. Her father is visually impaired and unable to care for her, so she was placed in Balmandir Orphanage when she was 6 years old. Jasmati has an older sister named Ganga who was able to care for herself when her mother died. Ganga now lives in Katmandu and Jasmati visits her occasionally. During the Dashain holiday Jasmati visits her father in her village of birth.

What makes me special?: “Jasmati” means “flower” in Nepalese, and she is a beautiful, smart, and sweet girl who loves to basketball, dance, and sing. Her life ambition is to become an eye doctor, which she calls a “most important service for her people”. As an optometrist she would like to be able to help her father, who suffers from vision problems. Her “plan B” is to become an architect so that she can design houses. Jasmati is in the 5th grade and consistently ranks on the top of her class. Her favorite colors are black and white.