Sanjay Basnet

Namaste! My name is Sanjay Basnet.
I was born to parents who both were slaves. My father was trafficked into
India at 12 years old. He served an upper-class Indian family and was beaten,
starved, and locked in the bathroom for days.

Starting at 5 years old, my mother was enslaved as a domestic. When she was
12, the man of the house started sexually assaulting her. She told her mother,
who said that was part of life and she just had to accept it.

My parents met and escaped to Nepal together. They were no longer slaves,
but still extremely poor and illiterate and could not afford school for me and
my brother. My family lived in one tiny room without running water,
electricity, or bedding.
The Blue Butterfly Foundation has supported my education since I was 11
years old. The first year, I didn’t speak English and failed every subject, so I
stayed up all night and studied. When I graduated, I received the highest
grades and was given the special award, “Best School Leader.”
Blessedly, I received a student visa and has been flourishing for the past two
years at SUNY Ulster. I am the Treasurer of the Student Government
Organization, a math tutor, and a member of Phi Beta Kappa.
My dream is to becom a human rights lawyer and an educator. I want to build
schools for all the kids like me. We have so much we can give if we are given
the chance.