Ramila’s powerful call for inclusion
Ramila, a deaf girl from Sindhuli, became Finland’s Ambassador to Nepal for a day, using her platform to champion inclusion and inspire change.
Ramila is leading with her hands, heart, and hope
When 17-year-old Ramila from Sindhuli walked into the Embassy of Finland in Kathmandu, she carried more than excitement, she carried the voices of deaf girls across Nepal.
As part of the Plan International GirlsTakeover initiative, Ramila, a deaf student and advocate for inclusive education, took over the role of H.E. Petri Puhakka, Finland’s Ambassador to Nepal. For one day, she stepped into a position of power to show what inclusion and leadership truly look like.
A day to learn, lead, and inspire
Ramila’s day as Ambassador was filled with learning and connection. She met with embassy staff, representatives from the European Union Delegation to Nepal, UN Women, and an organisation- Loo Niva. Together, they discussed the importance of making youth engagement spaces more inclusive and collecting more stories of women and girls with disabilities.
“During my tenure as Ambassador, I am glad to learn about Finland’s best practices in law, regulation, and ensuring the rights of people with disabilities. I hope Nepal will soon learn good things from Finland and adopt them,” Ramila shared through her sign language interpreter.
“During my tenure as Ambassador, I am glad to learn about Finland’s best practices in law, regulation, and ensuring the rights of people with disabilities. I hope Nepal will soon learn good things from Finland and adopt them.”
H.E. Ramila, Finland’s Ambassador to Nepal for a day
Discovering Finland through Ramila
Throughout the day, Ramila learned fascinating things about Finnish culture and people.
She was surprised to know that the famous Moomin cartoon was created in Finland, a symbol of creativity that connects people worldwide. She smiled when she received a cup with a Moomin imprint as a gift from the Ambassador.
“I learned that despite Finland’s cold winters, Finnish people enjoy ice cream all year round and love picking wild berries in the forests. And I got to know about sauna, a tradition deeply tied to Finnish wellbeing, a place where people relax, reflect, and reconnect.”
Over lunch at the Ambassador’s residence, which she described as a “fusion of European and Asian cuisines,” Ramila shared her experiences as a deaf girl in Nepal.
“It has only been 3 months since I began my tenure as Ambassador to Nepal, and being part of the Girls Takeover has shown me that girls with disabilities can lead, influence, and inspire,” said H.E. Petri Puhakka, Ambassador of Finland to Nepal. “Ramila’s leadership reminds us of the importance of making our programmes and approaches inclusive, allocating resources, and consulting with deaf girls like her to ensure their voices are truly represented.”
“Ramila’s leadership reminds us of the importance of making our programmes and approaches inclusive, allocating resources, and consulting with deaf girls like her to ensure their voices are truly represented.”
H.E. Petri Puhakka, Finland’s Ambassador to Nepal
The silent struggles behind the smile
Ramila’s journey has not been easy. She was born with hearing ability, but by the time she turned 3, she had gradually lost her hearing. Her parents still don’t know why.
“If the health facility in my village had been better equipped, maybe they could have treated me,” she shared. “But I still feel lucky that I was able to study at a school for the deaf.”
“If the health facility in my village had been better equipped, maybe they could have treated me.”
H.E. Ramila, Finland’s Ambassador to Nepal for a day
At her school in Sindhuli, there are children from 55 districts. Most of them, like Ramila, live away from their families, spending 10 months in the hostel and only 2 months at home.
“It’s hard for deaf children to leave their parents and adapt to a new environment,” she said. “But at school, we find our second home.”
Nepal’s sign language currently has only around 5,000 words, making it difficult to express everything students want to learn. The school has teachers who use sign language, but they are not trained interpreters.
“We try our best to communicate, but there are times when we can’t understand everything,” Ramila explained. “For deaf girls, it’s especially hard to communicate in hospitals, police stations, or government offices.”
She believes every public facility should mandatorily have a sign language interpreter, with government budget allocation to make it possible.
“If interpreters were available everywhere, we would not feel invisible,” she said.
“If interpreters were available everywhere, we would not feel invisible.”
H.E. Ramila, Finland’s Ambassador to Nepal for a day
A call for inclusive education
As the Finnish Embassy continues to support education in Nepal, Ramila made one clear request, to make education inclusive for all.
“There is no inclusive school in my village. I had to live far away from home to study,” she shared. “I hope one day, children like me can go to school near their parents, where communication is not a barrier but a bridge.”
Ramila is now a Grade 11 student at a deaf school. She has served as President of the school’s child club, school captain, and continues to lead her peers with confidence.
“I recently participated in training on Safe, Responsible, and Effective Use of AI and Digital Content Creation, using digital tools to campaign for equality and inclusion. I also contributed to the Girls’ Manifesto, calling for stronger action to end child marriage and gender-based violence.”
Through her leadership and courage, Ramila reminds us that every girl, regardless of her hearing, background, or language, deserves to be heard and to lead.
“When girls lead,” Ramila signs with a bright smile, “change truly happens.”
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