Why Choosing to Stay and Work in My Own Country Feels Like a Battle

Growing up, I always believed in staying in my country, working hard, and contributing to its growth. As a girl studying forestry, I envisioned myself protecting Nepal’s lush forests, advocating for sustainable practices, and being part of the solution to our environmental challenges. But as I started looking for work, I quickly realized that choosing to stay and make a difference in my own country feels like a battle I wasn’t prepared for.

Let’s start with the story of employment. It’s no secret that finding a job in Nepal, especially in fields like forestry or conservation, is a huge-huge challenge. The market is over-saturated, and positions are few. But what’s even more discouraging is how nepotism and political power seem to dominate every hiring process. Merit doesn’t seem to matter as much as who you know. I’ve seen qualified, passionate people being overlooked while others, who might not even care about the job, get it because they have connections.

There’s this sense of helplessness that begins to set in. You spend years studying, building your skills, and developing a genuine passion for your work, only to be shut out because someone with political influence or family ties swoops in and takes your spot. It’s disheartening and frustrating. People lose hope when they realize that hard work isn’t enough.

The power of politics in Nepal is another major hurdle. Job opportunities, even in the public sector, are often influenced by political affiliations. If you’re not aligned with the right group, you’re out of luck. This creates a cycle where many talented individuals, who could have brought innovation and change, are pushed to the sidelines. The political landscape creates an unfair system where young professionals feel they have no future unless they “play the game” or leave.

As more and more young people face these challenges, we’re seeing an increase in brain drain. Talented individuals are choosing to go abroad in search of better opportunities, where their hard work is rewarded, and they don’t have to navigate the corruption and nepotism at home. They’re not just leaving for education anymore—they’re taking their families with them. This isn’t just a temporary migration; it’s a permanent one.

This brings us to an alarming future that’s creeping up on us. Nepal currently benefits from remittance, with millions of people working abroad and sending money back home to support their families. But what happens when these families no longer live here? As more Nepalis move their entire families abroad, the remittance inflow will start to slow down. Eventually, it will stop. When there’s no one left in Nepal to receive the money, our economy, which heavily relies on this inflow, will face a serious crisis. The current system is unsustainable in the long run.

The real danger is that once people leave, they’re not coming back. And why would they? When the system here feels so broken, why would anyone want to return to face the same challenges of nepotism, lack of opportunity, and political manipulation? We are losing the very people who could rebuild our country—engineers, doctors, environmentalists, and skilled professionals who want to make a difference but are left with no choice but to leave.

This brain drain will have long-term effects. Without young, talented individuals staying to build up industries, our country will stagnate. The very sectors we need to develop—technology, infrastructure, education, and even environmental conservation—will lack the skilled workforce required to grow. Our country’s future is being taken abroad, and with it, our hope for progress.

So here I am, trying to stay, trying to make a difference, but feeling the weight of the system pressing down on me. It’s a battle every day—not just for employment, but for the right to be recognized based on my abilities, not on my connections. I know I’m not alone in this frustration.

Every day, I meet more people who feel the same—passionate, skilled individuals who want to work for the betterment of Nepal but feel crushed by the forces that hold them back.

It’s time we talk about these issues, openly and honestly. We need to acknowledge the broken system that’s driving our brightest minds away. We need reforms in employment practices, where merit matters more than political power. We need to create a country where young people can dream of a future here, not abroad.

If we don’t, the battle to stay will only grow harder. And soon, there may be no one left fighting.

Depressed Man