A childhood that sparked compassion
Ritam is an only child, raised by middle-class parents who placed immense value on her education. They sent her to an all-girls Catholic school and later supported her decision to study social work in Kathmandu. Her parents also gave her something equally precious - independence.
“The fact that they were so invested in my education and so prepared to let me make my own choices gave me a pathway to a life where I could dream beyond traditional expectations,” she says.
But even with her family’s support, Ritam couldn’t ignore the inequity around her. While she went to school in a neatly pressed uniform, she passed children her own age selling vegetables in the street or carrying siblings on their backs. The contrast became even more jarring on trips outside the city, where she witnessed a mother feeding her child a desperate mix of water and mud—just to quiet hunger pangs.
“That image stayed with me,” she says quietly. “It’s something you don’t forget.”
Pursuing her passion in New Zealand
Ritam moved to New Zealand as a young adult to continue her studies, where she has now lived for over a decade. While the opportunities that she’s found in her adopted home are many, so too are the reminders of the vast disparities that persist between the developed world and the communities she comes from.
“Nepal is my homeland, and I can’t forget it,” she says. “I resonate with the people, and it feels so unfair that they can’t have what the rest of the world can.”
This sense of injustice fuels her work at World Vision. And while she’s now thousands of miles away from Kathmandu, Ritam’s role keeps her deeply connected to countries facing the same challenges she grew up seeing.
Witnessing hardship—and hope
Over the years, Ritam has travelled extensively as part of her work. Each visit brings her closer to the realities faced by families around the world—and sometimes, those moments are difficult to process.
In Malawi, she remembers visiting an Early Childhood Centre run by faith leaders where she saw a baby girl dressed in little more than rags.
“She had no dignity,” Ritam says. “That child wasn’t living life in all its fullness. And that’s what World Vision is all about—helping children live life in all its fullness.”
In Bangladesh, she walked through densely packed slums—home to a population four times the size of Auckland—where tiny alleyways led to one-room shacks. Inside one, she found a young woman lying on the floor. She had just given birth a week earlier.
“She was so weak, so vulnerable. It was really difficult to see her in that desperate condition,” Ritam says. “I felt so helpless.”
Drawing Strength from Faith In moments of helplessness and heartbreak, Ritam says her faith is what keeps her going.
“I have to nourish my relationship with God, with the universe, and with a higher power. I believe God will ensure that everything will be okay,” she says.
Her faith not only grounds her but also drives her optimism—because alongside every story of struggle, Ritam sees stories of transformation.
Making a transformational difference
Thanks to World Vision’s child sponsorship programmes, children in the communities Ritam supports are not just surviving—they’re beginning to thrive. These programmes offer schoolbooks, uniforms, and health checks. They provide livelihood support to families and create safe spaces for children to learn and grow.
“Once a girl gets that education, she can go on to support her family—and that can be so powerful,” she says.
In Malawi, she’s seen the impact of faith-based programmes and Bible clubs that uplift and empower young girls, helping them find their voice and purpose. In Syria, she supports emergency responses that bring relief to families impacted by conflict. And in Myanmar, Cambodia, and Bangladesh, she works to build resilience and long-term development in communities that have been overlooked for too long.
A life of purpose
For Ritam being a humanitarian isn’t just a job—it’s a responsibility, a calling, and a reflection of the values her parents instilled in her all those years ago in Kathmandu.
“I’ve seen the large-scale disparity,” she says. “But I’ve also seen what can happen when someone shows up to help. That’s why I do what I do.”
In a world where the need can feel overwhelming, Ritam reminds us that change begins with empathy—and that even one life transformed can send ripples across generations.
“The fact that they were so invested in my education and so prepared to let me make my own choices gave me a pathway to a life where I could dream beyond traditional expectations,” she says.
But even with her family’s support, Ritam couldn’t ignore the inequity around her. While she went to school in a neatly pressed uniform, she passed children her own age selling vegetables in the street or carrying siblings on their backs. The contrast became even more jarring on trips outside the city, where she witnessed a mother feeding her child a desperate mix of water and mud—just to quiet hunger pangs.
“That image stayed with me,” she says quietly. “It’s something you don’t forget.”
Pursuing her passion in New Zealand
Ritam moved to New Zealand as a young adult to continue her studies, where she has now lived for over a decade. While the opportunities that she’s found in her adopted home are many, so too are the reminders of the vast disparities that persist between the developed world and the communities she comes from.
“Nepal is my homeland, and I can’t forget it,” she says. “I resonate with the people, and it feels so unfair that they can’t have what the rest of the world can.”
This sense of injustice fuels her work at World Vision. And while she’s now thousands of miles away from Kathmandu, Ritam’s role keeps her deeply connected to countries facing the same challenges she grew up seeing.
Witnessing hardship—and hope
Over the years, Ritam has travelled extensively as part of her work. Each visit brings her closer to the realities faced by families around the world—and sometimes, those moments are difficult to process.
In Malawi, she remembers visiting an Early Childhood Centre run by faith leaders where she saw a baby girl dressed in little more than rags.
“She had no dignity,” Ritam says. “That child wasn’t living life in all its fullness. And that’s what World Vision is all about—helping children live life in all its fullness.”
In Bangladesh, she walked through densely packed slums—home to a population four times the size of Auckland—where tiny alleyways led to one-room shacks. Inside one, she found a young woman lying on the floor. She had just given birth a week earlier.
“She was so weak, so vulnerable. It was really difficult to see her in that desperate condition,” Ritam says. “I felt so helpless.”
Drawing Strength from Faith In moments of helplessness and heartbreak, Ritam says her faith is what keeps her going.
“I have to nourish my relationship with God, with the universe, and with a higher power. I believe God will ensure that everything will be okay,” she says.
Her faith not only grounds her but also drives her optimism—because alongside every story of struggle, Ritam sees stories of transformation.
Making a transformational difference
Thanks to World Vision’s child sponsorship programmes, children in the communities Ritam supports are not just surviving—they’re beginning to thrive. These programmes offer schoolbooks, uniforms, and health checks. They provide livelihood support to families and create safe spaces for children to learn and grow.
“Once a girl gets that education, she can go on to support her family—and that can be so powerful,” she says.
In Malawi, she’s seen the impact of faith-based programmes and Bible clubs that uplift and empower young girls, helping them find their voice and purpose. In Syria, she supports emergency responses that bring relief to families impacted by conflict. And in Myanmar, Cambodia, and Bangladesh, she works to build resilience and long-term development in communities that have been overlooked for too long.
A life of purpose
For Ritam being a humanitarian isn’t just a job—it’s a responsibility, a calling, and a reflection of the values her parents instilled in her all those years ago in Kathmandu.
“I’ve seen the large-scale disparity,” she says. “But I’ve also seen what can happen when someone shows up to help. That’s why I do what I do.”
In a world where the need can feel overwhelming, Ritam reminds us that change begins with empathy—and that even one life transformed can send ripples across generations.