“As children, we were taught, ‘Happiness isn’t having a lot; happiness is giving a lot.’  

I grew up in a middle-class family and in 2005, I became an ear, nose, and throat surgeon. But my dream was to retire at age 50 to devote myself full time to the prevention of deafness in Nepal.  

I often volunteered to free ear health camps in rural Nepal which prompted me to consider starting my dream much earlier.  

One day in April 2013, I was speaking with my family about leaving my job when an email arrived on my phone. The email was very poorly written and looked like junk mail. It was translated from Spanish and said: ‘Looking for an ENT surgeon to operate on a young Buddhist monk who is having hearing problem.’ 

Without thinking, I made a deal with my family that if the email was genuine, I would leave my job and dedicate myself to my dream. But if it was junk mail, I would retire as originally planned.  

I replied to the email and the very next day received a note thanking me. I found out that the email was sent to all the ENT doctors of Nepal, but I was the only one to reply.  

After a few months I left my permanent job and established the charity Ear Care Nepal. I was just 39 years old. All I had was a dream. In just 8 years, we have screened and treated 79,340 underprivileged Nepalese children for ear and hearing problems.  

So let’s all dream very big dreams!” 

Dr. Maharjan is a Changemaker who supports the call in the World Report on Hearing for hearing care for all, now. Help change the world for those with hearing loss by sharing her story.