At first glance, Kalki might seem like a typical teenager. She studies hard and loves dancing and hanging out with her friends. But her story didn’t follow a straight line. It moved across continents, cultures, and eventually into the Rocky Mountains, where something began to change. What started as a personal challenge quickly grew into a deeper awareness of the environment and a desire to take action.
Kalki was born in Nepal, a country known for its towering Himalayan peaks and deep connection to nature. When she was just 18 months old, her family moved to Canada, but Nepal remained an important part of her life. Her family returned often to visit relatives and stay connected to their culture.
One of those trips changed everything. In 2019, her family travelled to Nepal expecting a two-month holiday. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and what was meant to be a short visit turned into a four-year stay.
Those years had a profound impact on her. Living in Nepal allowed Kalki to reconnect with her cultural roots, language, and traditions. She relearned how to write in Nepali and deepened her fluency by exploring outside with friends. Being surrounded by family and immersed in daily life changed her sense of identity and belonging.
From Screens to the Trail
When Kalki returned to Canada in 2023, she walked into something very different. Like a lot of teenagers, she found herself drawn into a life that mostly happened on screens. She was still dancing and keeping up with school, but the hours in between were filled with scrolling on her phone or watching TV.
“I was so addicted to my phone. I’d wake up in the morning and look at it, sit in my bed for an hour. Then I’d watch TV for a few hours, and that was just my life, like, TV, dance, TV, dance, study”.
That changed when her mother suggested she apply for an Outward Bound Canada course. The idea excited her, but it also made her nervous.
Kalki had never backpacked before. She had never spent days hiking in the mountains or sleeping in a tent. The thought of trekking long distances through rugged terrain made her question whether she was ready.
“I was really worried! I kept thinking, am I going to be able to do this?”
Despite those doubts, Kalki decided to go for it. She joined a 14-day backpacking journey through the Canadian Rocky Mountains, not knowing how much it would change how she saw herself and the world around her.
She recalls stepping into a completely new environment:
“I remember it clearly. I’d open my tent, see these beautiful mountains, and feel the fresh air hit my face. That’s the one feeling I’d like to keep in a jar with me forever because that truly made me realize how important nature is.”
For the first time in years, she felt fully present. Without notifications, social media, or TV, the distractions of daily life disappeared. The mountains, forests, and wide-open sky created space for reflection and connection and sparked a deeper awareness about the importance of protecting the environment.
Learning What She Could Handle
The course wasn’t only about beautiful views and peaceful moments. In true OBC fashion, it also pushed Kalki beyond her limits. On the first day, she picked up her backpack and immediately felt overwhelmed.
“It must have weighed 40 pounds. I literally told everyone, ‘Guys, my back is gonna break. I think I’m gonna collapse right here.’”
In those early moments, doubt crept in again, but with encouragement from her instructors and teammates, she began to change her mindset.
“Every day I changed my intention and told myself, ‘I’ve got this. It might be hard, but if I put effort into it, it’ll be fine’.”
Step by step, kilometre by kilometre, her confidence grew. What once felt impossible slowly became manageable, and by the final days, she felt completely different.
“By day 14, I was like, this is so easy. I can do this!”
Most importantly, Kalki discovered determination within herself that she had never recognized before.
“Resilience is the biggest thing I learned. If I don’t get something on the first try, I’m not afraid to do it 10 or 20 times until I get it. I tell myself, ‘If I could do that trip, I can definitely do this.’”
That resilience now shapes how she approaches challenges in her everyday life. Whether practicing a difficult dance routine or tackling new goals, she keeps the same mindset she developed on the trail.
Turning Inspiration into Action
Kalki used her OBC experience as inspiration to create something of her own. After returning home, she launched a youth-led platform called ECEK – Engage Courage and Express Kindness.
ECEK is expressed through two connected components. Engage Courage focuses on personal development, encouraging young people to step outside their comfort zones, build resilience, and pursue meaningful goals. Express Kindness is brought to life through Be A Human, a community-focused non-profit that promotes kindness and supports individuals through acts of service and community connection.
In August 2025, Be A Human partnered with The Mustard Seed, raising funds to bake chocolate chip cookies and serve coffee to individuals accessing their services. The Mustard Seed is a non-profit organization committed to eliminating homelessness and reducing poverty.
A Vision for Environmental Leadership
While her work focuses on helping people, Kalki also feels a growing responsibility to protect the environment. Inspired by her father, an environmentalist and veterinarian, her connection to Nepal remains strong, and recent news about pollution on Mount Everest deeply affected her.
“I saw an article saying that Mount Everest is filled with plastic waste. That made me realize how serious environmental problems are becoming.”
The realization that even one of the most remote places on Earth is now showing signs of human impact strengthened Kalki’s desire to take action. Inspired by her time outdoors and her cultural roots in the Himalayas, she hopes to contribute to environmental solutions both locally and globally.
“One day I would love to help my home country of Nepal. I want to travel the world helping and serving people and the environment.”
Kalki’s story shows how time in nature can transform a young person’s path. What began with a nervous teen stepping onto a trail grew into a deep connection with the natural world and the people around her, along with a stronger sense of resilience, and a clearer sense of what she wants to do next.
Outward Bound Canada programs challenge youth both physically and mentally, helping them build a real connection to the environment and understand their role in protecting it.
For Kalki, these lessons continue long after her backpack is unpacked. And if her journey so far is any indication, she’s only at the beginning.
