To his clients, Ganesh Ghimire is a caring and dedicated Therapy Assistant working in Brightwater’s Oats Street rehabilitation program.
“We work alongside the therapy team, with the Physiotherapists, Speech and Occupational Therapists,” he says of his role.
“The therapy team sets the program for the clients to reach their goals and we help to run those programs.”
Yet what Ganesh’s clients, and even his colleagues, may not know is that he is highly acclaimed in his birth country of Nepal and around the world as a poet and writer.
“When I was in College, I started writing long poems and these days I am writing more stories,” he says. “Most of my audience is Nepalese because I write in Nepali.”
Ganesh has published two books of his poetry and writing, with another two to be released by one of Nepal’s top publishing houses.
He has travelled the world as a keynote speaker at literary conferences and served for two years as the General Secretary for the International Nepali Literary Society. Ganesh says where he comes from, literature and poetry are a valued part of life.
“I’m from a farming family in the eastern part of Nepal, from where we can see all the Himalayan mountains with the white snow. My mum and dad, and my siblings are still there.”
From Nepal to Perth
As a young man, Ganesh set out to travel the world, including Perth where he was visiting friends when he decided to apply for a student visa and make this faraway city his new home.
He first started with Brightwater Oats Street as a Support Worker in 2009 and quickly made a good impression.
Within two years he was promoted to Therapy Assistant, a role he still occupies after almost 10 years.
“The clients come here with different issues and slowly they get back their life and they get more independent.
That makes it enjoyable to work at Oats Street,” he says.
Ganesh says he also likes to be part of a team and takes pride in supporting both his clients and his colleagues.
“In Nepal, I used to work in the community there too, but in a different role. I always like to work with people and once I started my job here, I really enjoyed that part of it.
I think this is my strongest side – working with people.”
Creativity and calm
Outside work, Ganesh has a busy family life, raising two young sons with his wife. His creativity and dedication to poetry just may be what helps him maintain the demeanour he is known for, as a valued member of the Brightwater Oats Street rehabilitation team.
“I don't get irritated. I always stay calm. And people say to me, even in hard situations you are always smiling.”
The Language of Tears
Those who have no speech of their own
Or are extremely feeble
Can speak with their eyes
And keep their life going.
Of all weapons
The tear is the simplest,
most decent and invisible one
Whom the eyes carry along
Right from the moment of birth.
Ganesh Ghimire, 2021
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