When 19-year-old Saroj Khanal arrived at Melbourne's Tullamarine international airport in 2014, he was as excited as he was anxious. This was his first overseas trip.
The international student from Nepal was hoping to be picked by his friend at the airport but that didn’t happen. The friend, apparently, had to urgently go to work. He tried to call several times but his friends phone was switched off.
Not knowing where to go, he managed to get some tips from fellow passengers, took a bus to the city and checked into a motel in Southern Cross.
At that point, Saroj set a goal for himself.
"I decided that one day, if I’m able to pick up students like myself from the airport then I will start providing such service," he tells SBS Nepali.
Three years later, that day arrived.
"I decided that one day, if I’m able to pick up students like myself from the airport then I will start providing such service."
Still on a student visa himself, he has managed to put together a group of volunteers to pick up new students from the airport.
His idea came to fruition just from a simple conversation with some friends about the difficulties faced by Nepali students in Australia.
Saroj Khanal (left) with fellow volunteer Bishnu Sapkota (right) with new students from Nepal. Source: Supplied
He remembered the problems he faced settling into the city, making friends and finding a job.
This conversation at a party became the catalyst to help resolve similar issues faced by other students like him and his friends.
“While discussing how we could help students during their first few days in the country, we agreed on helping students with the transportation cost from the airport," he says.
They wanted to help new students reduce their initial expenses after arriving in the city.
Saroj explains that the plan was to "help them save $50 to a $100 - which they can use towards buying groceries."
Saroj Khanal Source: Supplied
"If they come to Australia with $1000 in their pocket and they have to pay $500 for bond and $500 for rent then what will they live on?" says Saroj.
"Plus, the students will also feel that there is help available and this will then motivate them - this is what drove us to start the airport service," he says.
A bit over five months ago, Saroj and six of his friends, all of whom are on student visas, started the free airport pick-up service in Melbourne, advertising their services via Saroj's personal Facebook page and word of mouth.
"If they come to Australia with $1000 in their pocket and they have to pay $500 for bond and $500 for rent then what will they live on?"
Initially they had some doubts whether they could sustain the service but it soon became clear that they wanted to continue. According to Saroj, they all started to enjoy what they were doing and there was no turning back.
Saroj clearly remembers the first time he went to the airport to pick up a student from Nepal.
With just a name and a photo of his first client, he headed to the airport, full of excitement.
20 year old Santosh Nepali was that first student. Just like Saroj, Santosh didn’t know anyone in Melbourne.
He had heard about the service started by Saroj through an education consultant in Nepal and got in contact with him.
"It was such a big help for me," says Santosh.
"It wasn’t just about being received at the airport, on the way from the airport Saroj told me about some of the rules and regulations in Australia and information about using public transport."
Santosh says he felt relieved that there was someone he could ask if he needed any assistance.
Saroj Khanal (2nd from left) and fellow volunteers who are helping new Nepali students in Melbourne. Source: Supplied
They’ve remained friends ever since and Santosh has also started providing assistance to other students.
Since starting the service, Saroj and his friends have managed to pickup about 60 students within one month.
Each one of them use their own car and whoever is free goes to the airport.
“If we have already confirmed to the student that we’ll pick them up, then we even take leave from work," Saroj says.
Some of the students they’ve helped so far have been surprised to see such service provided by fellow Nepalis. While others have been suspicious as well.
"There was a girl who told one of my friends after being dropped off, that she was worried about being kidnapped," he told us.
This issue of trust has also become important for them, not just from their clients, but also from members of the community as well.
"It wasn’t just about being received at the airport, on the way from the airport Saroj told me about some of the rules and regulations in Australia and information about using public transport."
Some see their work as a business strategy to make money while others, apparently, have tried to take advantage of their goodwill.
Instead of going to the airport themselves to pick up their friends or relatives, some people have called Saroj and his friends to do the pick up.
The success of this free airport service has brought them at least one sponsor for now, but they hope to have few more in the coming months to cope with fuel costs.
Saroj Khanal is now getting some help from his Sydney friends to start this free service in Sydney too.
Beside the airport service, Saroj says they are also providing a free barista training in Melbourne for new Nepali students.
