AakarNepal

2023 Fellows

Dhiraj's interest in promoting girls' education stemmed from his observations of the contrast between efforts to create a more inclusive education system and the pre-existing gender roles and expectations that hinder girls from receiving proper secondary education. Over the course of three months, he worked at a local school in kathmandu where he collaborated with both internal and external speakers, organized discussion sessions, and shared success stories of women who pursued education against all odds. In addition, he maintained personal efforts to stay in touch with SEE graduates in his hometown, providing them with high school entrance and scholarship resources.
Dipisha experiences both the benefits and drawbacks of social media platforms in her daily life. Recognizing the pervasive nature of social media use, which often leads to social isolation and negatively impacts the mental health of teens, she organized discussion sessions for upper-secondary students at three schools in Kathmandu. Through this experience, she learned various tools to help moderate social media usage and shared them with the students she worked with.
Gyanmaya focused her efforts on combating the myths and superstitions surrounding menstruation and menstrual hygiene. Recognizing that these misconceptions discourage young girls from social engagement and place a negative emotional burden on them during a critical period of their reproductive and psychological development, Gyanmaya, with the help of a local nurse, provided relevant information about menstrual products and hygiene to girls in Sindhupalchowk. She conducted baseline and post-session surveys to assess the topics the girls learned during the sessions.
Karsang's interest in health education inspired her to take on a project aimed at raising awareness about cervical and ovarian cancer. While these conditions typically affect women aged fifty and older, understanding the early symptoms and the importance of screening programs is crucial for everyone during their reproductive years. Karsang recognized that her primary audience would be young girls and boys, who could not only benefit from the information for themselves but also share it with their mothers, who may be at an age where screening becomes necessary. She conducted two sessions in Koteshwor and gathered feedback from the attendees through surveys.
Leeja’s project aimed to address a deeply rooted issue—child marriage—by engaging with peers and secondary school students. Having witnessed numerous instances of familial or communal pressure to marry at an early age in her hometown, Leeja decided to focus on teen girls in her alma mater in Sindhupalchowk. She worked with 9th and 10th-grade students who already had some understanding of child marriage, with some having faced similar pressure themselves. During the discussion sessions, Leeja shared her own personal experience and created a safe space for attendees to express their concerns and engage in further dialogue. Through her community leadership initiative, she learned to communicate effectively with various stakeholders and utilize project management tools.
Having witnessed the impact of caste-based discrimination in his own hometown, Nirajan was passionate from the start about addressing the issue. Recognizing that it is tied to various socio-economic inequalities in communities across Nepal, Nirajan teamed up with another Fellow, Prashan Pariyar. Together, they led a discussion session at V.S. Niketan School in Kathmandu, where students may not directly experience or witness the presence of the caste system on a daily basis. Through the session, Nirajan educated them on how caste-based discrimination or bias can manifest not only in rural areas but also in metropolitan cities like Kathmandu. Nirajan hopes to continue working toward combating the caste system in the future, organizing discussion sessions and street plays in his village as well.
Prashan's main objective with his community leadership initiative was to raise awareness among youth about the caste system and encourage them to challenge the daily practices stemming from caste-based biases within their homes and communities. He conducted an online survey to understand the experiences of his Dalit peers on social media platforms, revealing that around 67% of them face some form of caste-based discrimination. This baseline survey proved useful during his information sessions at V.S. Niketan School, which he led alongside Nirajan Shahi. As someone from the Dalit community himself, Prashan is able to grasp both the psychological and emotional harm caused by caste-based discrimination, in addition to its more visible socio-economic impact. Throughout the project, Prashan also recognized that involving parents in open and safe discussions would also help advance the conversation.
Rabin grew up in Parbat, where, in recent years, he has been distressed by the impact of soil erosion on agricultural land in Duda Village. Taking a targeted approach, he involved the local children's club (Baal Club) in an afforestation initiative, while also educating them about the importance of afforestation. The involvement of a young organization like Baal Club will inspire younger community members to become more engaged and help ensure the maintenance of the planted saplings, as well as support future afforestation efforts. Rabin also led an awareness campaign among locals about afforestation and introduced them to resources, such as the District Forest Office, that can assist with afforestation campaigns. With more time, Rabin hopes to contribute in helping set up a local environmental conservation club in his village.
Sabina joined the Impact Leaders Fellowship with a strong desire to learn new things and translate her education into community engagement. Her interest in mental health comes from wanting to understand how various social settings and habits impact the emotional and mental well-being of students. She conducted a baseline survey among her peers at Nepal Mega College to assess the level of awareness regarding mental health among high school students and to identify factors that students self-identified as affecting their mental health. With this increased understanding, she held a session with public school students in Tokha where she shared the survey results, collected pre-session data to gauge students' exposure to conversations about mental health, and discussed in detail the gaps she identified from the data. Students mentioned that discussions like the one organized by Sabina helped them become more open about their mental health and learn about available resources.
Saugat’s project aimed to foster understanding and initiate an open conversation around parenting among guardians in Kaski. He conducted discussion sessions with parents of students from two schools, where he asked open-ended questions about how parents handle various situations involving their children. Parents were also encouraged to evaluate the positive or negative impact their approach could have on their kids. Saugat was mindful of the dedication and effort parents put into raising their children, and he emphasized this during his sessions. At the same time, he highlighted the importance of open communication between parents and children in supporting the kids' development. Saugat focused on everyday actions, such as asking children what they learned in school or how they are feeling, which can help strengthen the parent-child relationship in the long term.
Sujita focused her efforts on addressing the ongoing issue of waste management in Kathmandu. While large-scale waste disposal and recycling efforts fall under the responsibility of the local government, Sujita believes it is important for individuals to learn about waste management. She conducted sessions in two schools in Kathmandu, where she educated 9th-grade students on different methods to reduce, manage, and segregate waste, and encouraged them to form student clubs. Throughout her project, Sujita learned how to pitch her initiatives to potential school collaborators, communicate effectively with students during the sessions, and conduct independent research.
Susan joined the Impact Leaders cohort as a student of Physics and Mathematics. With a passion for studying math in the future and a desire to create an inquisitive and open learning space for STEM education in Nepal, Susan curated a fifteen-day workshop for students in Grades 6-8 in Gorkha. In collaboration with local teachers, he introduced step-by-step methods for solving problems, gathering empirical evidence through experiments, and engaging in group exercises. Throughout the project, Susan initiated communication with existing organizations in the STEM education field, exchanged materials, and maintained strong connections with them. He hopes to continue working with like-minded individuals interested in advancing STEM education in Nepal in the future.
View full presentations here
ParticipantMentorProject
Dhiraj TharuRikesh PoudelEducation for All
Dipisha BishwakarmaPramesh BhattaraiSocial Media Addiction
Gyanmaya TamangSlesha ShresthaMenstrual Hygiene and Justice
Karsang LamaSukirty KhadkaCervical and Ovarian Cancer
Leeja TamangParwati MahatoChild Marriage
Nirajan ShahiSantosh ThapaCaste Discrimination and Mental Health
Prashan PariyarDipen BhusalFighting Caste Discrimination
Rabin NeupaneSabina ShakyaFrom Roots to Canopy
Sabina GhaleArchana GiriMental Health Awareness
Saugat GautamMaryada NeupaneEarly Start: Adding Pages to Parenthood
Sujita ParajuliSamikshya DhamiWaste Management
Susan BhattaParikshit ChaliseSTEMify Nepal