Out of 84 applicants, the organizer had selected 15 finalists earlier this month prior to the grand finale.
The five social entrepreneurs include Shanti Shakya Dolma of Kakani Himalayan Natural Dyes, Chiranjeevi Paudel of Seeing Hands Clinics, Bishal Dhakal of Health at Home, Prachanda Shakya of Nepal Traditional Handicraft Training Centre and Jasmaya Pun of Hampaal Allo Tatha Kapada Bunai Udhyog.
According to a press statement of Change Fusion, Dolma was awarded for providing an alternative to the negative impact created by artificial dyes along with mobilizing others within the community by providing skills. Likewise Paudel the other winner is working for empowerment of visually impaired by creating job to them.
Dhakal was recognized for creating an innovative solution to the various problems faced by the patients while dealing with healthcare services and creating easy access to healthcare. Likewise, Shakya won the award for keeping the legacy of traditional art alive through his training institute and Pun was being an example in Dhaulagiri zone where she and her team have trained women in Allo production.
The five winners received a package including cash prize from Surya Nepal and will get opportunity of networking through ChangeFusion Nepal.
According to the organizers, the major objective of the award was to celebrate the hidden heroes for their great initiatives and also to showcase the impact their ventures have made.
Similarly, Govinda Ghimire of Alternative Herbal, Tara Baskota of Shangri-La Agro World and Som Prasad Gauchan of Everest Tea Estate were were recognized at the ceremony with the title of hidden heroes for their selfless contribution.
NBI Agent of Change 2012 was provided to four business organizations as honor to established businesses for their contribution in supporting the culture of entrepreneurship in Nepal. Himalayan Naturals and Lotus Holding were honored for supporting community enterprise development and for provding consulting services and investment to innovative ventures respectively. Women Support Saving and Credit Cooperative and Brihat Investments were also honored with the title of “NBI Agent of Change 2012” for supporting women entrepreneurs and for supporting ventures in the real estate sector respectively.
Addressing the ceremony Luna Shrestha Thakur, director of Change Fusion Nepal expressed gratitude to all the participants for making the event a success. “ We are glad that we have been able to make applicants understand about the eligibility of the award as all the applicants were deserving unlike last year when very few understood the concept of social entrepreneurship,” she said.
Prior to the award ceremony a seminar was held on November 22 to 24 with the objective to benefit the social entrepreneurs by showcasing their exemplary work and brining them in contact with potential investors and mentors. Likewise, the organizers had organized an event called Bazar in October where 60 social entrepreneurs from across Nepal exchanged ideas, interacted and learned from their customers, investors, advisors and mentors in the same platform.
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