Likewise, Global Changemakers, a program of British Council, has been providing a platform and inspiring youth with such ideas in making a difference.[break]
Global Changemakers is a vibrant global community of young social entrepreneurs, activists, and volunteers.
It was founded in 2007 when six young activists, brought together by the British Council, were invited to lend the “voice of youth” to the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum.
Bringing together people from over 100 countries, it is a place to share experiences, build and enhance skills, put in ideas and access astounding opportunities.
Running with the support of British Council, Global Changemakers also run innovative projects in their communities and bring about positive changes locally, regionally and globally.
The network has grown to a community of over 600 Changemakers in 110 countries worldwide. Nepal started participating in it since 2008.
According to Rita Rajbhandary, Communications Officer at the British Council Nepal, the mission of the program is to empower youth to catalyze positive social changes. It has expanded since its commencement, and is now built on three pillars: Learning, Doing, and Advocacy.
The 2011 Global Changemakers from Nepal are Alina Pokhrel, Nishant Shandilya, and Sunny Amatya who will be attending the Global Changemakers Asia Youth Summit in New Delhi from July 17 to 23.
“We’ve initiated a lot of ideas in our community, and if we’re able to present our ideas and project among others, it’ll be more effective. Thus, at the Summit, there will be exchange of ideas among all the participants, and I believe that we’ll also get to learn a lot,” said Sunny Amatya.
Alina Pokhrel said that the Summit is an opportunity for young likeminded people to share their ideas. “There will be artists, filmmakers and all sorts of people who will be coming together to make a change.”
Pokhrel is also the Communications Chief of Nepalese Youth for Climate Action (NYCN), a youth group working for climate change issues in Nepal. Since she has been involved in environmental issues, Amatya and Pokhrel will be presenting environmental issues at the Summit.
“I’m also working on a travelogue on how climate change is impacting on Nepal,” she added.
Another Global Changemaker, Nishant Shandilya, will be speaking about social entrepreneurship at the Delhi summit.
“I’ll be talking about Rainbow Trout production in Nepal. We can see its demand here. But though we have ample production, there’s still a lack in supply. So through my research and presentation, I’ll make people aware of how we can balance the supply and demand,” he added.
He is of the opinion that Nepal has a lot of opportunities which are yet to be explored.
“Young people have the ability to influence, the ability to grasp things fast and make a change,” he believes.
Nimesh Ghimire, who was selected as a Global Changemaker from Nepal in 2009 along with the another Global Changemaker, Sadiq Miah from the UK, were successful to win the annual Rachel Petkac Community Action Project grant of £5,000 for this year for their project called Empowering South Asia.
Nimesh also took part in the Guildford Forum 2009 and peer-facilitated the Latin America and Caribbean Youth Summit 2010.
Rita Rajbhandary explains that the campaign is to promote the spirit of scholarship, leadership and citizenship amid high schoolers in the South Asia region. “It’s to give them the necessary skills and inspiration to make impacting changes in their local communities.”
She added that the campaign will provide inspiring empowerment sessions and capacity-building trainings as well.
“Such trainings will hone the students’ leadership and intellectual capabilities, help them add their voice in local issues, assist them in making their own sustainable community-oriented action programs to put those ideas in their local communities,” she says.
This campaign will directly engage and involve at least 2,000 high school students in Bangladesh, India, and Nepal.
To join the Global Changemakers community and get involved, you can log on to www.global-changemakers.net.
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