19yr old Teen Activist from Rukum Ghanashyam Bishwakarma bags Glocal Teen Hero 2024

Mr. Ghanashyam Bishwakarma, 19-year-old Activist from Rukum has been awarded the title of “Golchha Group presents Glocal Teen Hero Nepal 2024” amidst an award ceremony at The Soaltee Kathmandu organized by Glocal Pvt. Ltd today. Over the past decade, the Glocal Teen Hero initiative has built a legacy of recognizing teenagers who excel beyond academics, providing a platform to showcase their extraordinary talents. Glocal Teen Hero Nepal profoundly acknowledges teenagers’ initiation, creativity, and enthusiasm, empowering them to catalyze positive change at the intersection of global and local domains. 

Mr. Ghanashyam was selected among the Top Six Finalists of the competition viz Mr. Aashish Panthi (19 years, Tech Educator, Kapilvastu); Mr. Nischal Bhattarai (16 years, Educator, Syangja); Ms. Purnima Timsina (17 years, Child Right Activist, Jhapa); Ms. Sajani Sharma (19 years, Social Activist, Kaski) and Mr. Shreejay Subedi (18 years, Tech Enthusiast, Parsa). 

Mr. Ghanashyam Bishwakarma is a 19-year-old activist from Rukum with over eight years of experience advocating for the rights and well-being of children and adolescents. His dedication to child rights, mental health, climate justice, and combating child marriage has made a significant impact on society. As the President of the National Adolescents Boys Network Nepal, he is deeply committed to advancing comprehensive child rights advocacy. He collaborates with various organizations to address critical issues such as sexual and reproductive rights, mental health, climate justice, and online safety. He leads educational workshops designed to combat child sexual exploitation and enhance reporting mechanisms, empowering young people to protect themselves and their peers. His role as a climate justice advocate includes organizing workshops focused on children’s rights to a healthy environment, emphasizing the importance of environmental sustainability in safeguarding future generations. 

Ghanashyam’s commitment extends to coordinating emergency response efforts, where he plays a crucial role in data collection and relief distribution, particularly during natural disasters. His leadership in these initiatives reflects his dedication to supporting vulnerable communities in times of crisis. On the international stage, he represents Nepal at forums such as the World Social Forum, where he advocates for child rights and shares the challenges faced by young people in Nepal. Beyond his advocacy work, he engages in creative projects, including writing songs that resonate with his activism. 

Ghanashyam’s work as a child rights activist has significantly impacted society by empowering children, raising awareness, and influencing policy changes. Through his educational workshops on child sexual exploitation and climate justice, he has equipped young people with the knowledge and tools they need to advocate for their rights and well-being. His talent showcases provide children with platforms to express their creativity, build confidence, and develop their voices. He leverages media engagement, such as hosting the Bal Chautari Program on Radio Sanobheri F.M., to raise awareness on child rights, child marriage, mental health, and online safety. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he played a crucial role in disseminating vital information to protect children and families, ensuring that they had access to the resources and support they needed. His collaborations with governmental and non-governmental organizations have influenced child protection policies, including efforts to eliminate online child sexual exploitation. 

As a climate justice activist, Mr. Ghanashyam educates youth on environmental sustainability, helping to foster a generation that is conscious of their impact on the planet. His coordination of disaster relief efforts during earthquakes and other crises further demonstrates his unwavering commitment to community support. Overall, his work fosters a society where children are empowered, protected, and given the opportunities they need to thrive. 

Top Six Finalists were shortlisted for the final round of Golchha Group presents Glocal Teen Hero Nepal based on their achievements, initiations, contributions, and impact of work. The Finalists also attended a series of Self-Competency Workshops on various topics and had the opportunity to interact with industry leaders and corporate personalities to broaden their knowledge. 

The finalists were individually interviewed by the panel of judges comprising of Mr. Ashish Tiwari, Director at Ace Institute of Management; Ms. Chandrika Kalia, Country Director at Coca-Cola Nepal; Dr. Ghana S Gurung, Country Representative at WWF Nepal; Ms. Patricia Fernandez Pacheco, Country Representative to Nepal, UN Women; Ms. Seema Golchha, Director at Golchha Group Pvt. Ltd. And H.E. Veronique Lorenzo, Ambassador, European Union Delegation to Nepal and today, Mr. Ghanashyam was officially declared and awarded as Golchha Group presents Glocal Teen Hero Nepal 2024 amidst the awarding ceremony at The Soaltee Kathmandu. 

This year Glocal has partnered with Golchha Group as a Title Partner; Embassy of India, European Union, Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany Kathmandu, UN Women as a Strategic Partner; Honda, Coca-Cola, WWF, Toyota, KFC, Panchakanya, Nabil Bank, DishHome Go, Ace Institute of Management, Real Juice as Partners; The Soaltee Kathmandu as Initiative Partner; Worldlink as Internet Partner; Cozy Home as Hospitality Partner; Yeti Airlines as Airline Partner; Prisma Advertising as PR Partner; No Next Question (NNQ) as Outreach Partner; eSewa, Nepal Telecom, Pizza Hut, IMS Group as Supporters. 

The journey of the Glocal Teen Hero over the last decade has been nothing short of transformative. It has fostered a generation of young leaders who have redefined the possibilities of youth engagement and social impact. From its humble beginnings to becoming a nationwide platform of inspiration, the platform has illuminated the stories of countless teens, empowering them to create positive change in their communities. As we celebrate this milestone, we remain committed to continuing this legacy, nurturing future heroes who will shape a better tomorrow.


Social Science Baha Lecture series on Migration during Climate Change: Broadening the Discourse beyond Disaster Displacement and Failure to Adapt by Amina Maharjan

Social Science Baha continues its Lecture series  with Lecture Series CXIII on Migration during Climate Change: Broadening the Discourse beyond Disaster Displacement and Failure to Adapt by Amina Maharjan on 14 May 2024 (Tuesday) 5:30 pm | Yala Maya Kendra, Patan Dhoka, Lalitpur

Nepal is one of the most climate-vulnerable countries in the world, ranking 139th out of 182 in terms of exposure, sensitivity, and ability to adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change. Nepal faces several disaster risks such as floods, landslides, earthquakes, wildfires, and droughts. Marginalised populations, already burdened by poverty, food insecurity, and discrimination, and agriculture-based livelihoods are particularly susceptible to these impacts. Rural communities in Nepal are highly dependent on subsistence agriculture, with small holdings, mostly rainfed systems and livestock. The observed changes in temperature, rainfall patterns, and the increased frequency of extreme weather events, have led to significant losses in agricultural productivity, property, and human lives. Off-farm employment opportunities in informal services and manufacturing are limited.

Migration is a common and often effective risk-spreading strategy adopted by households in Nepal. The 2021 Census reported that roughly one in every four households has a family member abroad. The remittances sent home by migrant workers are used to meet household consumption, finance education and healthcare needs. There is evidence that a small portion is also invested in agriculture to build resilience to climate change. However, the general discourse continues to portray migration as both a challenge and a failure that needs to be stopped.

Against this backdrop, this lecture aims to shed light on these two interlinked mega-trends of climate change and migration. Climate adaptation interventions are generally designed for resident populations, and do not consider the mobility and immobility of exposed and marginal populations. The discourse on migration under a changing climate is also narrowly focused on disaster displacement and rarely addresses other forms of human mobility. This presents a huge gap in our understanding of climate change-migration linkages and therefore constrains the ways in which we can leverage migration to reduce livelihood precarity, increase adaptive capacities, and enhance the overall wellbeing of the population.

Amina Maharjan is Senior Livelihood and Migration Specialist at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD). With a PhD in agriculture, she is an interdisciplinary researcher and practitioner specialising in human mobility and migration, sustainable development, and climate adaptation in the Hindu Kush Himalaya.

Dr Maharjan’s work focuses on the science-policy-practice interface related to the human dimensions of environmental change, vulnerability to cyrospheric change, air pollution, multi/translocal livelihood resilience, and gender equity and social inclusion. Among her recent publications (as lead author) related to the lecture are: ‘Can Labour Migration Help Households Adapt to Climate Change? Evidence from Four River Basins in South Asia’ (in Climate and Development), ‘Understanding Rural Outmigration and Agricultural Land Use Change in the Gandaki Basin, Nepal’ (Applied Geography), and ‘Migration and Household Adaptation in Climate-Sensitive Hotspots in South Asia’ (Curr Clim Change Rep).

The lecture will also be livestreamed at http://facebook.com/soscbaha.

This is a public lecture and admission is free and open to all. Seating is first-come-first-served. Queries: 4572807.

As part of the Social Science Baha Lecture Series, the Baha has been providing a forum to local and visiting scholars to present their work and interact with the larger public in an open lecture format. The Lecture Series is a not a periodic event but rather is held whenever there is someone ready to make a presentation. The following are the lectures hosted by the Baha so far. Note: Audio versions of lectures are available online from Lecture Series XXI onwards, and also available are abstracts from Lecture Series XI and later.

Listen to previous lectures

A Post Investment Summit India-Nepal B2B Meet in Kathmandu


Embassy of India, Kathmandu in collaboration with the Investment Board of Nepal (IBN) and Nepal India Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NICCI) organized a Post Investment Summit India-Nepal B2B Meet in Kathmandu today. 

The B2B meeting was attended by 35 delegates from Millennium India International Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MICCIA) and Nepal India Chamber of Commerce and Industry covering energy, agriculture, construction, tourism, cold chain, medical devices, finance, consultancy and law sectors

Speaking at the event, Ms. Shreejana Rana, President, NICCI identified hydropower, tourism and agriculture as potential areas for cooperation between Indian and Nepali businesses. Ambassador Anil Trigunayat, President, MICCIA appreciated the recent bilateral connectivity initiatives and the importance of B2B connections in taking India-Nepal Economic Partnership forward. Mr. Ramesh Adhikari, Under Secretary, IBN summarized and welcomed Indian investors to do business in Nepal. He appreciated the more than 50 members strong Indian delegation from FICCI, CII, ICC, MICCIA as well as several individual businesses who had productive meetings at the 3rd Nepal Investment Summit from 28-29 April 2024.

The B2B meet witnessed the signature of an MOU for cooperation between MICCIA and NICCI. Indian delegates were also provided a copy of the 3rd edition of Handbook for Indian Investors Investing in Nepal, which had been unveiled a day before by Mr. Barshaman Pun, Hon’ble Finance Minister of Nepal. 


The Handbook can be downloaded at 

https://www.indembkathmandu.gov.in/docs/Invest%20in%20Nepal_d020%20(final).pdf



Press Release - Embassy of India, Nepal 

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