Creating Sustainable Change with Social Entrepreneurship

Nepal Development Initiative (NEDI) is a dynamic non-profit organisation established in 2003, dedicated to advancing social entrepreneurship and fostering sustainable businesses. Our mission centres on promoting responsible practices while our vision envisages an environment cultivating social solidarity, promoting green enterprise, circular economy principles, and sustainable development.

 NEDI's approach is rooted in proactive engagement with contemporary national and global agendas of social Entrepreneurship,  climate justice, green entreprises, circular economy and solidarity economy. 

Our initiatives encompass research, publications, and lobbying to shape policies that fortify the growth and endurance of social enterprises. 

By embracing the principles of circular economy and social solidarity, NEDI promotes sustainable development practices for the benefit of the community. Collaborations with esteemed entities like Kathmandu University School of Management and Care Nepal have led to profound insights into social entrepreneurship policy dynamics.


Nedi aims to create an enabling environment to build a just, equitable and self-sustain and prosperous society.

Our mission is to promote social entrepreneurship and responsible sustainable businesses thereby contributing to the realization of social solidarity economy, circular economy and sustainable development.

In our pursuit of green enterprises and addressing environmental concerns, NEDI has exhibited fervent dedication to climate resilience. Post the 2015 earthquake, our impactful campaigns on climate-smart, disaster-resilient bamboo housing assumed critical significance. Furthermore, our empowerment-oriented rooftop farming initiatives, targeting women and youth, epitomise our ethos. Active involvement in the global Family Farming Campaign further underscores our commitment to sustainable agricultural practices. Our endeavours are intrinsically linked to social, economic, and climate justice. We have nurtured an ecosystem for social entrepreneurship through the acclaimed Social Entrepreneurship Summit and international exhibitions, catalysing innovation and collaboration.

Considering our ethos and accomplishments, NEDI seeks partnerships aligned with our values. Collaborating with like-minded entities in the realm of promoting green enterprises offers a synergistic avenue for enhancing our shared impact on sustainability. We yearn to contribute our expertise, networks, and experiences to joint projects focused on climate-smart solutions, empowering marginalised communities, and fostering equity, we aspire to unite with partners who share our vision, driving us towards a greener, more equitable global landscape.


Long-term Objectives Objective


Contributing to Achieve Sustainable Development Goals and 2030 agendas by engaging youth, women and marginalized community on social entrepreneurship


Short-term Objectives Objective


  1. To create awareness and capacity building of youth, women and marginalized community on social entrepreneurship 
  2. To create enabling ecosystem to establish and run the social business in Nepal
  3. To create employment opportunities to youth, women and marginalized community by promoting social entrepreneurship
  4. To conceptualize and establish formal and informal education system to create business culture and competitive academic expertize on social entrepreneurship
  5. To organize study, research, publish educational, advocacy, promotional, media and development publications
  6. To organize Lobby, advocacy and engaging to create enabling environment to establish, promotion and incubation of SE in Nepal
  7. To strengthen the capacity and initialization of Social Entrepreneurs' Forum (NSEF) and Social Entrepreneurship Association of of Nepal (SEAN) to effectively engaging on promotion social entrepreneurship in Nepal
  8. To have issues based engagement to understand the relation with Social Enterprises and contemporary national and global agendas

Social and Economic Justice

Integrity

Passion

Collaboration and Partnership

Solidarity with the Poor

Quality of Excellence

Affirmative Action

Inclusion


NEDI is very active member of various national, regional and international alliances, networks and Federations. By virtue of this networking, they are involved in collective efforts to realize the objective of social entrepreneurship. NEDI has established network linkages with the medias, the academias and research institutions at national, regional and international levels, and seeks and obtains critical inputs from them. At the national level

NEDI has established close partnership and institutional linkages with NGO Federation of Nepal, Nepal SDGs Forum, Association of International NGOs (AIN), People's Vaccine Alliance (PVA), Human Rights Alliance, Fair Trade Group, Social Welfare Council (SWC) international level, Social Entrepreneurship Association of Nepal (SEAN), Social Entrepreneurs' Forum (NSEF), Ministry of Agriculture, National Planning Commission (NPC), Social Workers Association of Nepal (SWAN), ESCR Network, FIAN Nepal, Kathmandu University, KUSOM, Agro Enterprise Nepal, VSN Nepal, RDM Nepal, FNCCI, Cooperative Federation and also NEDI has strong collaboration and partnership with Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP), World Rural Forum (WRF), Dan Church Aid (DCA), Heifer International, Care International, Restless Development Nepal, IM Sweden, FAO, APRCEM, ESCAP, UNDP, Catalyst2030 and EU.


Links to Catalyst2030

Internet site

Facebook

Instagram

Links to NSEF 

Facebook

Links to BHR

Facebook

Arjun Bhattarai

President

Binju KC

Vice President

Raju Sharma

Secretary

Hari Bhusal

Treasurer

Kamal Miya

Member

Ashok Adhikari

Member

Alisha Karki

Program Coordinator

Sneha Shakya

GEDSI Specialist

Puru Bista

Project Advisor

Maxime Tourountsev

Project Team Member

Joel Brendon Jacobs

Project Team Member

Sita Bhandari

Project Team Member

Ina Niroula

Volunteer Program Coordinator

Ram Bhattarai

M&E Coordinator

Tanka Khanal

Media Advisor

Jiwan Newpane

Digital Media Advisor

Ishan Niroula

Youth Ambassador For Change

1. Social Impact through Social Enterprises

  • Educate and strengthen capacity of individuals, students, CBOs, NGOs, CSOs and cooperatives, farmers groups and consumers on social entrepreneurship to uplift their economic situation
  • Creating jobs and economic opportunities for youth, women and marginalized communities
  • Lobby advocacy for better policy and creating enabling environments to foster the social enterprise ecosystem



2. Building Climate Resilience Society

  • Addressing social and environmental issues such as poverty, inequality, and climate change
  • Promote and protect the local natural resources while utilizing indigenous knowledge and best business practices for sustainable growth
  • Promoting agri-green jobs and climate smart agriculture
  • Encouraging clean green communities
  • Advocate and promoting for plastic free business venture
  • Climate  justice awareness building at school and communities
  • Engaging youth as climate campaigns
  • Engaging on national and local advocacy on climate adaption and mediation activities
  • Environmental camp and cleaning campaign
  • Organize plantation and water sources consersation


3. Promoting Responsible Sustainable Business Ecosystem

  • Advocacy campaigns on better utilization of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
  • Promoting fair trade centered around decent work, advocating
  • Creating awareness raising capacity building on  Business and Human Rights (B+HR)
  • Networking and alliance building
  • Engaging of National Action Plan formulation and implementation
  • Business monitor  and cerate reporting mechanism
  • Engaging with SMEs and informal service sectors
  • Promoting social solidarity economic model
  • Business and Human Rights Due Diligence System


4. SDGs Localization

  • Capacity building of stakeholders
  • Engaging on Volunteer Local Review
  • Prepare  Local  Economic SDGs and interlink with national global SDGs
  • Mobilize  on Youth and Students for SDGs Champaign
  • Education, awareness and campaign on SDGs


  1. NEDI, together with like-minded stakeholders, organized a series of advocacy activities to ensure the rights of farmers and small-scale enterprises in the new constitution. As a result, the constitution made positive efforts to provide the right to access lands for agricultural activities, select and protect local seeds and agricultural species that have been traditionally used, and pursued as fundamental rights.
  2. NEDI has been promoting social entrepreneurship since its establishment, leading to the establishment of the Social Entrepreneurship Fund under the Social Welfare Council (SWC), Ministry of Women, Children, and Senior Citizen. Mr. Arjun Bhattarai, the president of NEDI, has been nominated by the government of Nepal to represent the NGO community working in Social Entrepreneurship. In collaboration with Kathmandu University School of Management (KUSOM) and Care Nepal.
  3. NEDI organized an intensive study on the Social Entrepreneurship Policy Landscape and submitted it to the government of Nepal and parliamentarians. As a result, the government of Nepal has initiated further discussions on drafting a new bill on social enterprises. NEDI regularly organizes the Social Entrepreneurship Summit and international social entrepreneurship exhibitions, showcasing products in 2019, 2021, and 2022.
  4. NEDI organized a campaign on climate-smart and disaster-resilient bamboo housing from 2005 to 2007, which became highly relevant after the major earthquake in 2015. Bamboo has now become very popular for house construction.
  5. NEDI has also been actively engaged in rooftop farming initiatives, particularly targeting women and youth-led initiatives. The association works on awareness raising, capacity building, and organizing campaigns through social media platforms to promote urban agriculture. The organization was one of the founders of the Family Farming Campaign, which has gained popularity as a global movement. The United Nations has declared it the Decade of Family Farming.
  6. NEDI successfully completed the Youth Take The Lead Project, which focused on youth capacity building on SDGs, promoting social entrepreneurship, capacity building, and engaging marginalized communities in income-generating activities.
  7. NEDI has facilitated the formation of the National Social Entrepreneurship Forum (NSEF), an informal network of social enterprises. Additionally, NEDI serves as the secretariat for Catalyst2030 Nepal and Slow Food International.
Report on NEDI Social Entrepreneurship: Voices from the Field

Report on NEDI Social Entrepreneurship: Voices from the Field

NEDI, supported by Heifer International Nepal, conducted a study on social entrepreneurship in Nepal. It includes case studies, interviews, and field studies to understand challenges and offer solutions, enhancing knowledge in the field.

Read More  
NEDI Report on YTL Project (2023)

NEDI Report on YTL Project (2023)

Youth Take the Lead project (2021-2022): National and global dialogues, youth consultations, organizational training, meaningful youth engagement, and capacity building for youth-led CSOs.

Read More  
NEDI report on Social Entreprenurship Summit (2021)

NEDI report on Social Entreprenurship Summit (2021)

Youth Summit: Co-creating solutions for societal challenges, focusing on social entrepreneurship and innovation, with a special emphasis on Nepal.

Read More  
NEDI report of National Dialogue on Buiseness and Human Rights

NEDI report of National Dialogue on Buiseness and Human Rights

National dialogue on "Business and Human Rights": Government progress, accountability, access to remedy, responsible business conduct.

Read More  

 Nepal Development Initiative (NEDI) is organizing People's Economic Forum 2024 (PEF2024), a global initiative taking place on the occasion of the World Social Forum. Join us on 18th February 2024 in Kathmandu and virtually worldwide as we delve into the diverse and sustainable economic alternatives shaping our world. Embrace this journey of change and innovation with NEDI at the forefront, steering the course towards a better tomorrow at the People's Economic Forum 2024.

Empowering Change: NEDI's Endeavor for People's Economic Forum 2024 

Volunteering is a meaningful way to contribute your skills, knowledge, and resources to help others in need. Whether you volunteer within your own country or in Nepal, NEDI offers various opportunities for you to make a positive impact.


Why Volunteer?


Volunteering allows you to tap into your humanity and compassion as a human being. It is an opportunity to think beyond yourself and make a difference in the lives of others. Volunteering is not only selfless; it also offers personal benefits such as acquiring new skills, knowledge, and experiences. It helps you develop practical real-life applications of the theoretical education you have received. Moreover, volunteering is a chance to bring about significant change in someone's life, family, and society as a whole. It is a fulfilling and enriching experience that everyone should undertake at least once in their life.


Types of Volunteer Work at NEDI


Volunteer inside your own country

If you are unable to travel to the field, NEDI provides opportunities to volunteer from your own country. Volunteers are divided into different categories based on the nature of their work. These categories include:

1 Fund Development Volunteer

Help support poor and marginalized communities by contributing your resources, whether it's through personal donations or by mobilizing support from others and various organizations. NEDI ensures transparent and accountable distribution of the support to the grassroots level.

2 Information Technology and Communication Volunteer

If you have a passion for journalism, communication, or want to assist people in poor countries, you can contribute by sharing information with NEDI through email and promoting its vision worldwide.

3 Networking and Relations Development Volunteer 

If you possess networking and relationship development skills, you can help NEDI in expanding its network and partnerships.To participate in any of these categories, simply fill out the NEDI form and submit it via email. NEDI will review your application within one week and provide you with an authorized letter to start your volunteer work.


Volunteer inside Nepal

Volunteering in Nepal offers a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in a different culture while making a difference. NEDI welcomes the following types of volunteers in Nepal:

2.1 Agriculture Volunteers 

Nepal is an agricultural country, and volunteers can contribute by sharing agricultural knowledge and techniques with local farmers. It's an exchange of knowledge, where volunteers also learn from the farmers and live with their families.

2.2 Environment, Health, and Sanitary Volunteer 

Help raise awareness about environmental issues and promote health and sanitation practices within communities.

2.3 English and Computer Technology Teachers Volunteer

Volunteer as a tutor in schools and teach English and computer technology to students.

2.4 Report and Information Technology Volunteer

Assist NEDI in managing organizational reports and information technology.

2.5 Research Volunteer

Engage in research work to further your educational qualifications or gain knowledge from institutions and organizations in Nepal.

2.6 Social Entrepreneurship Volunteer 

Contribute to social entrepreneurship projects aimed at raising funds for communities.


Why Choose NEDI?


NEDI is a transparent and responsible non-governmental organization (NGO) dedicated to providing services to people at the grassroots level. It is run by a diverse group of individuals, including poor people, farmers, youths, and laborers. NEDI believes in transparency, honesty, and responsible community-oriented service. The organization encourages innovation and welcomes new ideas and suggestions. NEDI aims to provide services with minimum or no charge, based on the interests of volunteers.


To volunteer in Nepal, fill out the NEDI form and submit it via email. NEDI will review your application within 7 days and communicate the details to you.

Here the application form

  

  • Nepal development initiative

Nepal Development Initiative (NEDI) NEDI is registered with the government of Nepal as a nonprofit and non-political development organization in 2003. The organization coordinating to research, policy advocacy and development programmes focusing on sustainable agriculture, climate change.