Creating Sustainable Change with Social Entrepreneurship
Who we are
Nepal Development Initiative (NEDI) is a non-profit organization founded in 2003. NEDI aims to uplift marginalized communities by promoting social entrepreneurship, responsible sustainable businesses, circular and social economy, and value-driven economic development. It strives to strike a balance between individual aspirations and the collective well-being of society. NEDI advocates for a socially equitable economy, where social enterprises and sustainable businesses generate both economic and social capital. By embracing the principles of circular economy and social solidarity, NEDI promotes sustainable development practices for the benefit of the community.
Mission
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.
Objectives
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
- To create awareness and capacity building of youth, women and marginalized community on social entrepreneurship
- To create enabling ecosystem to establish and run the social business in Nepal
- To create employment opportunities to youth, women and marginalized community by promoting social entrepreneurship
- To conceptualize and establish formal and informal education system to create business culture and competitive academic expertize on social entrepreneurship
- To organize study, research, publish educational, advocacy, promotional, media and development publications
- To organize Lobby, advocacy and engaging to create enabling environment to establish, promotion and incubation of SE in Nepal
- 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
- To have issues based engagement to understand the relation with Social Enterprises and contemporary national and global agendas
Core values and principles
Social and Economic Justice
Integrity
Passion
Collaboration and Partnership
Solidarity with the Poor
Quality of Excellence
Affirmative Action
Inclusion
Networks and alliances
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
Links to NSEF
Links to BHR
Team
Arjun Bhattarai
President
Binju KC
Vice President
Raju Sharma
Secretary
Hari Bhusal
Treasurer
Kamal Miya
Member
Ashok Adhikari
Member
Abhishek Bahadur Shah
Program Manager
Alisha Karki
Program Coordinator
Sneha Shakya
GEDSI Specialist
Maxime Tourountsev
Project team member
Joel Brendon Jacobs
Project team member
Puru Bista
Project Advisor
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
Strategic Engagement Areas
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
NEDI Impact
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Reports
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
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
Volunteer
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
News and Events
The Youth have made an appeal to create a youth-friendly ecosystem and commemorate International Youth Day on August 12, 2023, under the theme "Green Skills For Youth: Towards A Sustainable World." In Nepal, a week-long program has been declared by Nepal Development Initiative (NEDI), a pioneer organization promoting social enterprises, responsible business, business and human rights, circular economy, climate-smart enterprises, and social solidarity economy since 2003. They are collaborating with Youth Initiative (YI), a youth-led and youth-run organization since 1998, along with the Ministry of Youth and Sports, National Youth Council, National Social Entrepreneurship Forum (NSEF), Catalyst2030, Business and Human Rights Network, IM Swedish Development Partner, Good Shepherd International Foundation Nepal, and other like-minded development partners, youth organizations, and educational institutions. The kick-off event was organized on August 5th at the Pashupati World Heritage site, with the presence of Honorable Sujan Kirati, Minister of Culture and Tourism, officials from the Ministry of Youth and Sports, National Youth Council, Pashupati Development Trust, and representatives of CSOs, youth organizations, and students from universities and campuses. These programs involve activities such as cleaning, plantation, and raising awareness about cleanliness and hygiene in the Pashupati area. Throughout the week, various programs will be organized with a focus on enhancing youth awareness, acknowledging their values, fostering discussions on responsibility and accountability, participating in the review of the national youth policy, and providing recommendations for the 16th national plan. The programs also aim to promote entrepreneurship and employment, advocate for environmental conservation and climate protection, and encourage youth leadership and participation in issues related to inclusive democracy and youth civic space. All young individuals, activists, political parties, government bodies, and social organizations have been urged to cultivate a friendly environment among the youth, actively contribute to nation-building, and enthusiastically participate in the diverse programs to achieve these goals. On behalf of the coordinating organizations, Nepal Development Initiative (NEDI) and Youth Initiative (YI), we kindly request all of you to participate in informing, empowering, and involving youth in nation-building and sustainable development to achieve the vision of prosperity. If you want to join in this important mission of youth empowerment and engagement please feel free to communicate with us. On behalf of event secretariat Pawan Gautam, Secretary General of Youth Initiative, generalsecretary@youth.org.np, Mobile : 9861784805 Alisha Karki, Coordinator of Nepal Development initiative (NEDI), email :nediktm@gmail.com, info@nedi.org.np Mobile : 980001030
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- 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.
