Youth Volunteers Nepal (YVN) Program

Bibek Kafle

Placement: Beulibaas-9, Parbat
Bibek comes from a very strict Brahmin family background. He was placed in a poor Dalit village (Dalits are traditionally considered ‘untouchable’ by high caste.)
Despite strict warnings even from his own family, he lived and worked with Dalits, who for centuries have been shunned and mistreated by other castes throughout Nepal. He attempted to change these demeaning social mores by becoming a de facto member of the Dalit community in his assigned village.
Through his initiative, he influenced some of his ‘Brahmin’ peers to put aside their prejudices and interact as equals with Dalits. He says that he also became more sensitive to issues of corruption, discrimination, and injustices in Nepal’s villages.

Thupten Samthel Tamang

Placement: Lakuri Bhanjyang, Lalitpur
Thupten Samthel Tamang completed his year of volunteering in Lakuribhanjyang village in Lalitpur district working with a poor Tamang community.
Some of his successes include:

• Mentoring and tutoring 48 students in the village school helping them pass their School Leaving Certificate (SLC) examinations.
• Organizing the school library
• Developing income generating activities to target growing tourism in the area
• Introducing the village to the benefits and value of medicinal herbs growing in their local area. During his time the village has earned NPR 2.5 lakh (approx USD 3000) from collection and sale of herb harvesting.

While volunteering for the Youth Volunteers Nepal (YVN) Program, Thupten had just graduated in Social Work from St. Xavier’s’ College, Kathmandu.

Uma Nath Bhandari

Placement: Nayagaun, Kavrepalanchowk
Uma Nath has completed his year of volunteering having spent his time introducing organic farming practices to one of the most chemically affected areas of Nepal, Nayagoan. Nayagoan has one of the highest incidences of pesticide poisoning and soil depletion in the area of Kavre.
Some of his successes include:

• Completed training in organic farming
• Introduced 800 orange saplings to 400 local farming households
• Taught and trained organic farming practices and kitchen gardening to 200 households.
• Taught 18 village women to read and write, thus giving them tools for greater independence

Uma Nath comes from a farming family in Gulmi district. He left his village for employment in Kathmandu, as he couldn’t earn a viable living for his family from his farm. He was working as a waiter and was planning to go overseas for employment when he heard about our program.
Since completing his volunteer placement Uma Nath has returned to his village in Gulmi and has introduced organic farming on his own land as well as those of his neighbours. His farm is now able to support his family. We wish him well and thank him for his ongoing contribution to expanding knowledge of organic farming in Nepal.