NEPAL WHEN INITIATIVE

 HAMRO CHAHANA NEPAL
DEEPALI THAPA, FOUNDER/CHAIRPERSON

Ms. Thapa is the Founder and Chairperson of Hamro Chahana Nepal with a Masters degree in Rural Development and Post Graduate Degree in Women's Studies. With over 10 years experience providing high quality care and support to socially excluded women and children navigating personal impact, Deepali has extensive knowledge and experience in field based activities.

Deepali's past experience includes research related to Review and Assessment on Beijing Conference for Women in Nepal-UNDP (2000); additionally she has worked closely with Japanese organizations 24 Hours Television Charity Committee, Japan, and Association for Ophthalmic Cooperation in Asia, Japan, for eye care services in Nepal (2002-2010), utilizing social work principles, techniques, practices and applications to address complex cases, group work, and community issues.

SUVECKSHYA SHAH, HCN SECRETARY

Ms. Shah has an MPH from Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand and MA in Anthropology from TU with an additional degree in Women’s Studies. Ms. Shah works in public health with a record of program management in the field of maternal and newborn health care in Nepal. She has worked intensively with Ministry of Health and Population, Family Health Division and External Development Partners in multiple programs with diverse purpose. Suveckshya has also worked with local NGOs of various Districts in Nepal for program purposes and conducting events.

Suveckshya was a Program Officer for Safe Motherhood Network Federation from 2007 till 2010. She is currently working in Ipas Nepal as a Program Coordinator for implementing the safe abortion project in remote districts of Myagdi and Kalikot in Nepal. She has been involved with HCN since its establishment and has been closely associated with organizational activities and programs.

PUSHPA LATA PANDEY, HCN MEMBER

Ms. Pandey received her B.Sc Nursing degree from B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Science, Nepal in 2000. She was a scholar of University Commission for Development, Belgium for Masters in Public Health Methodology from Free University of Bruxelles in 2004. She started her career as a Nursing Instructor in Maya Devi Technical Institute, Nepal. During 2002-2004 and 2005-2007 she worked as Training Officer and Research Monitoring and Documentation Officer in two different projects of CARE Nepal (Nepal Family Health Program and Reproductive Health for Married Adolescent Couple Program). During 2007-2008 she worked as Project Coordinator in Doctors of World-USA where focus of her work was to ensure rights to health for survivors of trafficking and violence. Currently she is Technical Advisor for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights component of GIZ. Pushpa guest lectures at public health colleges on health rights and rights based approach to health.

Pushpa also works as Technical Advisor for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights component at GIZ. Her primary responsibility is advocating for and ensuring reproductive health rights of youth and adolescents of remote communities of Nepal. She provides technical support to the government of Nepal to integrate Adolescent Friendly Services (AFS) and Youth Information Centers (YIC) into existing health systems. She leads a team at community, district and national levels in this work. Pushpa additionally engages in research and documentation processes during integration of AFS and YIC into Adolescent and Youth Health at National Health Sector Strategy of Nepal.

SUNITA SHARMA, HCN MEMBER

Ms. Sunita Sharma is internationally mobile with a strong expertise in micro finance, currently based in Dhangadhi, Nepal. A management graduate from Tribhuwan University with an additional degree in Women's Studies program and substantial field experience in rural areas in Nepal, Sunita has been working in rural development for the past 12 years. She started her career as a Training Coordinator in a Training Institute from 2000-2004, then worked at Nepal Trust, a non government organization based in Humla District (one of the most remote zones in Nepal) for 3 years focusing on health, micro-hydro projects and Income Generating Activities.

Since 2008, Sunita has been working in RVWRMP (www.rvwrmp.org.np), a bilateral project between Government of Nepal and Government of Finland as Micro-Finance and Cooperative Officer. She has developed credit and savings products, drafted procedures manuals, and trained staff in financial planning and management. She also has developed institutional strategies, implementation guidelines, training manuals and action plans. Her major focus lies with community based rural micro-finance, income generation activities, ensuring sustainability of development interventions, and socio-economic empowerment of women and disadvantaged groups.