‘NGOs work in Nepal for a Transformative Change: Impacts of Covid-19 and the Way Forward’
UK- Britain and Nepal Non-Governmental Organization Network (BRANNGO), in cooperation
with the Embassy of Nepal in London, organized a conference with the theme ‘NGOs work
in Nepal for a Transformative Change: Impacts of Covid-19 and the Way Forward’ at the
Embassy today. Set up in 2018 as an umbrella organization of the British INGOs and NGOs
working in Nepal, BRANNGO promotes information-sharing and collaboration between the
NGOs and various agencies to avoid duplication of efforts and increase the efficiency and
effectiveness of their charitable work in Nepal.
Speaking on the occasion, H.E. Ambassador Gyan Chandra Acharya thanked BRANNGO,
all the NGOs, development partners, and the British people for their charitable services to the
Needy people in Nepal. He shared that NGOs are major partners for development and
progress in Nepal, given the capacity and resource constraints of the government and the
deprivations and the huge needs of the people.
Similarly, he highlighted the need for a multistakeholder and holistic approach to promote rapid, inclusive, and sustainable development in Nepal. He further added that a fair balance between social development, and income-generating activities specially targeted to women and the deprived and marginalized groups would be crucial in the days ahead.
Speakers from different NGOs working in Nepal and the representatives of the Foreign,
Commonwealth and Development Office also addressed the event. Representing the NGOs,
speakers Ms. Janice Miller, CEO of Kidasha, Prof. Padam Simkhada from the University of
Huddersfield, Ms. Swastika Shrestha from the Teach for Nepal, Ms. Joanna Bega from the
Child Rescue Nepal addressed the event. They mainly focussed on their work in Nepal, their
experiences of working in the federal system, challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic
in the operation of NGO’s functions, and the steps to be taken in the future among others.
They discussed their contributions basically in sectors related to children’s education, health, and poverty reduction and for the upliftment of the socio-economic condition of the underprivileged and vulnerable people of Nepal.
The speakers also expressed their concerns about the reduction of the British Overseas development assistance (ODA) in recent years. Mr. Nathanael Bevan, Development Director of the British Embassy in Kathmandu, and Ms.Camilla Sugden, Deputy Head of India and Indian Ocean Directorate from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development office (FCDO) shared the aim of British cooperation in
Nepal, UK’s development cooperation priorities, support to Nepal during the transition to
graduation of Nepal from the LDC status and projects under UK aid in Nepal.
They also shared the FCDO structure and development cooperation policy of the UK at present.
The conference was conducted by Mr. Nick Hilton, the Chairman of BRANNGO. Two
breakout sessions on health and education were also held, where the education session was
moderated by Ms. Sarah Mackaness chair of the BRANNGO Working Group for Education and the health session by Mr. Nick Hilton. Officials from the FCDO and many members of the BRANNGO were present on the occasion.