International Volunteer Day is celebrated on the 5th of December every year as an occasion to appreciate and celebrate the efforts of volunteers all over the world. Volunteers are one of the most important components with the goal to collectively work towards attaining sustainable development throughout the globe. This year on the occasion of International Volunteer Day (IVD) 2021, United Nations Volunteers Nepal (UNVN) organized an event at Hotel Himalaya on the occasion of IVD 2021, the country award- Swayamsevak Award 2021, and the inauguration of Volunteer Catalogue. Objectives: To inaugurate the Volunteer Catalogue. To celebrate the volunteers around the globe and their utmost effort in their work and support throughout the community as well as to promote volunteerism and encourage our government to support the initiative. To announce the winners of the country award – Swayamsewak Award 2021. Distinguished Guests: Hon’ble minister Maheswar Gahatraj Athak, Ministry of Youth and Sports Mr. Micheal Croft, Country Representative for UNESCO Nepal Ms. Miyeon Park, Portfolio Specialist from UNV Asia and Pacific Ms. Kaajal Pradhan, Hub Director from Restless Development Modality: The modality of the event was done through a hybrid model where the program was live streamed through Facebook as well as could be joined through zoom and the stalls from various organization was organized at Hotel Himalaya (in-person). Program: The event started off with a flash mob dance by the volunteers with further moved along towards the special remarks from the distinguished guests. There was a short drama performed by the volunteers and support organizations. With the announcement of Swayamsewak Award, the highlight of the event- the Volunteer Catalogue was integrated by the hon’ble minister Maheswar Gahatraj Athak. The Volunteer Catalogue is a booklet symbol of 50 years of establishment of UNV Nepal where 50 inspiring stories will be collected which will talk about the significance of volunteerism as well as stories from volunteers all across the nation. This booklet was a contribution to the volunteer literature of the nation. The winners for the country award: Swayamsewak Award 2021 were Ms. Sumirta Magrati for Gender empowerment; Dr. Shishir Giri for Contribution towards the fight against COVID-19; Mr.Sanjay Bhandari for Innovation and transforming food systems. The runner-ups for the respective categories were Ms. Kusum K.C. for Contribution to fight against COVID-19 and Mr. Dilnawaz Sheikh Ali for Gender Empowerment. The winner for the Swayamsewak Award under the UN Category was Ms. Machiko Kitagawa, Generation Unlimited Coordinator at UNICEF Nepal, and the runner-up was awarded to Mr. Kenji Kitamura is working for UNICEF Nepal as an Early Childhood Education and Development officer. Interactive and informative stalls from multiple supporting organizations were present at the venue. Volunteers and the guests had the opportunity to go through all the stalls and interact with each other under the same theme of “Volunteer now for our common future.”
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‘Khulla Kitab: Hear My Story’, an intimate storytelling event to battle prejudices and stereotypes was initiated by CREASION and VFC Kathmandu at Genesis Café, Pani Pokhari, Kathmandu on December 3, 2021 leading up to International Volunteers Day. It was an open event for people to listen and tell stories that shaped by their ideals, identity, and incidents that have made a huge impact on their lives. These were stories of hope and sacrifices, of support and encouragement, of neglect and being undermined. Though everyone was invited to tell their stories, the event had some features speakers whose stories the audience primarily listened to. The featured speakers were: Radha Shrestha - Burn Survivor (Help Society Nepal, Radhako Burn Survivors) Binod Shahi - Educator (Sir of the Himalayas) Radha Paudel - Nurse, Author, Activist (Global South Coalition for Dignified Menstruation) Anup Gurung - Adventurer, Expedition Leader and River Activist, (Mission East to West, Nepal Kayak Club) Milan Rai - Social Practice Artist (Vriksha Foundation) Shrisha Nepal - Mental Health Advocate (Jibiko Media, Mondays For Mental Health (MMH)) Anjila Shrestha - Fashion Designer and Makeup Artist (Sustainable and Cruelty-Free Lifestyle) Anuj Rai Petter – LGBTIQ+ Activist (Blue Diamond Society)
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The winners of the Tree of the Year 2021 have finally been announced in an award ceremony with the photography and storytelling exhibition held in Nepal Tourism Board, Bhrikutimandap. Bibek Shrestha was triumphant winning the first prize followed by Tripti Tamang Pakhrin and Biplav Regmi, the first and second runner-up. The winners won the prize of Rs. 50,000, Rs. 30,000 and Rs. 20,000 respectively. Tree of the Year, affiliated to Asian Tree of the Year, is a national level photography and storytelling competition, is incepted with an aim to conserve trees with special values, beliefs and significance associated with the indigenous communities for their identification and protection. The top three winning photographs of Tree of the Year Nepal will now be competing at the Asian level. Bibek discovered the Peepal tree biking from Dhanushadham temple from Janakpurdham where bikers and cyclers often take refuge under the tree and explained how Charkose Jhadi was once a dense subtropical forest belt but that his province now has the lowest forest cover in Nepal. Tripty’s tree stands alone in the vast landscape of a barren cold desert almost seems like an oasis of offerings. The Shukpa tree in Manang is just that- a tree that has cultural, religious, medicinal, and geographical significance to the people. Biplav’s tree is the only tree that is situated in the middle of the fields quite often used as a place to rest after a long day of working on the fields. It could be seen as an oasis in the hot days of Terai. Mr Indu Kumar Joshi, Deputy DG, Department of Environment said, “Trees are an essential part of life which is required in every aspect of our daily living. Youths' engagement in biodiversity conservation is necessary. As trees are being destroyed and houses are being made in their place, as pollution is increasing day by day. This event opens our eyes on educating us and looking in a multi-dimensional perspective as one tree can change one’s life.” Dr Ghana Shyam Subedi, WWF Nepal said, “It is important for youth to be involved in bio-diversity So, it is important for youths to be involved in the conservation of trees for future reference.” Mr Ranjit Acharya, CEO of Prisma Advertising said, “What does a tree tell? I breathe air so that you can live, we can know the importance of the trees through this which is why it is necessary to voice out our opinions on the importance of trees. The participants showed the importance of trees of local communities so as the local communities will do something for the preservation of these trees.” Mr Aanand Mishra, Founder and President of CREASION Nepal said, “There is a bond created with this competition. We are committed to continuing this competition. Let’s preserve Nepal’s nature, plant more trees. A small contribution can make a big difference. We need to look from a governmental perspective and find better ways to preserve trees by not cutting them and envision a conscious outlook for the community.” The event was attended by Mr Indu Kumar Joshi, Deputy DG, Department of Environment, Dr Ghana Shyam Subedi, WWF Nepal, Mr Aanand Mishra, Founder and President of CREASION Nepal, Dr Chudamani Joshi- Landscape Ecologist, Special Advisor to the Embassy of Finland, Kathmandu, Mr Ranjit Acharya- CEO of Prisma Advertising, Motivational Speaker, Writer, Poet and Lyricist, Mr Bisam Gyawali- United Nations Volunteers Nepal (UNV) Country Coordinator and Nisha Adhikari Malla- Goodwill Ambassador- Tree of the Year Nepal, Actress, Model and Mountaineer who was also present for the ceremony. The Asian Tree of the Year is running in five different countries: Singapore, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, India, and Nepal. The continent-wide contest is organized by Carbon Consulting Company (CCC), and the nationwide competition is organized by CREASION in Nepal partnered with United Nations Volunteers Nepal (UNV Nepal). The purpose of Tree of the Year Nepal is to give significance to trees in Nepal which have cultural significance by bringing out stories to create an impact by touching the hearts of people to ensure better care and protection. For the past three renditions, Nepal and our winners have won 1st place in “Asian Tree of the Year” for three consecutive years. Our judging panel consisted of our esteemed judges who have a great eye for photography and stories are joining us for the 5th Tree of the Year Nepal event. The list of judges is as follows: 1. Dr Chudamani Joshi- Landscape Ecologist, Special Advisor to the Embassy of Finland, Kathmandu 2. Mr Ranjit Acharya- CEO of Prisma Advertising, Motivational Speaker, Writer, Poet and Lyricist 3. Bikash Karki- President, Photo Journalist Club and Photo Editor, Annapurna Post. 4. Bisam Gyawali- United Nations Volunteers Nepal (UNV) Country Coordinator 5. Nisha Adhikari Malla- Goodwill Ambassador- Tree of the Year Nepal, Actress, Model and Mountaineer Submissions for the contest were open from September 1, 2021, to October 9, 2021. The 2021 Tree of the Year Nepal was provided with additional support by Photo Concern.
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A session on Basic Complaint Mechanisms for Sexual Harassment was held at the CREASION office in Baluwataar on November 18, 2021 for VFC Kathmandu. The session explored what is considered sexual harassment, the legalities behind actions considered harassment, ways to act against harassment and a fun session on distinguishing a compliment from a catcall. Overall, more than a dozen people were in attendance and the interactive session enticed the volunteer groups to further carry out such a session at various schools and institutions. The session was held by Shoumya Risal and Shailshree Aryal, two law graduates and members of the CREASION team.
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As the world representatives gathered in Glasgow, Scotland from October 31 to November 12, 2021 for COP26 summit to bring parties towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, various institutions and organizations got together to show their solidarity to address the current environmental problems of the world. On November 8, 2021, People's Climate Mobilization Nepal 2021 worked collectively to raise a voice for climate justice as we held various demonstration such as wheel-chair dance, monologues, live art, tree of hope and more at Basantapur, Kathmandu. Previously, there have been successful gatherings for solidarity with the People's Climate March-Kathmandu 2014 and People's Climate Mobilization 2015. CREASION took part in the demonstrations as a dozen volunteers from VFC Kathmandu joined the mobilization and conveyed their message on the urgency of climate action and the need for climate justice. Collectively, we demanded: Separate Finance to address the Loss and damage and No climate Finance in Loan. No to Net Zero, we call for Real Zero No Climate Justice without Gender Justice No to Oil drilling in Nepal We Demand Rich Countries do their Fair share No to false solutions to address the climate crisis. Organizers: Avni Center for Sustainability Centre for Social Change - Freedom Studio Center for Research and Sustainable Development Nepal (CREASION) Consortium for Land Research and Policy Dialogue (COLARP) Cycle City Network Nepal Digo Bikas Institute Extinction Rebellion Youth Nepal Global shapers Kathmandu Hub Indigenous Women’s Legal Awareness Group Jagaran Nepal Janaswastha Jiwanta Nepal National Indigenous Disabled Women Association Nepal (NIDWAN) Nepal Cycle Society Powershifters Nepal Rotaract Club of Kupandole Saturday Plein Air 'We' for Change YUWA
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On the occasion of World Mental Health Day, CREASION and VFC organized an online session on an 'Introduction to Psychological First Aid' on August 10, 2021. The session was held by VFC Kathmandu volunteer Christeena Dhakal, a student of public health. The idea of the program was to introduce Psychological First Aid, a modular approach to provide first-line psychological support to people in the immediate aftermath of situations such as disaster and terrorism. In the session, Christeena explained the why's of PFA, who, when an where to apply, how to help and the ethics behind PFA. After the presentation on PFA was over, it was followed by a brief Q&A session on PFA and some questions on mental health. An open call for volunteers to join VFC Kathmandu was also announced at the end of the event. The deadline is set for August 26, 2021.
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CREASION Nepal in support of WWF Nepal establishes a waste smart museum in Chitwan National Park check-point. As Chitwan national park is a home to many endangered flora and fauna as well as houses many incoming tourists, the project ‘Empowering Youth Towards a Zero-Waste National Park’ is implemented to create a positive nexus in effective waste management, sustainable eco-tourism with zero-carbon footprint as well as empowerment of the local communities specifically by educating, empowering and inspiring a generation of youth and children for proper waste management. The waste smart museum is one of its kind innovative models which is designed to provide the visitors and the locals a conscious outlook towards conservation and source segregation of waste. The installation of a museum is a step towards bridging the gap of knowledge at a grassroots level. The museum is an assemblage of two manual bottles crushers, display LED screen, LED posters and allotted dustbins where visitors can reduce the volume of the plastic waste with the help of a crusher and effectively dispose different waste to the allotted dustbins. The infographics in the museum aware the community by disseminating messages related to waste management, environmental conservation and sustainability. The museum looks forward to collecting 1000 kgs of waste within the period of 10 months for recycling purposes. The initiative is an effort to inculcate behavioral changes in people by actively engaging local youth and children. The project till date has been able to reach 100 youth and 200 children through five waste-smart eco clubs in schools of Kasara and Sauraha, zero waste trainings as well as clean up campaigns. All these activities align in protecting the biodiversity of the national park from human activities mainly the haphazard disposal of waste. The waste smart museum was inaugurated in an event organized in Sauraha on September 23, 2021 in the presence of Mr. Narayan Ban, Mayor of Ratnanagar Municipality, Mr. Ananath Baral, Chief Warden, Chitwan National Park, Mr. Bala Ram Dahal, Ward Chairperson, Ward No. 6, Ratnanagar Municipality, Mr. Aanand Mishra, Founder and President of CREASION and representatives from WWF Nepal. Goodwill ambassador of CREASION and acclaimed actor, Dayahang Rai was also present for inauguration event.
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The CREASION team comprising of Founder and President Aanand Mishra and Goodwill Ambasador Dayahang Rai, and WWF representatives Shristi KC and Roshna Subedi Mishra held interactive sessions with VFC Kasara, VFC Sauraha, VFC Bharatpur and Waste Smart Eco Clubs of Laxmi MaVi in Kasara, and Bachhyauli MaVi and MaVi Chitrasari of Sauraha from September 22 to 24 for children and youths of Chitwan as a part of Empowering Youths Towards a Zero Waste Workshop. The youths and children explained the activities they have been involved in and expressed their learnings since being involved with the VFC and Waste Smart Eco Club. The CREASION and WWF Nepal team interacted with the children and youths to understand their stance on keeping clean the Chitwan National Park, the local issues of Chitwan and shared their own experiences of being involved as youths in environmental activities. Teachers of the respective schools expressed their gratitude in providing the opportunities for children and youths to be involved in conservation and sustainability initiatives. Overall, it was a fruitful meetup held in a span of three days at Laxmi Mavi in Kasara, Chitwan Gaida Lodge in Sauraha and CREASION’s Regional Office in Bharatpur in Chitwan.
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As a part of the Empowering Youths Towards a Zero Waste Workshop, CREASION with support of WWF Nepal, conducted a Door-to-Door Waste Inspection of houses in Ratnanagar-6 and Ratnanagar-7 in Sauraha, Chitwan on September 20. The inspection was conducted to understand how households manage their waste and provide them with feedbacks for waste segregation. All households inspected had segregated their household waste into degradable and non-biodegradable. The degradable waste is disposed in their farms and gardens that serve as vital nutrients for the crops and non-degradable waste are collected by the municipality once or twice a week. Some households separated the glass bottles that are occasionally collected by some waste collectors. Others were informed that glass could be collected by these waste collectors and that PET bottles could also be further segregated and provided to waste collectors.
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On September 15, 2021, CREASION with support of WWF Nepal conducted a ‘Household Waste Management Workshop’ for 19 students as a part of its bigger initiative Empowering Youths Towards Zero Waste National Park at Chitwan in CREASION’s regional headquarter in Bharatpur, Chitwan. The event was attended by children from Grade 7 to 10 from 6 different schools: Shree Bachhyauli Ma.Vi. and Ma.Vi, Chitrasari, Sauraha and Shree Mohan Ma.Vi, Saradpur Ma.Vi., Chameli Devi Piya and Ma.Vi. Baraghare, Bharatpur, and joined in by the CREASION team to learn to minimize household waste in everyday life, hosted by Rammaya Shrestha, Community Outreach Officer and Abish Man Shakya, VFC Program Coordinator of CREASION. The session began with an introduction to waste and its many ways of classification from its source, forms, types and other classifications. The participants further learned about composting and types of plastics. In an activity, the participants sorted waste into organic, inorganic and recyclable bins. The workshop then proceeded with the concept of zero waste in their household in different scenarios from grocery shopping, in the kitchen and cooking, doing laundry, cleaning personal care, in the bathroom, buying clothes, while shopping, getting gifts and celebrating, The workshop concluded with a presentation from the participants fragmented into different groups reflecting on how they’ll manage waste in their households that will contribute to keeping the Chitwan National Park clean. Despite the COVID-19 situation and mild rain, the program was fruitful and will contribute to keeping households clean and consequently keeping the National Park clean.
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CREASION and Volunteer For Change (VFC) have organized yet another Empower+ session with the CV and Cover Letter Writing Workshop on September 13 for 12 participants from VFC Bharatpur at CREASION’s Regional Office in Shivaghat, Chitwan to learn how to create a CV and Cover Letter. The participants were undergraduate students of Environment Science and Economics and the program was coordinated and organized by Rammaya Shrestha, Community Outreach Officer and Abish Man Shakya, VFC Program Coordinator. The session incepted with the importance of CV and Cover Letter in finding employment. The session was designed for students with no prior relevant exposure of relevant work to find their first job. The participants learned about the components of a CV and Cover Letter and simultaneously built their own CV, learned common mistakes while writing a CV, and wrote a sample cover letter, applying for a position at Recycler Saathi. Sample CV and Cover Letters were provided for reference. The participants recreated a CV and Cover Letter at the end of the session and had a one-on-one session with the organizers providing them feedback on their CV. The session marks the 23rd Empower+ session and has more than 560 youths engaged in the process. We hope that the participants of the session will assist them in applying for jobs as they graduate.
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On August 29, 2021, CREASION with support of WWF Nepal conducted a ‘Zero Waste Workshop’ as a part of its bigger initiative Empowering Youths Towards Zero Waste National Park at Chitwan in CREASION’s regional headquarter in Bharatpur, Chitwan. The event was attended by youths from Sauraha and Kasara, and joined in by the CREASION team to learn to minimize waste in everyday life, hosted by Abish Man Shakya, VFC Program Coordinator and Rammaya Shrestha, Community Outreach Officer of CREASION. The session began with an introduction to sustainable development, carbon footprint and climate change to fully understand how zero waste is not simply about cutting out being careful about consumption but also the creation and conveyance of products. The interactive workshop covered topics related to types of plastics and the right way to sort plastics into recyclable, non-recyclable and organic. It was then followed by an interactive session where the youth discussed how they could practice a zero waste in different scenarios from grocery shopping, in the kitchen and cooking, doing laundry, cleaning, for personal care, in the bathroom, buying clothes, while shopping, getting gifts, celebrating and in holidays, travelling, at the office, schools, public spaces and in any other scenario. The workshop concluded with a reflection on the participants learning of zero waste and how the local participants who reside by the Chitwan National Park would apply the things they have learned in their lives. Despite the COVID-19 situation and heavy rain, the program was fruitful and will contribute to living with minimum waste so that waste and consequently keeping the National Park clean.
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There was a time when people were scared that there wouldn’t be enough food to feed the hungry mouths in the world. It took an estimate 100 years for the world population to double from 1 billion in around 1800 to 2 billion in 1900. Despite the two world wars, it is estimated that that world population is 8 billion in 2021. This fear was reverted by the Green Revolution that saw an industrial revolution with fertilizers, pesticides and other technological farming methods that made large scale farming possible. These chemicals usage came at a great cost as they had adverse effects on the environment. Feeding the world now is an even bigger challenge as climate change has caused unpredictable weather patterns causing everything from floods to droughts. The challenge now is not just to feed the world but to provide nutritious food that takes into consideration the health of both humans and the planet. These were some of the issues highlighted at the 2021 ECOSOC Youth Forum (EYF) as the young participants stressed on working towards more equitable food systems. Ergo, the theme for International Youth Day 2021 is Transforming Food Systems: Youth Innovation for Human and Planetary Health. Considering the theme, CREASION and VFC organized Green Empower+: Advocacy, Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Activism for food systems. Though Empower+ traditionally empowered young people by providing them with the necessary skills, this session focused more on enticing young people to take up agriculture so that youths can come up with innovative ways of transforming the existing food systems. For this, we had some exemplary youths in various fields of agriculture to let us know about their initiatives and how they are approaching agriculture. Our first speaker Sagarika Bhatta, founder and chairperson at ERST We Care Nepal and Powershift Nepal, explained the food system that consist of different phases from production, processing, transportation, retailing and to consumer, and how food systems have gone from self-sustaining to becoming less sustainable. She further emphasized the role for youth to demand and advocate for change in food systems to influence policies and bring innovative solutions while telling about her rooftop-farming initiative. Zachary Barton practices and teaches permaculture in Nepal with Almost Heaven Farms in Illam and he let us know about his ambitions of living and at the same time going beyond sustainability. With AHF, he supports farming communities to move towards agroecology to restore soil, water and ecological health. He let us know the principles of permaculture that goes hand-in-hand with ecology and not against nature. Haushala Gurung Thapa presented on Food Memory Education, highligthing the importance menory plays in education children. While understanding soil and involving an eduaction process that includes the combination science, growing food and education, she empahsized how memories and upbringing are important part of education. It was delightful to learn about how she upbrings her kids to live sustainabily while learning about farming. With further elaboraton by our speakers regarding agriculture, the program concluded with our final speaker Pramisha Thapaliya exloring the UN Food Systems Summit and the explaining the priorities of youth for better food future.
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Animals in agriculture has been integral in the development of civilization. They are used for many purposes from ploughing the fields to using manure as biofertilizers. As the industrial revolution accelerated in 19th century, the animal agriculture industry caught up with the same mechanized process to manufacture livestock. In the 1900s, the impacts of industries on climate change had surfaced and raised concern, especially in the 1970s with the rise in environmentalism. Only in late 1980s did the world began getting anxious the climate issue. But it was only the publication of’ Livestock's Long Shadow: Environmental Issues and Option’ in 2006, a United Nations report, released by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, that the impacts of animal agriculture could on the environment came onto the surface. The climate activists have been vocal about the fact that their diets have one of the biggest impacts on climate change. To explain about the impacts of animal agriculture, we had hosted Dipesh Shrestha of Kathmandu Animal Save and Shristi Shrestha of Jane Goodall Institute, Animal Nepal and People’s Alliance for Nature Nepal (PANN) to an episode of Debunking Myths: Animal Agriculture and Sustainability. It was organized virtually on Zoom on August 9, 2021. Through their presentations, we learned about in details regarding the relationship between animals and the planet. The one of the reasons animal agricultures is unsustainable is because it contributes to 14-18% of all anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions which is more than the entire transportation industry according to the UN FAO. The more alarming detail is that 37% of these emissions are methane that is 20-30 times more potent than carbon dioxide and 65% of these is nitrous oxide that is 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide. The 63 billion farmed animals produce 450 tons of animal waste every year. Furthermore, farmed animals consume 40-50% of all grains produced while these grains could have been sued to feed the hungry as 25,000 people die of hunger every day. Forests are often cleared to make room for land to grow animal feed such as soy and corn such as in the where it contributes to 91% of the deforestation of the Amazon rainforest. But asking to move towards a meat and dairy free diet could mean endangering the livelihood of many Nepalis. Predominantly an agricultural country, animal agriculture contributes to 32% of Nepal’s agriculture GDP in Nepal and 11.5% of Nepal’s total GDP. Meanwhile huge investments are being made in Nepal with livestock being one of the highest recipients. These were some of the facts we learned from the speakers but it got even interesting as the speakers answered questions from the audience. Watch the full video to learn more about animal agriculture as our speakers answers questions and debunk myths regarding animal agriculture and sustainability. Check it out and have your say.
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CREASION in collaboration with Nepal Share, Be Artsy and other anonymous individual donors has initiated a quick relief response mechanism for flood affected communities. With the arrival of monsoon, the incidents of flood and landslides have also increased in many districts of Nepal. Many families have been displaced and ensuring their safety and security is a big challenge right now. Individual and institutional collaboration between the entities has extended assistance to 200 flood affected families. The first dispatch sent tarpaulins, mosquito nets, biscuits and beaten rice, solar lamps, blankets and water purifiers as immediate relief. The collaboration has extended its support for procurement and dispatch of additional relief and safety materials for the affected communities. CREASION has also initiated #FillTheBucket campaign where a donation of Rs. 3000 can be made to sustain one flood affected family with basic safety and daily requirements.
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To expand support outside Kathmandu, Oxygen for Nepal has officially started its chapter in Province 2. The operation in Province 2 is handled by Ramji Ram, a final year medical student. To initiate the operation, the team members have been conducting a door-to-door survey in various municipalities. The health status of the family members as well as their awareness level about COVID-19 has been recorded. Contact tracing in over 3100 households have also been completed in Province 2. The team also provides medical consultation to households and individuals suffering from general symptoms of COVID-19. In addition, many communities have also been assisted with food rations. The food rations are expected to help them sustain their livelihood during the pandemic.
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In response to the ongoing second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences, CREASION in support of various other organizations has launched Oxygen for Nepal campaign. The campaign is a collective effort of COVID Alliance for Nepal- a voluntary initiative of various groups, organizations and individuals. Oxygen for Nepal is currently working to collect funds and channelize them towards procurement and distribution of oxygen cylinders, oxygen concentrators, oxygen generators, COVID-19 safety kit and food ration. Through global fundraising in support of Nepal Rising, Merging Nepsocs, Student Coalition for Nepal, Be Artsy, Animal Nepal, Nepal Share, 100’S Group the campaign successfully kickstarted and as of June has already provided over 200 oxygen cylinders, 3 oxygen concentrators, over 200 food rations to waste workers and differently-abled children and over 650+ PPE sets. In one of the largest civil society and private sector collaborations, Oxygen for Nepal has also placed an order for the procurement of 10 Oxygen Plants. The campaign is ongoing and aims to reach out to more provinces with support to fight against the pandemic. For more details: https://creasion.org/projects/oxygen-for-nepal
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As part of the Empowering Youth Towards Zero Waste National Park project initiated by CREASION in support of WWF Nepal, four Waste Smart Eco Clubs have been launched in Chitwan. The Waste Smart Eco Clubs established in two schools of Sauraha and two schools of Kasara aim to provide an avenue for students to learn about their environment and take an active part in its conservation. On April 13 2021, the first establishment was done in Shree Madhyamik Vidhyalaya, Sauraha. Followed by the encouraging response of teachers and students alike in the first establishment, the second establishment was done in Shree Kadam Aadharbhut Vidhyalaya and Shree Rastriya Aadharbhut Vidhyalaya in Kasara on April 15, 2021. The final establishment was completed on April 16, 2021 in Bachhyauli Madhyamik Vidhyalaya in Sauraha. The attendees were first familiarized with the concept of Waste Smart Eco Club and its aim to help students be active in understanding and conserving the environment and biodiversity. Each club is compromised of 11 members who have their own designated roles and responsibilities. The President heads the club and an Eco-Teacher is designated as the Supervisor to oversee the activities and operation. The President and Supervisor were handed over with badges and officially inducted. The other members were officially made part of the Waste Smart Eco Clubs through an oath-taking ceremony. The club members were also handed over a Waste Smart Kit comprising of a gavel, register, notebooks, gardening kits, thermometer, booklets, sanitisers and wild species cards. The establishment event was attended by other students- Chief Guest, Guest of Honor, Chairperson, Vice Principle and Eco Teacher. The clubs are expected to organize and be part of environment-related activities and advocacy and encourage their peers, community and family to be active parts of conservation.
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CREASION in support of The Coca-Cola Foundation and Bottlers Nepal (Terai) Limited jointly conducted Occupational Safety Training and Health Camp on the occasion of World Health Day 2021. In alignment with the celebration’s theme to ensure a fairer and healthier world, the event was organized for waste workers putting into consideration their vulnerable working conditions. The program included a training session on safety measures during and after work, usage of different safety gear, prevention of occupational accidents at the site, and a session on the use of fire extinguishers and other safety equipment for a safer working condition. Safety gear including protective shoes, caps, jackets, masks, and gloves- were also handed over to the waste workers. In view of the sites’ vulnerability to fire accidents and other hazards, each site was also equipped with fire extinguishers and other safety amenities. The health camp consisted of medical checkups and consultations with the waste workers regarding their health concerns and issues. It was led by Dr Anuj Raj Kandel. One of the other major highlights of the event was the handover of labour contracts for the employees of the baling sites. The contract has been provided to help balers formalize working conditions for the benefit of their employees. The event reached out to 67 waste workers in six different sites of Satungal, Teku, Balkumari, and Jorpati.
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On the occasion of Earth Hour 2021, CREASION organized a series of activities in Bharatpur, Chitwan with volunteers. The activities were conceptualized in alignment to the vision of Earth Hour to aware more people about the importance of protecting nature. Three interesting activities- Meditation with Nature, Give Back to Nature and a cleanup campaign were the main highlights. Meditation with Nature was facilitated by Ek Raj Silwal and Pratistha Shrestha, Program Manager of CREASION. The session allowed the participants to connect with the five elements of nature and connect well through sight, sound, touch, smell and taste. The session was followed by Give Back to Nature, a plantation activity in the premises of CREASION’S regional office site. A cleanup of the local community was then conducted with VFC volunteers of Kasara. The most encouraging part about this was the integration of the local communities and children. The participants also inspected the waste collected, identified the recyclables and learnt how waste could be used as a valuable resource.
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On the occasion of Global Recycling Day 2021 on March 18, Recycler Saathi in support of CREASION and The Coca-Cola Foundation and Bottlers Nepal Terai Limited concluded a grand cycle rally in appreciation of sanitation workers. The rally was titled Hamro Cycle Yatra- #DignityForAll and aimed to bring together sanitation workers, government officials and other stakeholders of waste management to celebrate the contributions of sanitation workers and provide them encouragement. The rally was organized in Bharatpur, Chitwan and attended by more than 300 participants which comprised of sanitation workers, volunteers, organisation representatives and government officials. Renu Dahal, Mayor of Bharatpur Metropolitan City formally started the cycle rally from Chaubiskoti. A rally of cyclists proceeded with slogans and banners depicting the importance of sanitation workers for the environment and demanding equal rights and respect. Hamro Cycle Yatra moved through Belchowk and ended in Recycler Saathi unit in Shivaghat, Bharatpur-4, Chitwan. Mr. Aanand Mishra, Founder and President of CREASION, Mr. Bikram KC, representative of The Coca-Cola Foundation and Bottlers Nepal Terai Limited along with other representatives of partner organisations and local wards also graced the occasion and provided support to sanitation workers. Partners for the event included Chitwan Scrap Association, Better Chitwan, Way Group, Ek Sapana Cycle ra Safa Nepalko, Nepal Development Society, CESS, Hamro Drishti Ramro Drishti, Real Madrid Fan Club Chitwan, and Ex Gurkha Services. The event was a grand success, created much needed momentum for the vital role of sanitation workers and encouraged all of us to appreciate the daily sacrifices and contributions of the true #RecyclingHeroes, sanitation workers.
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CREASION organized an online photo contest, ‘How #GREEN Are You?’, based on the theme of sustainable living where participants were encouraged to showcase on how are they incorporating sustainable practices in their daily lives. Initiated on 24th February 2021, the contest aimed to motivate people towards a conscious and better living. The contest successfully accumulated a total of 20 entries that covered different areas of sustainability over a period of 4 weeks. CREASION collaborated with Kathmandu Organics, Leklekk: The Green Wave, and Canaveda Institute Nepal to create an eco-friendly gift hamper for the winning entry. A judging panel was created for winner selection that comprised of Founders of respective companies along with CREASION’s Program Manager. CREASION witnessed remarkable entries that touched different spectrums and levels of sustainability like reusing, recycling, upcycling that addresses issues like waste management, single-use plastic, natural resource scarcity, air pollution, deforestation and much more. Under this initiative, Recycler Saathi also organized a webinar with speakers from contest’s judging panel that explored the concept of sustainability through different lenses; individual, household, communal, and organizational. In coordination with the judging panel, Subekchya Bastakoti, was selected as the contest’s winner. The winning entry represented diverse areas of sustainable practices; minimalistic lifestyle, reusing, recycling, restoring green space, and utilizing resources available at hand.
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