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Himalayan Volunteer and Knowledge Sharing Initiative:
Building Smart Communities |
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Overview
Over the last several years Nepal has made remarkable strides in some areas such as, information technology, media, community forestry, micro hydro, financial sector, and educational enterprises. During these years, Nepal also experienced rising income inequality, socio-economic and political polarization, apathy, and violent conflict. More than a million Nepalis are currently working in numerosu foreign countries, and have formed a formidable source of remittance. Another unavoidable consequence of globalization has resulted in a massive intellectual brandrain. Young Nepali minds are studying in the West in record numbers, and many are likely to become professionals, researchers, educators, and entrepreneurs. A challenge for us is to encourage these minds to give something back to the struggling impoverished Himalayan nation of Nepal.
Nepal Study Center dedicates this page to form a Himalayan Volunteer Initiative. |
The Giving
These givings can occur in various ways: social works, investments, and intelellctual knowledge transfer. But, the main crux of this Himalayan Volunteer Initiative is to encourage everyone --non-resident-Nepalis and their friends--to become volunteers and provide short-term services to various initiatives currently being undertaken in Nepal. This page provides some information and links to various volunteering services. But, there are some personal initiatives of the Nepal Study Center, the first two listed below, that could also be of interest to you.
Knowledge and Skill Sharing Opportunities in Nepal
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Higher Education |
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Integrated Microdevelopment:
environmental research and education, health, and telemicrofinance |
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Faculty and scholars interested to participate in short-term research and teaching service in Nepali colleges and Universities can contact Nepal Study Center for such opportunities.
We will do our best to get you in touch with the appropriate institutions in Nepal. Likewise, we also invite Nepali academic centers and institutions to contact Nepal Study Center with a brief proposal outlining your area of needs. Students seeking internships opportunities in Nepali academic institutions are also encouraged to contact us. We also encourage you to read the NSC's initiative on Graduate School of Economics and Public Policy, and contact the Center if you find it relevant and matches with your knowledge skill and interest.
¬Graduate School of Economics and Public Policy |
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Development is meaningful and can be sustained when different components of it work in an interactive and integrated fashion. NSC has taken initiative to promote this IT-based microdevelopment idea, which we believe is most suitable for a rugged Himalayan region. By developing a foundation in energy source (e.g., solar and microhydro), wireless TT, and sustainable financial resources (telemicrofinancing), we can then create opportunities in telehealth, distance-education, and skill training and overall knowledge transfer. We encourage you to study the following links and offer ideas to be a part of this exciting initiative to build smart communities in the Himalayas.
¬People2People Telemicrofinancig
¬Smart Design, Smart Village (IT, Health, Environment, and microdevelopment)
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| A Collaborative Project: Nangi Village Cluster |
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Nangi school and its mentor Mr. Mahabir Pun in the western Nepal near Pokhara, a tourist hub popular for Annapurna trekking circuit, have created a network of several villages using the wireless Wi-Fi technology. Surrounded by beautiful forests, valleys, and mountains, these clusters of villages have provided us with an opportunity to initiate collborative programs like:
• Telehealth,
• Environmental data collection and research,
• Telemicrofinancing, and
• Internships and field research
Please check back with us for further developments and opportunities. (Preliminary discussion stage and link.) |
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