Angaalo

Born and brought up in Kathmandu, Moin Uddin had neither been outside of Kathmandu nor was he informed on various cultures around the country. Of many stops in his young life, Teach for Nepal's fellowship program became a crucial one. The fellowship took him outside of his comfort zone, to Sindhupalchowk where he not only experienced a very way of life,  but also found his life's calling - teaching!
His newly acquired love of teaching took him to Dolpa after two year stint in Sindhupalchowk.   Although life in upper Dolpa is polar opposite of what he grew up with in Kathmandu, his determination to educate the future generation forced him to be very innovative.
Fascinating conversation with Moin in this episode of Angaalo. 

In this episode I speak with Mr. Narayan Sigdel who is the headmaster of Janjyoti School in Surkhet. Narayan became the headmaster of this school at the tender age 24, when the school was accessible only on foot from the nearest town. His commitment and dedication to teach students to be successful beyond classrooms has been an exemplary initiative, and has received attention from the government as well as from financial institutions. 

Students at Janjyoti can gain skills on  vocations of their choice as well as earn money by marketing their products and skills in the market. They are provided financial assistance from the school, if needed; and from the banks' as of late to initiate their business ventures. The initiative is a great example of what a public school should be doing to tool students to stand on their own feet in life.

Check out this inspiring personality's path to producing future entrepreneurs in Nepal. 

Enlightening conversation with Nripal Adhikary in this episode of Angaalo. 

An architect by training, an artist at heart, and an innovator in craft, Nripal Adhikary is (re)introducing technology and materials that have always been in our surroundings but pushed out by modern building materials. Nripal's purposeful designs are safe, aesthetically pleasing and sustainable because of local materials, mainly bamboo and earth. His work has been recognized by the international architecture community.  His ideas would be a great solution to safe and happy coexistence with nature!

A very enlightening conversation with Mr. Ajay Dixit on water, climate change, and society.
Mr. Dixit, an engineer by training,  has spent his career studying, researching, teaching, and writing about different facets of water and its impact on society. Very few Nepali understand the impact of water, particularly in the context of climate change, as much as Mr. Dixit.
He is recognized regionally for his expertise and often writes on issues that affect all of South Asia. 
We feel and see the devastation caused by natural disasters, but we overlook the society's contribution in making those incidents impact the way they do. Mr. Dixit explains our role in that. A must listen...

In this episode Gorkha's Dharche Rural Municipality Chairperson Santosh Gurung and I talk about this rural community situated in the midwest Nepal. Gurung who is in the helm of this rural municipality for the second time has plan and vision for his constituency, but lack of coordination between the federal government and the local government has left him helpless and desperate. Among other issues, Gurung voices his frustration on the prevailing practice of development model prescribed from the central government rather than model that is suitable to the local situation.

The conversation highlights weaknesses of the one-size-fits-all development model, especially when there is a lack of coordination at different levels of government. 

Dr. Bishwabandhu Sharma has been practicing as a psychiatrist in Nepal for the last four decades. Mental disorders, like anywhere else in the world, is still stigmatized in the Nepali society forcing many to unnecessarily suffer and live in miserable conditions.  Having said that, with the rise in available treatment services, people are also slowly speaking out and are seeking help.

In this episode Dr. Sharma and I talk about the transitions in the field of mental health, from people's perception of mental disorders to changes in treatment protocol of various disorders. We also talk about his book "Manchhe ko Man" and his experience in dealing with people with mental disorders and their family members over the course of his career. 

Hom Karki has been reporting on labor and migration related issues, particularly of the hardship faced by Nepali migrant  workers in the middle-east for almost two decades.  As the person in charge of the Kantipur's Qatar office he actually got to witness lives of migrant workers in six countries where Nepali labor force is situated from close proximity.

In this episode Hom talks about his book Sanaiyaa which is filled with heart wrenching stories of  desperate workers who are stuck in situations they can't get out of, even if they tried. Unfortunately even the Nepali authorities are helpless because of limitation of resources at their disposal in addition to bureaucratic hurdles in these countries. 

Fabulous conversation with writer Anbika Giri. Her creations are more than  just stories. They portray social issues that haunt people throughout their lives. Her books are stories that are carefully woven with messages to build self esteem of people of ages.

Nepal lacks child literature in general, so Anbika's creations are contributions in literature as well as social awareness topics.

In this episode we visit Anbika's youth, how she got started in reading, and her inspirations for writing. We discuss her new book Naak Kasari Thado Huncha?, and an earlier book Ama Saknu Huncha.

This is a must listen for parents of young readers, parents themselves, and of course everyone interested in reading in general.

Dr. Binda Pandey is a member of the parliament elected from Nuwakot. Dr. Pandey has been active in the left leaning politics since her student days. Since then she has been a vocal leader in matters related to women empowerment and trade union. Despite her amazing resume full of academic accomplishments, national and international professional experience, and committed party work; she is struggling with the glass ceiling within the party and beyond.

In this episode we talk about her views on feminism, fascinating discovery of previously unreported women's role in democratic movements, and her own stance on politics of principle.  A must listen!

Dr. Swasti Sharma is a fertility specialist who is  dedicated to giving hope to those who are suffering from infertility. Infertility is a growing problem in Nepal that often goes undiagnosed for lack of services and hidden because of social stigma. It has a broader social implications, especially in rural areas. 
In this episode  Dr. Sharma talks about her own struggle with infertility as well as issues she faces in delivering fertility services in Nepal. She shares first hand accounts of why infertility is more than just a health issue. It is a social issue that needs destigmatized!