Why Nepal?
At the end of 2005, Nepal was ranked 136 (out of 177 measured) in the UNDP Human Development Index with 42% of Nepal's population of 24 million are living below the national poverty line. Although Nepal's average economic growth rate has been around the 5% mark over the last two decades, the level of income poverty has actually risen for the rural population as advances have been focused on urban areas. Rural poverty is exacerbated by a lack of education, skills, access to credit, and a lack of alternative employment opportunities. Addressing these challenges and reducing rural poverty requires solutions that are tailored at a grassroots community level.
What Do We Do?
Development Nepal has been running Project Ujyalo Bhabisya ('A Brighter Future') in the Sunsari district of Nepal since 2000.
Through Project Ujyalo Bhabisya, Development Nepal works with the poorest individuals and communities to improve access to essential resources and opportunities and to build knowledge and skills.
Project Ujyalo Bhabisya is community-led, with each programme determined through discussion with the community itself about its needs and preferences. The project is managed by Development Nepal's trustees, in collaboration with SPW Nepal and UCHEP, two Nepali organisations. Development Nepal's role is to design the project, to facilitate its development, to ensure it is effectively implemented and to provide the majority of funding.
Trustees
Christopher Kelly
Christopher Kelly (30) is a chartered accountant who trained with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and now works within PwC's government and public sector consultancy practice. In 2001 Chris oversaw the implementation in country of the first DN Ujyalo Bhabisya project. Chris has been involved with Nepal since volunteering on SPW Nepal's health and environmental awareness programme in 1996-97, returning on numerous occasions to support the evolution of Development Nepal's core project Ujyalo Bhabisya, and to run workshops in Nepalese and English. Chris has been involved with SPW Nepal in providing project evaluation and volunteer support (2001), SPW UK in developing short term fundraising initiatives (2000), and has recently been invited to sit on the national advisory board to SPW UK. Chris has a Masters in Governance and Development from the Institute of Development Studies, Sussex, UK and, as a chair, trustee and adviser to other development and volunteering focused charities, brings a range of skills in institutional and partnership capacity building, finance and governance.
Email: chris[at]developmentnepal.org
Mike Scott
Mike Scott was a volunteer on SPW's health and environmental awareness programme in Dang district during 2000-01 and has since returned on several occasions in various volunteering and research capacities, including a stint acting as a consultant for the World Bank. Whilst at university he set up a student-led charity (www.odauk.org) which aims to financially and practically assist community-initiated projects in the developing world. He oversaw the general running of the charity, as well project initiation and implementation. Mike also based his thesis research on the plight of the Kamaiya peoples, who until recently had been held in bonded labour in far western reaches of Southern Nepal. Mike speaks fluent Nepali and Tharu (a Terai-based dialect) to a high standard.
Email: mike[at]developmentnepal.org
Brian Wong
Brian Wong is an associate in law firm, Burges Salmon LLP, specialising in commercial disputes resolution. He has broad experience of fundraising and community action at a local level and maintains an interest in supporting local projects in the developing world. He is studying part-time for a MSc in Development Management.
Rebecca Picton
Rebecca Picton works for the British Council as a programme coordinator on a Department for International Development (DfID) funded school partnership programme. She has an MA in Social Development from the University of East Anglia, and completed a dissertation on the sustainability of development NGOs, in particular Gurkha Welfare Trust, a UK-based NGO working in Nepal. She has been involved in charitable projects in South Africa and Zimbabwe, but has a particular interest in Nepal as she has family connections there.
Charlie Ullman
Charlie works as an Investment Consultant for Watson Wyatt Worldwide. His background is in physics, maths and philosophy, and so focuses mainly on the technical (IT and communications) side of things at Development Nepal.
Nick Renshaw
Nick is a consultant working for PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in their Public Private Advisory practice, and specialises in project finance for public services. Nick is a trustee and founding member of Oxford Development Abroad and currently sits on the advisory board of the U8 global student partnership for International Development. In 2006 he graduated from IDD, University of Birmingham with a MSc in Poverty Reduction and Development Management having previously studied Geography at St Edmund Hall, Oxford University. During his studies. Nick completed his dissertation on the interface between research and policy at the Department for International Development (DfID), which is pending publication. With his background in development and experience in professional fundraising, Nick focuses his efforts on project monitoring & evaluation; and fundraising for DN.
The trustees are supported by a wider team of informed and interested individuals most of whom have either lived or worked in Nepal, or have other skill-sets that the trustees have felt would be valuable in supporting Development Nepal. Daniel Sefton gives invaluable support in the website and systems area.
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