Kathmandu, 21 February 2025
The Youth Innovation Lab (YI-Lab) and its consortium partners Restless Development, CREASION, and CDMS, with the support of the European Union, successfully hosted the third annual sharing event of Nepali Yuwa in Climate Action and Green Growth (theYouthCAN.org). Over the past three years, this initiative has empowered thousands of Nepali youths, encouraging their engagement in climate action, governance, and green entrepreneurship.
This event celebrated the remarkable achievements and impact of the project, which has actively involved 7,921 youth, 1,444 government representatives, and 10,553 community members across Madhesh, Karnali, and Sudurpashchim provinces.
The program has led to policy changes, climate-smart enterprises, and a strengthened disaster resilience framework at the local level.
The event featured an Innovation Walk, where participants showcased the experiences of Climate Fellows, data-driven advocacy initiatives like TagMe by mobilizing digital volunteers, and the success stories of Innovation Grant winners. A key highlight was the launch of the Youth Profile, which documented inspiring young changemakers leading climate action efforts in Nepal.
Addressing the event, H.E. Veronique Lorenzo, EU Ambassador to Nepal noted that “The fight against climate change is upon us all, and the role of youth in transforming ideas into climate-smart enterprises is critical. The collaboration between policymakers, entrepreneurs, and communities is key to building a sustainable and resilient future.” Since its inception in 2022, theYouthCAN.org has significantly advanced Nepal’s climate action landscape, leading to major accomplishments such as mapping 4,274 critical
infrastructures to enhance disaster preparedness, identifying 3,110 landslide-prone areas for risk mitigation, mapping 5,005 waste dumped sites for sustainable waste management, embedding 30 Climate Fellows at the local level to support policy implementation, developing 27 Local Disaster and Climate Resilience Plans (LDCRPs), and supporting six innovative entrepreneurs through Climate Smart Entrepreneurship. Furthermore, 1,550+ landslide data points have been collected to aid informed disaster response.
Speaking at the event, Goma Karki, Project Lead at Youth Innovation Lab, highlighted the role of Nepali youth in shaping a resilient and sustainable future through governance, digital advocacy, and innovation. The mayor of Dodhara Chandani, Mr. Kishor Kumar Limbu stated that “The placement of a dedicated fellow in Dodhara Chandani Municipality and the data he collected played a crucial role in effective disaster planning. Despite experiencing the highest recorded rainfall of 624 mm in recent times, our municipality successfully minimized disaster impacts, with no human casualties reported”.
The keynote speaker Dr. Bhisma Kumar Bhusal, Chief Executive of NDRRMA highlighted the importance of data-driven informed decision-making and praised the innovative ideas of young entrepreneurs in sustainable entrepreneurship. He acknowledged the mentors who guided them and highlighted the significance of women in leadership roles. “Many innovative ideas may fail, but don’t run away from failure.
There are billions of ideas to explore, don’t give up. Start new, work hard, and keep going,” he encouraged. Pradip Khatiwada, Executive Director of YI-lab, concluded the event with gratitude to the EU and other partners, affirming the organization’s dedication to empowering youth in climate change, entrepreneurship, and digital advocacy.
For further information, contact
Youth Innovation Lab
Bashidhar Marga, Kathmandu Nepal
Phone: +977 9851115919
Email: [email protected]
Immediate Contact
Goma Karki, Project Lead, +977 9840401567
Email: [email protected]
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