GAUN GAUN MA UDDYAM ….
A philanthropic journey for youth entrepreneurial development in rural areas
(Original)

Ashis Himali
(Age 23, Nepal)
Pokhara University Management Campus

BACKGROUND

Nepal is a beautiful country endowed with natural resources and multiethnic cultures. But due to the internal political conflicts and the unsystematic government planning, there have arisen many social, political and economical problems. This has adversely affected the youths (15-24) who cover about 28% of the total population leading to increased unemployment and frustration in them. The unemployment rate is about 17% and yearly 170,000 youths go abroad for earnings. This has lead to a disaster of muscle drain and brain drain. The poverty rate is about 42% and increasing. Every hour 35 job opportunities have to be created and the way to resolve this problem is developing entrepreneurial culture and practices in the rural areas.

 In Nepal most of the people live in the rural areas. So unless we are able to focus the rural youths, we cannot solve the problems of unemployment and poverty.

Moreover, most of the youths are not able to convert their ideas into opportunities because of the social structure, lack of mentorship and entrepreneurial education. Youth entrepreneurship is the way to change their ideas into enterprises. It has to be a creative utilization of youth ideas and energy for economic and social development.

INTRODUCTION

Gaun Gaun Ma Uddhyam is the project that envisions a society where every individual can fulfill basic needs such as food, shelter, clothing, education, health, human rights and entertainment with personality enhancement. It helps to reduce poverty and unemployment by enterprise development.

Gaun Ma Uddhyam is a philanthropic journey for youth entrepreneurial development in rural areas. We believe that the real development should be practiced from the rural areas. If we can utilize,mobilize and capitalize our local resources it will be enough to begin the real entrepreneurial community. This project helps to empower youth of rural areas so that they can invest their energy, skill and productivity in their own community making them productive and capable.

We plan to launch 43 Youth Entrepreneurship Development Centre in 43 Villages of Kaski (my community) with cordination of local 43 Youth groups, Mother groups and Schools where at least one enterprise is developed in one village.
.
ABOUT ALTERNATIVES

Alternatives a youth-led and youth-run social enterprise was initiated during 2006 and got officially registered with the District Administrative Office (Kaski) on 28th November 2007. It is established with the intention of making youths self dependent, productive and skilled. It works to create new possibilities for youths, so that they can utilize their pragmatic and enthusiastic ideas in their own country.
 
Vision: One Village; One Youth Entrepreneurship Development Centre

Mission:  Finding new possibilities for youth by developing Youth Entrepreneurship in     rural areas.

HOW OUR ORGANIZATION WORKS?

WHAT ACTUALLY DO WE INTEND TO DO?

Suppose in one village, there is one indigenous and local profession like handicraft industry which employs 2 people. This type of profession is diminishing because the youths are going abroad for better opportunities and money. So we try to collect the resources (volunteers, market access, technical aids and motivations) and funds from the urban areas that will help to develop the craze and modernization in such enterprises. We make the coordination with the local community, youths and other groups.

Now let’s hope it goes in geometric progression! In every village 10 youths are motivated and can employ 30 more youths than how good it would be if 43 villages with 43 different enterprises have at least 40 youths each employed in their own village. I can proudly say than at least 1720 youths are employed .This is just in my community Kaski. If this could be replicated in whole of Nepal than the unemployment and poverty would be reduced controlling muscle drain and brain drain.

OUR PRESENT ONGOING WORK

 Presently, we are working to make YOUTH ENTEPRENURSHIP DEVELOPMENT CENTER in TAPRANG in Sildujure, Kaski. It is one of the remote villages where we need to enhance the enterprenurial culture for youths and motivate them to work in their own village. It includes at least one computer, printer, daily newspaper, monthly magazines (for information updating) and most feasible resources for encouraging local indigenous farming like ginger and tomato farming.

SOME PHOTOGRAPHS OF TAPRANG VILLAGE:

1. Coordinating and interacting with the local community.

2. Youth Entrepreneurship Development Center in Taprang

3. Local youths talking to each other.

4. Local youths being given leadership and entrepreneurial trainings by our team.

CONCLUSION: