After three amazing years of learning and unlearning with Impact Hub Kathmandu, I have transitioned into a new role at Startup Discovery School Asia as one of the Asia leads. But the journey so far is worth a reflection and space in the clouds to share how it’s empowered and enabled me to dream big and look ahead. Thank you Impact Hub Kathmandu for allowing me to dream big, explore, evolve and a safe space to work passionately and most of all enable me to implement Design-Thinking and Human Centered Design approaches!
It all started during the pandemic, the lockdown had given me enough time to rethink my career. I kept asking myself, “What if I don’t want to continue being an entrepreneur?!”, “Will my current skill set be relevant in the next ten years to start fresh?”. That’s when my sister sent me a vacancy in Impact Hub Kathmandu, then Nepal Communitere. Joining a full-time job meant being all in, at a time when everyone was leaving 9-5 to do something of their own, I was doing the opposite. Three years from then, that was the best decision of my life. If this was a TedX Talk, I’d suggest young people to invest their time working under someone, in a professional setting before starting something of their own, because it’s worth it!
The programs that uplifted me – Incubation
My life changed for the good at Impact Hub Kathmandu, I got to work in and lead some of the coolest programs.
My incubation career started with ICIMOD’s Tourovation Hub, an entirely virtual incubation program for 8 tourism enterprises in Nepal funded by the REEECH program, ICIMOD. Here we incubated tourism entrepreneurs to integrate Renewable Energy and Energy Efficient business models with a social, environmental and economic value proposition and built inclusive and resilient business models. Here I had the chance to work closely with the tourism entrepreneurs across Nepal and energy experts from Nepal and across South Asia. Soon, I found myself supporting businesses to create a holistic business approach that not only generated profit but also social, economic and environmental impact. My three seniors at work, Padmakshi, Aarati and Bahar helped me navigate the world of business coaching. I was coaching several companies with different products and services at the same time, adding on to my own professional skill set. In the span of two years, I helped design and deliver incubators like I-Cube, RESA and the Kathmandu Metropolitan City Business Hub: Urban Innovation Program with UNDP catering to entrepreneurs working on technology, education, agriculture, health, environment, culture and heritage and waste management.
Alongside many others in the community, I was able to witness Nepal Communitere transition to Impact Hub Kathmandu and establish FabLab in Nepal. When we joined the global network of impact hubs and FabLab we were nervous but also confident that this would be a great way to open the global network to the changemakers, innovators and entrepreneurs of Nepal. This transition proved to be an amazing learning experience. In the process, we saw our programs evolve from an incubator to inclusive capacity development. The following programs I share helped us shape “Impact Academy” a term I am proud to have coined to define what we do dedicated to empowering and enabling communities by designing capacity development programs.
Impact Academy: Extending beyond incubator
In 2022 we implemented the UNICEF Youth Challenge 3.0 in Nepal. This program was a turning point for myself and the organization to design programs that are inclusive and accessible to marginalized communities but not limited to people with disabilities, LGBTQIA+ communities, Dalit, religious minorities and adolescent girls from different walks of life. I was given an opportunity to Co-design the curriculum and co-facilitate the Generation Unlimited 3.0 in Nepal organized by UNICEF Nepal in partnership with UNDP Nepal and ILO as the program coordinator. We were successful in designing an inclusive and accessible boot camp and incubation with a Human Centered Design approach, making it accessible to youths with disability, the LGBTQIA+ Community and Ethnic Minorities to develop awareness campaign messages and communication tools through HCD and storytelling. Select mentors and ensure inclusive sourcing for the program. Here I felt myself being truly heard with the creative freedom to work. I was able to build and work with youth from different walks of life in Kathmandu, Kailali and Janakpur.
My last year in Impact Hub Kathmandu has been a personal and professional journey to explore Nepal on the ground. I was provided with the opportunity to lead the USAID’s Civil Society and Media program with The Asia Foundation and work with youth, women and marginalized civil society leaders in Lumbini and Madhesh province of Nepal. A lot of times while running the program in Kapilvastu, Rupandehi, Dhanusa and Sarlahi, I missed my late father who was also a development professional. I felt connected to him and many times wished that he was here with me to share about my learnings from the field. I spent most of my time in the field, working with the rural and grassroot civil society organizations working towards an equitable and just society. I realized how exposure and network is important to amplify the impact of individual effort alongside the policies and the local government. The program helped me empathize and understand the changes in the field after federalism, the stories of women networks in Madhesh, the plight of the LGBTQIA+ community and people with disability, and understanding the importance of Dalit rights movements. Here too the Human Centered Design principles helped us gain confidence in the communities we work with. From being yet again the outsiders who are perceived to have come to save the world, through HCD, we were able to change the perception by trying out a bit to include the community members to become implementers and designers of the program. This program has given me a purpose to continue working with a mindset to make programs and funds accessible to marginalized communities and design with them! Nevertheless, I will miss my partner in the field Rachana who will now be leading this program. Thank you for being as crazy to implement the most challenging of ideas, although I might have been a little too pushy at times, we have really come a long way from two young women navigating this program in its nascent days to implementing it with confidence together with the communities we work with!
Apart from the programs I led at my time here, I was always given the freedom to organize What’s Hub on various different themes to hold open and roundtable discussions on topics that matter and brought the community together. The art of hosting as Bahar says, I was able to explore my way into it to host community events to network and connect with changemakers in Nepal and gain mentors and mentees along the process! Something that I cherish and will take forward no matter where life takes me!
As I embark on a new journey and transition from Impact Hub Kathmandu, I thank this organization and the people I have worked with that provided me with the opportunity to learn and unlearn, push boundaries and build my own narrative. In the span of three years, I feel that I have grown into a confident young professional and met my purpose and look forward to it. I will miss Shanti Didi’s lunch and the love she gave me and most of all how I would start my day with “What’s your problem bro?”, which probably startled my colleagues at the beginning but soon became a lingo! Words fall short to express my gratitude towards Padmakshi Di and Aarati Di with whom I have learned so much and who gave me the space to lead and bring my passion to work. As much as I have been able to gain from this entity, I hope that I was also able to give back and continue to give back in the coming days. I know this entity will thrive to continue being a leading entity with the powerhouse of talents it has built today, extending its safe space to entrepreneurs, changemakers and innovators to grow and think big!
Love,
Samanata!