CHANGEMAKER 01. PABITRA MAJHI
My name is Pabitra Majhi, I am a very simple, kind and funny girl whose happiness is found in small things like dancing, taking photographs and travelling but in the past few years I have also become an enthusiastic and energetic youth activist. I am pursuing a master's degree in Economics at Patan Multiple Campus, Kathmandu and very passionate in activating positive social change and youth empowerment in my country. Working as a Programme officer of a youth-led NGO Girls Empowered by Travel –Nepal, I am developing my pathway to become a changemaker.
I am driven to be an effective social entrepreneur (SE) and contribute to the economic development of the nation. Looking for good opportunities or a platform where I could enhance my knowledge, skills and explore my potentialities lead me to UAE/NEPAL/CONNECT (UNC) 2016. This became one of my major turning points where I got the opportunity to transform myself from something to many things. Through the five days of the SE training program with INNOCO and Leadership Corner, I was able to explore my inner hero self and understand better the changemaker I wanted to be for my own community and how to begin contributing to society in different ways. This event built up my confidence and motivated me to seek more people with like-minded qualities.
I began working with an NGO, Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation Nepal, that helped me gain further knowledge on setting up a social entrepreneurship and understanding deeper the problems the people are facing. I began to see that girl and women empowerment was an area I was passionate about and begin to take steps to work with this cause. In Feb 2017, the Nepal Youth Cluster (NYC) that was initiated at the UNC2016 program, was working towards the UNC2017 bootcamp and I was selected at the Assistant Program Coordinator to organize this 9 day entrepreneurship boot camp where 18 Nepalese youth from diverse backgrounds participated to transform themselves as a social innovator. Through my hard work and commitment, the INNOCO team, based at Zayed University, Dubai gave me a great opportunity to work as a Research Assistant for the SE research paper and documentary feature that they were producing in light of the UNC programs.
A few years ago, I was a very shy person and could not express my view and thoughts in front of other people but with the guidance and encouragement from Joanne and Yunsun, I am growing up as a social changemaker. Later in 2017, I became one of the winners of EmpowHER 2017 organized by Ujyalo Foundation where I won half seed fund to accelerate my dream SE project Saahasi - The Brave Women in my hometown Sarlahi. Based on empathy-driven motives, this helped 10 women get basic education and I am currently doing research and seeking possible collaborations for these women to establish small micro enterprises based on local resources and be the example for other women.
In addition, I am also a U. S. Embassy Youth Council Member for 2018, which is enabling my network growth and fostering engagement with 50 youth members from diverse backgrounds to share our skills and knowledge. Recently, I along with my team successfully conducted training programmes for elected women of local government of Bhaktapur and Lalitpur to enhance and ensure the establishment of their meaningful participation in local development. Since the UNC programs, NYC has reformed and registered as the Nepal Youth Innovators (NGO), of which I was selected as a Vice President of the board members.
My mission is to ensure girls and women education in Nepal so that women are empowered to create opportunities for good leadership and equity in our nation.
