Mandira Shrestha is a 19-year-old Health Activist from Bhirpani 3, Ramechhap. She has already worked as the team leader of “Child-led report on UPR,2020”. She is also actively involved as a member of the Integrated National Adolescent Girls Forum for uplifting the situation on various issues which has devoid girls of proper opportunities. To share her academic knowledge, She is working to develop and deploy courses on nursing with Nepal Online School so nursing education is accessible to everyone. Similarly, She has also worked as a National child representative as well as a National Adolescent representative in collaboration with the related organization to advocate and work for the goal of equal rights for all.

Furthermore, She is also a core member of Girls in Education, facilitator of Tri-Padma Child Club, a community volunteer, and trainer in the SRHR field working with the target group of children, adolescents, youths, women, and LGBTIQ++. During the pandemic, She has been working on the mental health of children and adolescents by creating an awareness of COVID-19 and online safety through various Media. She has already worked as a Community volunteer of ‘Women for Women foundation (WFWF), Netherlands’ 8,  Co-Trainer at ‘Rural Health and Education Service Trust (RHEST)’,  Facilitator of ‘Tri Padma Child Club’,  Member of ‘Girls-out loud’ 11, Member of ‘The Generation Green’ 12 and Fellow at ‘Bagmati River Basin Youth Program.

Her Journey

Mandira joined a child club at her school when she was in grade 6 and she started her journey of activism at a very tender age. In her school for the first time, a child club has been established in a joint effort with Lalitpur Metropolitan City. Even at that young age, she was aware of the problems that could be solved by active engagement. After getting involved, there were a lot of hardships and yet she was able to learn a lot. It became a key stepping stone for her to move onward. 

She has got an opportunity to be involved in membership in various other organizations and was personally involved to solve the issues of child abuse, labor, and violence. 

Mandira’s Journey of social activism started from a very young age. It has been 9 years since she stepped her foot in the career path of social work. She has nurtured herself and learned herself first about child rights. Giving continuity to this, she has been involved in the field of adolescents and youths for 4 years and now she has been working in the field of SRHR as a community volunteer, trainer, and also giving counselor for 3 years.

Although, She has an interest in the sector of child and girls rights activists. She has been helping many children, youths, individuals, and families to deal with issues they are confronting in individual, group, and marathon settings and it makes her happy to see the changes in those lives through her work. 

Her ultimate dream is to cultivate an awareness of gender equality issues by continuing to equip and empower the vulnerable and underrepresented populations of society, especially children and adolescent girls. 

In this pandemic, She has been working mostly being focused on the mental health of children and adolescents, creating awareness of COVID19 and online safety through various Media. She enjoys working directly with children and other individuals while being able to work on child welfare practices and broader system issues that impact people across her community. 

Currently, she is also working to create awareness and advocate for LGBTIQ+ along with contributors of Nepal Online School and members of Girls in Education. 

Impact Created

She has empowered, advocated, and motivated the people to work for the social cause. Helping to keep others safe has her a major impact. 

Mandira Shrestha was selected among the 20 brightest young entrepreneurs, innovators and game changers below the age of 20 in Nepal, for the year 2020. This annual list is the ultimate honor roll of young game changers reshaping Nepal for the better. The platform seeks to encourage the youths to share their initiation, creativity, and enthusiasm which will then motivate them and more of the other youths in the nation to develop an entrepreneurial thinking.