Mandira Shrestha is a 19-year-old passionate Health Activist from Ramechhap who has been involved in several campaigns related to child rights. She has been awarded the title of “Wai Wai Glocal Teen Hero 2020” at the sixth iteration of the Glocal Teen Hero Award, organized by Glocal Pvt. Ltd.
Mandira always had a dream where she could help to empower individuals and community members to find solutions, advance changes, promote social justice, and pull communities together in a way that fosters both human and global well-being.
Since childhood, she has been fond of helping and serving people. Mandira joined a child club at her school when she was in grade 6 and she started her journey of health activism at a very young age. Even at that young age, she was aware of the problems that could be solved by active engagement. From her school days, she has been an active student who wanted to experience everything. Since then, she has always had an interest in social work and raising a voice, participating in various programs, and serving people. It has already been 9 years since she stepped foot in the sector of social work through the field of 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.
Later, she got membership in various other organizations and was personally involved to solve the issues of child abuse, labor, violence, and corporal punishment, etc. And after constant effort, she succeeded to get a various accomplishment like declaring her locality as a child labor free zone, making her club one of the best child clubs, and also get awarded many honors.
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 deprived 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. 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.
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. Although there had been a lot of hurdles Mandira says she never chose to give up so she would like to tell her peers or all the people of her age or below that, we are capable of changing the existing problems and looking at the seriousness it should be addressed at its earliest.
Mandira shared her opinion about Glocal Teen Hero – is a platform to share ideas, opinions, and also the stage that provides an opportunity to learn from others as well. As teenagers are those who are innovative, creative, and also one with a great hunger to do something for the development of society and the nation. For this, we need guidance and GTH has guided her to sharpen out her skills, inspired her to move forward, and also helped to widen her networking skills.
Glocal Teen Hero is a platform for teenagers to identify and honor outstanding teenagers whose creativity, commitment, experience, and strong leadership have helped them achieve success in an increasingly challenging environment. This award recognizes and honors the exceptional teen whose work is sustainable and who can think out of the box addressing the issues and creating an impact in society. Fostering a collaborative community among recipients and strengthening the national recognition of today’s young leaders is a primary goal of the Glocal Teen Hero Award.
