Jagan Karki , London —  Britain and Nepal Non-Governmental Organisation Network (BRANNGO), on Friday, in cooperation with the Embassy of Nepal in London, organised a conference with the theme ‘NGOs work in Nepal for a Transformative Change: Impacts of Covid-19 and the Way Forward’ at the Embassy.

Set up in 2018 as an umbrella organisation of the British INGOs and NGOs working in Nepal, BRANNGO promotes information-sharing and collaboration between the NGOs and various agencies to avoid duplication of efforts and increase the efficiency and effectiveness of their charitable work in Nepal.

Speaking on the occasion, Nepali ambassador to UK Gyan Chandra Acharya thanked all the NGOs, development partners and the British people for their charitable services to the needy people in Nepal.

“Given the capacity and resource constraints of Nepal government and the deprivations and  huge needs of the people, NGOs are major partners for development and progress in the country,” he said.

Ambassador Acharya stressed on the need for a multistakeholder and holistic approach to promote rapid, inclusive and sustainable development in Nepal. He further added that a fair balance between social development, and income generating activities especially targeted to women and the deprived and marginalized  groups would be crucial in the days ahead .

Speakers from different NGOs working in Nepal and representatives of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) also addressed the event.

Representing the NGOs, speakers Janice Miller, CEO of Kidasha, Prof Padam Simkhada from the University of Huddersfield, Swastika Shrestha from Teach for Nepal, Joanna Bega from the Child Rescue Nepal addressed the event.

They focussed on their work in Nepal, their experiences of working in the federal system, challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic in the operation of NGOs’ functions, and steps to be taken in the future, among others. They also discussed their contributions basically in sectors related to children’s education, health and poverty reduction and for the upliftment of the socio-economic condition of the underprivileged and vulnerable people of Nepal. The speakers also expressed their concerns about the reduction of the British Overseas development assistance (ODA) in recent years.

Nathanael Bevan, Development Director of the British Embassy in Kathmandu and Camilla Sugden, Deputy Head of India and Indian Ocean Directorate from the FCDO shared the aim of British cooperation in Nepal, UK’s development cooperation priorities, support to Nepal during the transition to graduation of Nepal from the LDC status and projects under UK aid in Nepal. They also shared the FCDO structure and development cooperation policy of the UK at present.

The conference was conducted by Nick Hilton, Chairman of BRANNGO. Two breakout sessions on health and education were also held, where the education session was moderated by Sarah Mackaness, chair of the BRANNGO Working Group for Education and the health session by Nick Hilton. Officials from the FCDO and members of the BRANNGO attended the program.