Who We Are
“In Times of Famine, Save seeds
In Times of War, Save Youths”
– Rita Thapa, Founder
introduction
Nagarik Aawaz (NA) is a non-profit organization that practices grounded values of peacebuilding to create agencies of peace (in the forms of peacebuilding organizations, ambassadors, facilitators and volunteers) in an era of growing insecurities and an unaddressed past. NA was founded in 2001 at the height of the armed conflict (1996-2006) in Nepal. In more than two decades, the grievances that led to armed conflict have not changed. Structural violence is intensifying at an alarming rate. Nepal has not addressed the wounds, and scars caused by the armed conflict. The significant human rights violation cases still go unaddressed. Nagarik Aawaz works for a Just and Peaceful Nepal and feels that youth and women are key to realizing the goal. We invest in and provide space for women and youth to be transformative peace leaders. These transformations are personal, psychological, social, and cultural in nature. Transformed youth and women have the ability to challenge discriminatory structures. They challenge both the large and small structures that promote violence. We design our programs/initiatives to promote the idea of peace in each community. Communities are the owners of these programs. Only community people can keep peace going.
mission statement
Capacitate conflict-affected people and marginalized communities to transform the influential structures for a Just and Peaceful Nepal.
Brief History
In 2001, we had a simple hope during a complex situation of Nepal. We hoped to save people’s lives during the armed conflict in Nepal. In April 2001, Rita Thapa called upon her fellow activists for support. We then started with immediate responses to save lives. We gave small relief so that people can live. A woman coming from Humla, Nepal recalls how our team member went to her with a bottle of ghee when she just gave birth (in the following video) during the armed conflict. During that time she fled to Kathmandu from Humla to save her life.
Realizing that we need to do more in 2003, we did a small research. The research was on conflict-affected widows. Through this research and regular interactions we held, we found out that we had to save youths. They were the most at risk. We adopted a slogan, “Save seeds in famine and save youths in war”. We aided more than a thousand youths in less than ten years. We assisted them channel their anger and heal. Gave them skills of leadership and small economic support. Inspire them to adopt non-violence. We did that through a program called Displaced Youth Volunteer Program. Through this beautiful program, we gained amazing team members and peace practitioners like – Mr Hari Bahadur Dhami, Mr Govinda Acharya, Ms Pingala Basnet, and Ms Bishnumaya Gharti. In Nagarik Aawaz we pride ourselves on our values. This was the program we grounded all our values upon.
We knew working alone would mean nothing so we created a pool of organizations dedicated for peace work and saving youths. Sixteen organizations came with us in this loose network called – Joint Initiative for Peace. We still work with them to implement our projects collaboratively. This network still works as a think-tank group to analyze the context and actions needed in the changing context of Nepal.
In 2009, Rita Thapa started a process to hand this organization to the young leadership. Finally, in 2011 Dr Susan Risal, PhD took over the leadership. Nepal was also changing during that time. Nepal started its transition to peace. We took our values and expanded it in our communities. We started to work on the social and psychological reconciliation of conflict-affected women. We started to create young leaders adopting transformative peace leadership. We designed projects to help in the reconciliation of conflict-affected women within, and to address structural violence. Our goal was simple, We want to help Nepal never go back to armed conflict and help make Nepal a Just and Peaceful country.
The further we dedicated ourselves to peacebuilding we started to learn the importance of the past. Then in 2017, our team again sought the leadership of founder Rita Thapa to further our vision of – never again to armed conflict. We have started to build a space dedicated to peace practices in Nepal and for remembrance of armed conflict. We want to keep alive the narratives of people who experiences the armed conflict and survived it. We want our future generation to learn from our history. This is our dedication of 20 years and our vision.
values of peacebuilding
We at NA are proud to call ourselves peace practitioners. As we all know, peace means many different things to different people. As a result, we have collectively defined values that guide our actions. As a peacebuilding organization, our actions, initiatives, and projects reflect the following values:
Everyday
Peace
Peace exists on all levels. It is up to each individual to define peace in their way. Within us lies the power to define peace as we see fit. To help people live with dignity and justice, we strive to promote peace in their everyday experiences.
Care
We care for human dignity and manage conflict through nonviolence. Component of care lives in our daily life operations and initiatives. This value guides us to practise empathy in our actions. Care helps us share each other’s strengths. We care among the team or in the communities we work in.
Safe
Space
We make space where people can feel safe and secure to express, engage, and strive for a better future. Here we can say what we want without being afraid. Learn new ideas. Think about a better future. We can solve problems with love and care. We don’t judge here. We help heal each other here.
Human Relationship
Harmony and peace, are built on good relationships. Trust is enhanced among individuals and groups as a result of it. It is through human relationships that we can work together, understand each other’s differences, and become closer.
Listening to Unheard Voices
Everybody has a voice. So we listen to that to respond according to time and context. We plan our responses by keeping people in our hearts and listening to their voices. We do this through dialogues and conversation.
Board Members
(In Random Order)
Dr. Chhatra Amatya
Chairperson
Purna Shova Chitrakar
Vice Chairperson
Sandhya Bhatta Basnet
Member
Dr Aruna Uprety
Member
Sharad Babu Shrestha
Board Member
Shobha Basnet
Former Chairperson & Board
Sukmaya Bohora
Board Member
Jyotshna Shrestha
Board Secretary
Roshini Karmacharya
Treasurer
Lalitpur Team
Anjeela Rayamajhi
Programme Officer
Anita Ranjit
Senior Psychosocial Counsellor
Asmita Dawadi
Psychosocial Counsellor
Binod Maharjan
Asst Admin Finance Officer
Bishnu Maya Gharti
Senior Program Officer
Hari Bahadur Dhami
Program Manager
Kaushila Thapa
Senior Admin Officer
Keshav Sharma
Finance Officer
Manish Pokhrel
Documentation Associate
Manju Dhakal
Office Support
Merita Kansakar
Admin Finance Manager
Nisha Thapa
Senior Communications
Pragati Luitel
Program Officer
Pramila Thapa
Office Support
Sajan KC
Field Supervisor
Sangita Maharjan
Senior Admin Finance Officer
Sanjay Pantha
Filed Supervisor
Sanjeev Singh
Program Coordinator
Saru Subedi
Senior Program Officer
Shyam Kadel
Office Staff
Smriti Karki Thapa
Program Office
Sudip Sigdel
Senior Psychosocial Counselor
Susan Kathayat
Senior Program Officer
Susan Rijal
Chief Executive Officer
Sushil Shahi
Program Officer
Trishna Thapa
Deputy Chief Executive Officer
Nawalpur Team
Yan Kumari Kumal
Office Support
Alisha Sharma Lamichhane
Kitchen Supervisor
Taruna Mahato
Finance Officer
Binita Mahato
Food Management
Bishnu Thanet
Food management
Govinda Prasad Acharya
District Coordinator
Nem Bahadur Thara
Office Support
Nirajan Upadhaya
Senior Admin and Finance Officer
Ranjeeta Nepal
Housekeeping Supervisor
Rasila Kumal Bote
Home Maker
Rem Bahadur Kumal
Office Support
Sangita Poudel
Program officer
Sanju Mahato
Home Maker
Sarmila Mahato
Home Maker
Sikha Ram Mahato
Office Support
Sujata Kumal
Program Field Supervisor
Suk Maya Chaudhary
Food Management
Sumitra Chaudhary
Program Associate
Sumitra Devkota
Psychosocial Counsellor
Sunita Mahato Kathariya
Home Maker
Sunita Pariyar
Program Officer
