Month: March 2026
Staff Spotlight: Anjita Parajuli
When Anjita Parajuli first considered joining Nepal Youth Foundation (NYF), she was living in Pokhara with her husband and two children and had just received an offer for a full-time teaching position at Pokhara University. Around the same time, her sister Anubha, who worked as a counselor at NYF’s Ankur Counseling Center, encouraged her to apply for an opening at NYF.
It was a difficult decision. University positions are highly prestigious in Nepal, and Anjita had already been teaching there part time. But she ultimately chose NYF because she wanted to be directly involved in work that creates meaningful social change.
“I saw NYF as an opportunity to build a career aligned with my values and my aspirations for social justice,” she says.
That decision, made in 2009, became the foundation of a career rooted in purpose.
Anjita’s Important Role at NYF Today
Today, Anjita plays an important role connecting NYF’s programs in Nepal with supporters around the world. Her work spans preparing reports and proposals, tracking program progress, coordinating closely with program teams, and responding to donor and partner inquiries. As a key point of contact for NYF’s global fundraising teams, she helps ensure that the realities, challenges, and progress from the field are clearly communicated. In many ways, she serves as a bridge between the work happening on the ground in Nepal and the community of supporters who make it possible.
Early Visits to Saptari
One project especially close to Anjita’s heart is NYF’s Caste Equality Project in Saptari District, which supports highly marginalized Madhesi Dalit communities, particularly the Musahar community. During early visits while the program was being developed, she witnessed firsthand the realities many girls face.
“We would see girls who appeared to be 14 or 15 carrying babies,” she recalls. “But when we asked their ages, they would say they were over 20.” It quickly became clear that many were concealing their real ages, as the legal age of marriage in Nepal is 20.
At the Nutritional Rehabilitation Home in Saptari, she met a 13-year-old girl caring for a severely malnourished child and a 15-year-old with two malnourished children. These encounters were just a glimpse into a much larger reality—one shaped by deep poverty, early marriage, and limited access to education.
Nearly all of the families in these communities are landless and live in extremely difficult conditions. Girls and women face compounded challenges, from early marriage and lack of education to limited access to basic sanitation and healthcare.
Despite these challenges, Anjita also witnessed remarkable determination.
During her interactions with girls in grades eight and nine, she saw how deeply they wanted to stay in school. Many woke before dawn to cook, clean, and care for their families before walking long distances to school. After classes, they worked in the fields and returned home to more responsibilities. Some even woke as early as three in the morning during exam periods to find time to study.
“They understood that education was their only path to a different future,” Anjita says.
But the path is fragile. For many girls, a single failed exam or financial setback can mean leaving school and being married off.
Change is Beginning to Take Root
Through NYF’s programs, change is beginning to take root. Girls are stepping forward as peer counselors and leading street dramas that speak out against early marriage. Education support is helping ease the financial burden on families, making it possible for more children to remain in school. Women who never had the opportunity to study are enrolling in adult literacy classes and forming savings groups to support one another.
At first, gaining trust in these communities was not easy. Families were hesitant to allow their daughters to participate in programs. But through consistent engagement with both communities and local government, that trust is growing. Families are beginning to recognize the value of education and are increasingly supporting their daughters’ futures.
Anjita has seen villages that once felt defined by hardship slowly begin to shift, with more hope, activity, and possibility taking root.
One of her favorite parts of her work is witnessing and documenting these transformations—not only in individual lives, but across entire communities.
Anjita’s Commitment
Anjita’s commitment to this work began long before she joined NYF.
She grew up in Pokhara in a family of educators. Her father was a professor, and her mother was a teacher and community volunteer who organized women’s groups to help families earn income and save for their children’s education. Watching her mother support other women left a lasting impression.
At home, Anjita and her siblings were treated equally. But outside their home, she saw how deeply gender discrimination shaped everyday life.
Girls were often sent to less expensive schools while their brothers attended better ones. Men and boys were prioritized in nearly every aspect of life. These experiences stayed with her and shaped her understanding that inequality was not inevitable—it could be challenged and changed.
To Our Supporters
“I feel fortunate to work in this sector through NYF,” she says. “Together we are improving access to education, nutrition, leadership development, and economic opportunity for women, girls, and marginalized communities across Nepal.”
She also wants supporters to know how meaningful their generosity is.
“When you support a girl’s education,” Anjita says,“you are not only helping her attend school. You are reducing the likelihood of early marriage, breaking cycles of poverty and vulnerability, and giving her the opportunity to live with dignity and independence.“
Lito Superflour: A Sustainable Solution to Child Malnutrition in Nepal
At Nepal Youth Foundation (NYF), we believe the fight against child malnutrition in Nepal must be rooted in solutions that are sustainable, culturally relevant, and locally produced. One of the most powerful tools we’ve used for years is lito — a nutrient-rich, roasted “superflour” that is easy to prepare, easy to digest, and widely accepted by children and caregivers alike.
Now, thanks to the generous grant support of the Rotary Club of Bainbridge Island, NYF has taken a major step forward: we have successfully installed a Superflour Production Unit at our Nutritional Rehabilitation Home (NRH) in Kathmandu. This new unit allows us to produce lito more efficiently, more consistently, and with stronger quality control than ever before.
We invite you to watch the lito production process and see how this nutrition work comes to life at NRH.
What is Lito Superflour?
Lito (also called “superflour”) is a traditional Nepali food made by roasting and grinding a nutrient-dense blend of grains and legumes — most commonly corn, wheat, and soybeans. The result is a hearty, nourishing flour that can support health and recovery for both children and adults.
Lito is simple to prepare: it only requires hot water (or milk, if available), making it an ideal nutrition solution for families with limited time, fuel, or resources. It can also be customized with small ingredients families often already have at home — like oil, onions, or spices — which helps make it even more filling and enjoyable.
Because lito is highly nutritious, affordable, and child-friendly, it plays an important role not only in treating malnutrition, but also in helping prevent malnutrition from worsening, particularly among children under age 5.
Why Lito Matters
Malnutrition remains one of the most urgent public health challenges in Nepal. Even when families are doing everything they can to care for their children, poverty and food insecurity can make it incredibly difficult to provide consistent, nutritious meals.
At NYF’s NRH, we see firsthand how small changes in diet can dramatically impact a child’s health. For many children who are mildly or moderately malnourished, replacing just one serving of rice per day with a serving of lito can significantly improve their nutritional status.
What makes lito especially effective is how practical it is. It is easy for young children to digest, filling and nutrient-rich, simple to prepare, and widely accepted even by very young children. Just as importantly, it can be produced and distributed at scale at a relatively low cost — making it a sustainable solution for long-term community nutrition.
Lito for Life: Lessons from the COVID-19 Crisis
During the COVID-19 pandemic, hunger rose rapidly across Nepal as lockdowns and economic disruption left many families without reliable income. In response, NYF launched Lito for Life, producing and distributing lito to families most at risk.
Since 2020, NYF has distributed more than 6,644 kilograms (14,650 lbs) of lito, and this work continues today. Lito remains a staple across NYF’s nutrition efforts—from NRH recovery meals to Nutrition Outreach Camps and caregiver education. Alongside distribution, NYF also teaches caregivers how to prepare lito (and often how to make it at home), empowering families with tools they can use long after an intervention ends.
A Major Upgrade: NYF’s Superflour Production Unit at NRH
On October 29, 2025, NYF reached a major milestone. A Superflour Production Plant was installed at the NRH in Kathmandu with support from the Rotary Club of Bainbridge Island. Installation work was completed in the first week of October, and the NRH has already begun producing superflour.
Previously, NYF produced its own lito with some steps completed at NRH — including cleaning, roasting, mixing, and packing — but relied on outside mills for grinding. This limited quality control and meant much of the flour still had to be purchased from the market.
With the installation of the new production unit, the entire process can now take place at NRH. This allows NYF to produce more consistent, higher quality lito using carefully selected ingredients and direct supervision throughout production. In a typical year, NYF requires approximately 3,000 kilograms of lito for the NRH kitchen and nutrition outreach camps. Before the new unit, only about 30 percent of this could be produced in-house. Now, we are working toward producing nearly all of our annual supply at NRH — strengthening both quality and long-term sustainability across our nutrition programs.
What’s Included in the Superflour Production System?
The production system includes six machines that streamline the workflow and strengthen consistency:
- Roaster
- Grinder
- Mixer
- Sealer
- Weighing Machine
- Volt Guard
This equipment allows NYF’s nutrition team to work faster, reduce manual labor, and maintain strong production standards.
“We are very excited about the installation of the production unit at the NRH. The work is now more efficient, requiring less time and fewer human resources. We can also ensure better product quality through direct supervision.”
Sunita Rimal, NYF Nutrition Coordinator
Nutrition That Builds Resilience
NYF’s work to combat child malnutrition goes beyond food. It strengthens families, builds long-term health, and helps children grow and thrive.
Lito superflour is a simple solution, but in the lives of vulnerable children it can be truly life changing.
We are deeply grateful to the Rotary Club of Bainbridge Island for making this Superflour Production Unit possible. Their support is helping NYF scale a sustainable nutrition solution that will serve Nepali children and families for generations.
Want to Support NYF’s Nutrition Program?
Your support helps NYF provide critical nutrition treatment and education for children and caregivers across Nepal.
Women’s History Month 2026
Across Nepal, many women still face barriers shaped by poverty, caste discrimination, disability exclusion, and unequal access to education. Yet when given opportunity, women become powerful drivers of change. They strengthen health systems, expand economic opportunity, advocate for inclusion, and reinvest in their communities.
Highlighting 3 NYF alumnae who are advancing healthcare, disability rights, and economic empowerment across Nepal.
Each March, Women’s History Month invites us to honor the women who have shaped history and to recognize the leaders who are building a more just and equitable future. In Nepal, that future is being shaped every day by women who once faced barriers to education and opportunity and who are now transforming their communities through courage, skill, and leadership.
At the Nepal Youth Foundation (NYF), we believe that empowering girls is one of the most powerful investments we can make. When girls gain access to education, mentorship, and opportunity, they become leaders who strengthen families, expand access to healthcare, grow local economies, and advocate for inclusive systems.
This Women’s History Month, we are proud to highlight three remarkable women from our 35 Alumni Stories for 35 Years of Impact campaign. These leaders reflect the ripple effect of education and support. Their stories show what becomes possible when girls are given the chance to rise.
Meet the Women Leading Change:
Nirmala Gyawali
Olgapuri Children’s Home Alumna
Born visually impaired at a time when educational opportunities for blind children in Nepal were extremely limited, Nirmala Gyawali’s future could easily have been defined by exclusion. Instead, it became defined by leadership.
Raised in NYF’s K-house, now known as Olgapuri Children’s Home, Nirmala received long-term support from 1989 to 2004. When Braille education was available in only one school nationwide, she was enrolled at the Laboratory School in Kirtipur. She later earned degrees in Sociology and English Literature. In 2005, she completed a 26-month scholarship program in the United States, strengthening her skills as an advocate and leader.
Education transformed not only Nirmala’s life but also her family’s trajectory. Her sister became the first blind woman in Nepal to earn a master’s degree. Her siblings now work as teachers in Kathmandu.
Since returning to Nepal, Nirmala has dedicated her life to advancing disability rights. She serves as Public Relations and Fundraising Manager at Ability Development Society Nepal, supporting education, skills training, and livelihood opportunities for more than 1,500 children and adults with disabilities each year.
Her advocacy has led to meaningful progress, including promoting wheelchair-accessible classrooms, supporting sign language interpretation, founding Kathmandu’s first Braille library, and expanding inclusive systems such as accessible banking for blind individuals.
“I envision a Nepal where disability is not a barrier to living, working, or achieving your dreams.” Nirmala shared.
Dr. Alisha Rasaili
Empowering Dalit Daughters Alumna
Dr. Alisha Rasaili’s journey with NYF began in 2006 after she completed her School Leaving Certificate with outstanding marks. In Nepal, the School Leaving Certificate, often called the SLC, is a nationally administered examination taken at the end of secondary school. It marks the completion of grade 10 and is considered one of the most important academic milestones for students seeking to pursue higher education. Performing well on this exam can significantly shape a young person’s educational future.
Although Alisha had excelled academically, continuing her studies in Kathmandu felt uncertain due to social and economic barriers. Through NYF’s Empowering Dalit Daughters program, she received three years of support that enabled her to pursue higher education in the capital. Living and studying in Kathmandu at a young age helped her grow in confidence, independence, and leadership.
Today, Dr. Alisha serves as an ophthalmologist at a government hospital, restoring vision and improving quality of life for patients who might otherwise go without care. By providing specialized eye treatment at minimal cost, she helps ensure that families are not burdened by preventable blindness or limited access to medical services.
“Serving people at the ground level is deeply meaningful to me,” she shares.
Beyond the hospital, she conducts health camps, promotes public health awareness, and works to strengthen connections between communities and healthcare systems. Through her work, she is expanding access to care while helping build a stronger and more equitable health system in Nepal.
Her journey reflects the power of education. One academic milestone opened the door to higher education. Higher education led to medical expertise. And that expertise now restores sight for countless others.
Budhani Tharu
Vocational Education, Industrial Tailoring Graduate
Budhani Tharu was 21 when her life finally changed. After more than 15 years in the Kamlari bonded labor system, she was rescued and given her first real opportunity for freedom.
Introduced to NYF’s Vocational Education and Career Counseling program, Budhani slowly rebuilt trust and confidence. She completed industrial training and later worked at a garment company in Kathmandu for nearly a decade. During that time, she gained skills, financial independence, and a renewed sense of possibility.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Budhani returned to her hometown with savings and a dream. Today, she owns and operates a tailoring and garment shop in Dhangadi, supplying affordable, high-quality clothing to her community. Her business supports her family and provides employment to two other women seeking economic independence.