Choodamani Poudel

J House & Scholarships for Students with Disabilities Alumnus

Children’s Home J House & Scholarships for Students with Disabilities Alumnus
Director, Nepal Disabled Association – Khagendra New Life Center, Kathmandu

Choodamani Poudel’s life changed while he was receiving treatment for his leg at the Hospital for Rehabilitation of Disabled Children. Recognizing his circumstances, Prof. Dr. Ashok Kumar Baskota connected him with Nepal Youth Foundation (NYF). Soon after, Choodamani was welcomed into a school hostel supported by NYF, where he began the educational journey that would shape his future.

From 1986 to 1996, NYF provided Choodamani with education, stability, and care. That foundation opened doors he never imagined possible. He went on to earn two master’s degrees—one in Health Care Management and another in Education Planning and Management—transforming early hardship into opportunity.

Today, Choodamani serves as Director of the Nepal Disabled Association Khagendra New Life Center in Jorpati, Kathmandu. He leads programs focused on empowerment and rehabilitation for children and adults with disabilities, using an integrated approach that includes medical support, education, vocational training, employment pathways, and assistive devices such as prosthetics. His work reaches individuals in some of Nepal’s most rural communities.

Before this role, he founded and ran an inclusive school for eight years and served as a regional chairperson of the National Federation of the Disabled – Nepal. He credits NYF as the source of his inspiration, having witnessed firsthand how even small support can transform a child’s life.

Choodamani envisions a prosperous and peaceful Nepal where the next generation has access to equal opportunity, justice, and meaningful work. His advice to young leaders is simple: complete your education, apply your knowledge in service of your community, and help build the Nepal you wish to see.