In April of 2018, Mr. Rewati Dhakal took part in the Accountability and Transparency in State and Local Governments program which aims to encourage the development of more open and ethical public institutions. Mr. Dhakal states that his visit to Utah was “amazing and inspirational” and that his meetings with an “array of experts and champions” helped to enhance his knowledge and understanding of government transparency.
Mr. Dhakal also reports that the IVLP has helped him reform the structure of his nonprofit to be more dedicated to intervening on the provincial level on transparency and accountability issues. These changes are of particular importance as Nepal has recently changed its form of government from a centralized unitary system to a federal system, giving local governments more power to shape laws and regulations.
Meeting with Representative Dunnigan (R-Taylorsville) at the Utah State Capitol.
Mr. Dhakal has also had the opportunity to work with the U.S. embassy in Nepal as a task committee member to implement a project on transparency and accountability. In this capacity, Mr. Dhakal has worked to organize a one-day workshop between lawmakers and members of civil society with the goal of initiating a dialog to identify pressing issues at the federal, provincial, and local levels of government, and explore ways in which transparency and accountability contribute toward good governance.
Seminar Mr. Dhakal helped to organize focused on improving governance and transparency in Nepal.
Furthermore, Mr. Dahkal says that taking part in the IVLP has enhanced his profile in Asia, and states his participation in the program was a primary reason he was selected to serve as a Vice Chair on the 2019 Asia Philanthropy Award Judging Committee. Mr. Dakhal will be the youngest panelist on the committee of 100 members to serve as a Vice Chairperson. In this capacity, Mr. Dhakal will help identify nonprofit organizations across Asia that have a significant impact on their respective communities. Mr. Dahkal also successfully advocated for accountability to be one criterion by which to judge the nonprofit organizations applying for the award, effectively encouraging hundreds of nonprofit organizations across Asia to be more accountable to their stakeholders.
Mr. Dhakal, fifth from right, stands with members and staff of the Asia Philanthropy Award Judging Committee of 2019.
Mr. Dhakal’s visits to the United States, especially Utah, provided valuable experiences and lessons. According to him, these visits helped him to realize the importance of creating transparency and accountability not by criticizing government but by starting transparent institutions and leading by example.
This shift in perspective brought about great change, and Mr. Dhakal has led several national and regional meetings and workshops among Nepali civil society. The first National Philanthropy Conference is included in that, which took place in February 2019 and brought together one hundred different organizations to discuss transparency.
Mr. Dhakal is not limited to just issues of transparency and accountability. He takes the lead on serving people and communities in difficult situations. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in Nepal, Mr. Dhakal offered food and basic household items to COVID-affected people, serving about 200 people during that time. He also provides educational support to six children who are wheelchair dependent due to spinal injuries.
Mr. Dhakal is also devoted to philanthropic works. Currently, he serves as a country leader for the Giving Tuesday campaign in Nepal. In November 2021 he organized blood donation campaigns, hearing checkup and hearing aid maintenance workshops, warm clothes distribution, and medicine distribution to those with spinal cord injuries in collaboration with other benevolent organizations in Nepal. These campaigns directly benefited around 400 people in Nepal.
Mr. Dhakal would like to thank Utah Global Diplomacy for making his visit rewarding and encouraging him to do good works in his country. He assures Utah Global Diplomacy that he will continue to develop more effective tools and programs to promote transparency and accountability in Nepal as well as Asia. In return, Utah Global Diplomacy thanks him for keeping us up-to-date on his most recent endeavors and hope him the best in making Nepal a more open society.
