Grantee

Ms. Yeshoda Aryal is a graduate in public health from the Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University, where she excelled academically throughout her studies. With over 16 years of experience in Nepal’s national public health system, Ms. Aryal is currently leading the Health Coordination Division at the Ministry of Health and Population, Nepal (MoHP) with specific roles on managing foreign assistance, multi-sector and sub-national coordination. As a Hubert H. Humphrey fellow, she will be attending Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health. 

Ms. Aryal has been part of key policy formulation processes at MoHP and contributed in the Health National Adaptation Plan on Climate Change 2017-2021, Fifteenth Periodic Plan 2019-2024, National Health Policy 2019, Multi-sector Action Plan for Prevention and Control of Non Communicable Diseases 2021-2025, and National Health Financing Strategy 2023. Moreover, she led the technical development of the Nepal Health Sector – Strategic Plan (NHS-SP) 2022-2030- a key strategic document guiding the whole Nepali health sector and a blueprint for mobilization of foreign assistance in health.  

As a focal point of development partners, she plays a crucial role at the Ministry for mobilization of international assistanceHer specific areas of interest are evidence based public health policy making, health systems reform, health diplomacy, wider determinants of health and health equity.

Mr. Tufan Neupane is a Senior Sub-Editor at Kantipur National Daily with over 15 years of experience in journalism. He also has a master’s degree in law with a specialization in International law. His area of expertise is reporting on human rights, environmental issues, wildlife crimes, contemporary political and constitutional issues, and social justice. His work has appeared in various outlets such as Kantipur Daily, The Kathmandu Post, Himal Magazine, Oxpeckers, Nepali Times, and The Record Nepal.

Mr. Neupane has done many field reports related to social justice, traveling to remote areas of the country to document the struggles of marginalized communities. He has been a voice for victims of war-era human rights violations and the transitional justice process, exposing political leaders’ lack of accountability and obstruction of justice.

He has received investigative reporting training from Thomson Foundation UK, BBC, and the Center for Investigative Journalism (CIJ), Nepal. He was a recent Fellow on Climate Change Reporting in the Himalayan Region at The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), New Delhi India. He was also awarded the ‘Competitive Investigative Journalism Campaign 2014-2015, award’ for his story on Women trafficking from a rural village to the Middle East.

Mr. Deepak KC is the first wheelchair user in Nepal to obtain a degree in architectural engineering and a pioneer of universal design. He is also a leading disability advocate across a range of sectors. After growing up at SOS Children’s Village in Nepal, Mr. KC was driven to use his expertise and personal experiences to build better opportunities for others with disabilities. With the same vision, he co-founded the Independent Living Center Kathmandu. It assists Nepal’s efforts for the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Mr. KC was also an accessibility consultant for the World Bank Group Nepal’s Earthquake Housing Reconstruction Project for more than three 3 years. Through this project, he ensured that homes are fully accessible for people with disabilities.

He is also deeply involved in the promotion of accessible sports. In 2016, he was recognized as an emerging leader in sports by the U.S. Department of State through the Global Sports Mentoring Program, where he had the opportunity to strengthen his leadership role in Paralympic Sports. He currently also serves as Deputy Secretary General in the National Paralympic Committee of Nepal.