In Our Hands to support creative green entrepreneurship

KATHMANDU, Aug 13: In Our Hands announces an open call for participants for its In Our Hands research and development grants programme. IOH has been supporting youth entrepreneurs to explore opportunities at the intersections of Nepal’s natural and cultural heritage. 

This interdisciplinary programme works with academic partners Kathmandu University and the Creative Informatics Lab at Edinburgh Napier University, sector partners Nepal Art Village, Applied Arts Scotland and Story Cycle. 

This year participants can earn a certificate or academic credits for completing different stages, even if they are not selected for the grants. The full programme is eight months long and benefits from a hybrid delivery that utilises digital aides like British Council’s Craft Toolkit to enhance access and sources expertise from multiple sectors. A mix of guided and self-learning as well as mentoring is expected to provide relevant new perspectives that are capable of streamlining climate change responses in creative enterprises. Assuring that youth are equipped to play their indispensable role in realising Nepal’s climate and inclusive development agenda. British Council will offer 10 research and 6 development grants to support deserving ideas that show promise for market sustainability.

Sagun Shrestha, Acting Country Director of the British Council adds, “Working to enable youth with social mobility through education and culture has been the backbone of our work in Nepal for decades. In Our Hands represents a nexus where youth get to envision and articulate community and heritage-based outputs as successful business ideas. This is a unique offer suited to the growing creative sectors that will surely contribute to Nepal’s eventual graduation to Middle Income Country without compromising its ambitious green transition by 2045.”

The call has been launched for a month and will end at 11:59 PM on 10 September 2023. A webinar will be hosted at 3 pm on 18 August 2023 to introduce the programme with all partners. 

*Credits are contingent on successfully completing all assignments and maintaining less than 20% absence on contact hours with trainers/mentors. Registration and processing costs are implicated for non-grantees.