KATHMANDU, Oct 29: A non-governmental organization working in seven districts of eastern Nepal has been awarded cash prize of USD 300,000 (approximately NRs 35.35 million) for its contributions to the society.
Morang-based Jeevan Bikas Samaj (JBS), the NGO working on education, health, microfinance, agriculture, housing and energy sectors in eastern districts bagged the Arab Gulf Program for Development (AGFUND) International Prize 2017, JBS officials said organizing a press meet in Kathmandu on Sunday.
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JBS has been active in Morang, Jhapa, Ilam, Sunsari, Dhankuta, Udayapur and Sindhuli districts.
The award was established in 1980 by the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries which includes the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait. The council member countries provide the awards in four categories - INGO, NGO, government and individual - for their contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) every year. The council spends a total of US$ 1 million as awards in the four categories in the developing countries. The cash prize for INGO category is US$ 400,000, followed by US$ 300,000, US$ 200,000 and US$ 100,000 to NGO, government and individual categories respectively.
"We received the award of the second category for contributing to the education sector," said Yogendra Mandal, founding chairman of JBS. "Our organization was selected among 76 nominees in the category," he added. "Perhaps, it is the biggest international award given to a Nepalese organization. We are proud of it."
The JBS, which has its own school named Jeevan Bikas School in southern Morang and has been providing technical support to 15 public schools, is greatly encouraged by the prestigious international award, said the JBS officials.
"We are supporting the economically disadvantaged students. We are going to work with dozens of government schools of seven districts in the future," said Mandal. "We will make public schools accessible at an affordable rate and better than the private schools in the region," he claimed.
