The Asia Foundation, with support from the Coca-Cola Foundation, concluded a one-year initiative in Cambodia to promote the recycling of PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) plastics commonly used in the packaging of water and carbonated beverages. In collaboration with our local NGO partner, the Environmental Education and Recycling Organization (COMPOSTED), the project aimed to enhance public awareness and community recycling practices, strengthen the capacity of PET bottle collectors and recyclers, and contribute to PET bottle recovery. The project marks a significant step in laying the groundwork for environmental sustainability in Cambodia.
Implemented in two populated cities, Phnom Penh and Battambang, the project engaged a wide range of communities, including waste pickers, junkshop owners, recyclers, schoolteachers and students, and government officials. By working with these groups, the project fostered a collective sense of responsibility and action towards increasing recycling efforts.
The project directly engaged with 14,516 people, including 3,133 women and 7,437 children, through 43 trainings, events, and visits. Additionally, with COMPOSTED efforts, a total of 79.4 tons of PET bottles were collected in Phnom Penh and Battambang.
The project focused on three primary goals to achieve success:
Improve public awareness and promote community recycling practices
The initiative focused on increasing community awareness of waste separation and PET recycling and emphasized the importance of practicing PET separation from other waste streams. Training sessions, educational outreach activities at schools, and clean-up events spread public awareness. The public awareness campaign also focused on underscoring the benefits of recycling plastic, including PET bottles, and proper waste separation. Bins were distributed to schools in Battambang Municipality and Phnom Penh City, and basket bins were handed to each community training participant to store and separate the non-recyclable waste. Coca-Cola bottle-shaped bins were also installed at the parks and gardens in both the municipality and the city.
Strengthen the capacity and connections of PET bottle collectors and recyclers
The project worked toward improving the capacity of junkshops, recyclers, and waste pickers in improving the quality of PET bottles in the system and their prices to create a more streamlined PET recycling ecosystem. To encourage this change, training sessions for junkshops and waste pickers provided practical skills and techniques to sort, clean, and grade PET bottles along with health and safety measures for waste pickers. Connections between junkshops and recyclers were established and strengthened through the training and convening workshop, allowing knowledge exchange, network building, and potential collaborations to maintain progress through a dedicated Telegram group.
Increasing the capacity of our partner in plastic recycling and enhancing PET supply for recycling through PET collection
Another focus was on the knowledge and skill enhancement of our partner, COMPOSTED, and the PET collection efforts. Receiving technical capacity building in PET recycling and necessary equipment and materials, COMPOSTED has positioned itself as an intermediary to buy PET bottles from different generation sources such as guesthouses, sports clubs, pagodas, and waste pickers. Working with our support, these local organizations are now contributing to and fostering a circular economy.
In Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, conflict and instability endure in contested border regions where local tensions connect with regional and global dynamics. The Asia Foundation, the Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center, the Rift Valley Institute, and their local research partners established the X-Border Local Research Network in 2018 to develop a better global understanding of political, economic, and social dynamics in conflict-affected borderlands. The FCDO-funded program produces research to inform more effective policymaking and programming interventions in these areas.
Landi Kotal Bazar, Pakistan, on the western edge of the Khyber Pass. (Photo: Verso Consulting)
Peripheral Vision: Views from the Borderlands is the XCEPT program’s biannual news bulletin, exploring new and emerging issues across our focus regions. Podcast episodes and postings in the bulletin often explore conflicts arising around fragile or contested borders and the knock-on effects that impact local, national, and regional economies, as well as relationships between state and nonstate actors.
Jamrud Bazar in Pakistan, situated near the Khyber Pass entrance. (Photo: Verso Consulting)
XCEPT’s most recent podcast, Trade Disruptions and Instability in Fragile Border Areas, discusses disruptions in several regions with the program’s research partners. In Syria, our research partner, Kheder Khaddour, looks at the northern region, where the border with Türkiye represents a lifeline for the millions of people displaced by the Syrian civil war. In Pakistan and Afghanistan, Azeema Cheema studies the shifting relationship between authorities since the Taliban’s takeover and the effect on trade and migration policies at their shared border. Our researcher, Ahmed Musa, also explains the conflict in Las Anod, a major trading hub in the Horn of Africa, destabilized by competing actors vying for influence.
Disclaimer: The opinions, findings, and conclusions stated herein are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect those of the partner organizations or the UK government.
In Nepal, our Let’s Read initiative is continuing to cultivate a love of books and reading through interactive and community-focused literature festivals. The initiative draws on The Asia Foundation’s deep expertise and networks in communities across Asia and the Pacific to cultivate the skills of local authors and illustrators while building Asia’s only free digital library for children.
On February 18, Let’s Read in Nepal participated in the 11th edition of the Nepal Literature Festival. The Let’s Read team encouraged parents, teachers, and grown-up siblings to install the app, read aloud to their children, and showcase their children’s comprehension by responding to thought-provoking questions to win a print book.
On March 23, in Kathmandu, Let’s Read also partnered with the eighth edition of Echoes in The Valley (EITV), an international event celebrating folk music, heritages, and traditions. We hosted three concurrent reading sessions with Let’s Read collaborators, conducted Mithila art sessions, and provided word quizzes to engage with the participants inspired by stories from our vast library. Our Let’s Read team set up interactive booths at both festivals, where visitors could interact with and explore the Let’s Read digital library. Parents, teachers, and children downloaded the Let’s Read app and learned about reading resources and literary tools. Visitors walked away with access to hundreds of books with the Let’s Read app and fun stickers, coloring bookmarks, read-aloud activities, book giveaways based on stories from our library, and the Let’s Read posters offering tips on reading.
The Let’s Read Photo prop, adorned with the elephant mascot, proved immensely popular, captivating children and adults and providing visibility for the program. During EITV, the family’s active participation and involvement with Let’s Read at both festivals strengthened the team’s dedication to ensuring accessible literature resources to empower the young and emerging generation.
AI technology is rapidly expanding worldwide, whether in regular individuals’ lives, research, or advances in health and agriculture. Adaptation of this technology is becoming increasingly important in any country, particularly one developing artificial intelligence. In collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Robotics Association Nepal, and a myriad of local partners, The Asia Foundation held the “Conference on Artificial Intelligence for Prosperous Nepal” on March 3, emphasizing the future of work.
The conference focused on the ethics, practicality, and developmental implications of AI for Nepal’s AI technology sector. National and international experts were in attendance to participate in critical discussions, present their research, work on AI and robotics, and deliver keynote speeches. Attendees explored various facets of AI, including its policy implications in relation to national development and its potential applications in the market. Breakout sessions featured presentations from tech experts on combating misinformation and disinformation. The final panel discussion focused on strategies to accelerate the Nepali innovation industry through AI.
Following the conference, the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology (MoEST) delivered its resolution on the country’s AI policy framework. This framework will be shared with partner organizations, stakeholders, and participants for input. The Ministry aims to align the policy with national development goals to foster more innovation in various sectors with government support and existing frameworks that enable research to transform fields like healthcare.
The resolution from MoEST stresses collaboration, capacity building, meaningful public service, and the integration of artificial intelligence into education, agriculture, and the industrial sector, among other things. It also emphasizes the necessity of continuous research and innovation to ensure Nepal stays ahead in the rapidly evolving field while also emphasizing the importance of ethical considerations and data privacy in the development and implementation of AI technologies.
Micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) are vital to Nepal’s economy, comprising 90% of businesses and 45% of jobs, employing 2.7 million people. However, women-led enterprises, despite their significance, often lack essential skills and financial support. To address this disparity, The Asia Foundation’s Accelerate My Business Program (AMB) under the South Asia Governance Program (SAGP) has successfully trained over 300 women-led small businesses in the Koshi province.
In August 2023, Somi Bhagat Guragain, a small-business owner, participated in the training of trainers (ToT) program conducted by AMB. The training provided experienced entrepreneurs with technical refinement so they could impart their experience and knowledge to train less experienced and novice women entrepreneurs.
In 2010, Somi followed her passion for concocting spices and established her own business, Ruchi Food and Spices Products. Despite encountering challenges, including stiff competition, quality issues with effective marketing, and Covid-19, Somi was able to master technical skills through the SAGP initiative. She learned how to align her experience with the technical knowledge she gained in the training, applying new skills like digital marketing tools, local SEO strategies, competitor analysis, and understanding the essence of customer retention to expand business reach. After completing the AMB ToT, Somi transitioned into a trainer for the program in Biratnagar from September to December 2023. Her insights on practical experience resonated with the 85 participants in attendance during her session and created a ripple effect of empowerment within the trainees.
Building on this success, Somi took the initiative to broaden her impact. During a 3-day “Sipmulak Talim” program hosted in Biratnagar Metropolitan premises, she held a session focused on sales and marketing, environmental, social, and governance (ESG), digital marketing, and cyber security tailored for small businesses, all of which she learned through the AMB ToT. The program attracted 30 participants eager to absorb her wealth of knowledge.
Somi now actively advocates continuous digital literacy training and emphasizes the importance of digitization efforts to empower aspiring women entrepreneurs across diverse segments. She envisions a digital future where every woman, irrespective of her location or background, has access to the tools necessary for success in the digital realm.
Accelerate My Business is a current program under The Asia Foundation’s South Asia Governance Program. With support from Visa, SAGP implemented the initiative in partnership with Vrock & Company, The Federation of Women Entrepreneurs Association, and Aprabasi Mahila Kamdar Samuha—a network of returning migrant workers.
The Makassar city government, in collaboration with YLBHI LBH Makassar, is currently in the final stages of drafting the Mayor’s Regulation (Perwali) on Restorative Justice’s Support Services in Indonesia. The regulation is supported by the Australia-Indonesia Partnership for Justice 2 (AIPJ2) through The Asia Foundation and outlines the procedures and mechanisms for accessing legal aid, mediation, counseling services, and social rehabilitation services. While the regulation on Restorative Justice is still being developed, the initiative of Perwali at the local level is primed to become an important reference of policy best practices for national policymakers once implemented.
Restorative Justice focuses on a different approach to resolving legal conflicts that involve the perpetrator, the victims, and the impacted communities. Most importantly, Restorative Justice focuses on victim recovery, rehabilitating the perpetrators, and positively reintegrating them within the impacted communities.
On February 6, at the city hall office, Makassar city mayor Moh. Ramdhan Pomanto spoke on the concept of Restorative Justice, noting it involves various service optimizations, such as community services for individuals in conflict with the law, including health care and education services. LBH Makassar’s deputy director for operations, Abdul Azis Dumpa, emphasized the urgent need to optimize support services for the implementation of Restorative Justice, particularly in Makassar. As a follow-up step, LBH Makassar and the Regional Apparatus providing services prepared an initial draft of the Mayor’s Decree (SK) regarding the Task Force for Supporting Services for the Implementation of Restorative Justice in Makassar City.
The Perwali underscores the Makassar City Government’s commitment to enhancing and interconnecting support services to ensure effective implementation of restorative justice for all residents.
The Women in Data (WiD) Steering Committee, comprised of 12 Nepali organizations with years of study and experience, advocates for fair opportunities for women in data and technology and aims to create a more inclusive industry. The Women in Data Conference is a recurring event in Nepal, held annually to address pertinent issues surrounding gender and technology. This year’s theme, “Ctrl+Z: Rewriting Gender Paradigms and Technology,” focused on tackling gender-based discrimination and inequality by bringing women from diverse backgrounds together to share their experiences in the field and discuss strategies for overcoming challenges.
Two significant presentations addressed Nepal’s gender diversity in technology, focusing on the role of conferences in reducing data and technology inequities. A presentation by Nhasala Joshi underscored the importance of communities and networks in finding mentors and developing skills essential for career progression. The presentation also revealed that most women find mentors in college or the early stages of their employment and that opportunities for mentorship decrease as one advances in life.
AI engineer Supriya Khadka from Diyo AI examined possible threats to the gender gap in the industry in her keynote, saying, “…we know the issue lies in the bias for data collection, in the biases while data labeling” while commenting about the imbalance of gender in the field of technology and data in Nepal.
The panel discussions focused on the historical underrepresentation of women in STEM fields and how the growing popularity of Artificial intelligence exacerbates the issue. The discussions also spotlighted the intersectionality in fostering inclusion for women in the field. Participants also discussed how the government, business community, and civil society are advancing women in data and technology.
Meghan Nalbo, our country representative in Nepal, highlighted the need to address gender inequalities in the workplace, schools, and other settings. Former data governance director at The Asia Foundation, Sajana Maharjan Amatya, emphasized the importance of men supporting women’s voices and making room for them in their sphere of influence. The value of collaborative data efforts in aiding the successes and accomplishments of women was also a topic of discussion. Drawing on her own experience from her early career, Pramila Devi Bajracharya, secretary of the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology, addressed the ministry’s policies and actions to advance women in this field.
The WiD organization plans to expand its advocacy efforts beyond Kathmandu by organizing further satellite events. These events will focus on various topics, including climate change, data skills, data-related careers for young women, walk-in interviews with students, and teacher seminars at public schools in rural Nepal.
Kerinci Seblat National Park (KSNP) plays a vital role in biodiversity conservation in Indonesia. Maintaining the sustainability of forests is crucial, as they serve as a key water source for the community, support livelihoods, and contribute significantly to people’s well-being by ensuring access to clean water and enhancing food security.
In Bengkulu province, a group of women living near the Kerinci Seblat Nasional Park (KNSP) formed KPPL Maju Bersama, Indonesia’s first women’s group involved in social forestry. Initially unaware of their forest management rights due to entrenched patriarchal values, the Foundation and local partner, LiVE Bengkulu, with funding from Google.org’s Impact Challenge for Women and Girls, facilitated capacity-building activities and supported efforts to obtain legal forest management rights.
With funding from Google.org’s Impact Challenge for Women and Girls, The Asia Foundation’s Environmental Governance program works with local partner LivE Bengkulu to empower women and the local community in forest management and foster equality and economic development.
Through various training sessions, including participatory mapping with technology, GEDSI mainstreaming, and improving women-led small enterprises, KPPL Maju Bersama learned to utilize kecombrang (honje) and developed a small-scale business producing honje-based products like syrup, torch ginger crackers, fern crackers, and fern sticks.
The members of KPPL Maju Bersama, the pioneers of this network, highlight women’s significant impact in addressing climate change, improving food security, and promoting sustainable forest management. Their dedication to environmental preservation and community welfare drives their collective efforts.
Poverty, illiteracy, harmful cultural practices, gender-based violence, weak legislative mechanisms, biased registration processes, and an unregulated border with India fuel child trafficking in Nepal. Despite research and interventions, a critical gap between evidence and practice exists. On March 18, The Asia Foundation in Nepal held a launch event for our “Formative Research on Child Trafficking” project. With funding from the Department of State’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Person, the Foundation is working with partners New Era and Shakti Samuha to generate evidence on the major sectors contributing to Nepal’s high rates of child trafficking, including the Adult Entertainment Sector (AES), cross-border trafficking, and core labor sectors (brick kilns, garment, and carpet manufacturing, and domestic work). The goal of the research is to inform the design of effective, culturally appropriate, and responsive programmatic interventions.
The launch event served as a crucial platform to acquaint stakeholders with the research objectives and potential implications for future initiatives combating child trafficking. During the event, Kewal Bhandari, secretary of the Ministry of Labour, Employment, and Social Security, underscored the pressing need to address the substantial disparity within the country’s societal framework. He emphasized that uplifting the marginalized community cluster at the socioeconomic bottom is imperative to effectively prevent child labor and child trafficking.
Critical communities combating child trafficking in Nepal, including relevant ministries, line agencies, development partners, civil society organizations, survivor groups, and private sector stakeholders, attended the event. They collectively committed to fair trade practices and expressed interest in supporting the formative research in the coming days.
“There is much research conducted on human trafficking, but they are just limited to exploring the factors that cause human trafficking. We expect this research to be a turning point in finding factors that contribute to trafficking, to address rights of trafficking victims, and to prevent trafficking from the grassroots level,” said Charimaya Tamang, a trafficking survivor who is a member of the National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking and a founding member of Shakti Samuha, the world’s first organization established and run by survivors.
The second cohort of our Subnational Governance Program (SNGP) in Nepal completed their yearlong fellowship with a graduation ceremony at the Foundation’s Kathmandu office. The fellowship, launched in 2021 by SNGP through a strategic partnership with the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, aims to equip fellows with an in-depth, practical understanding of local government’s core functions, foster leadership and professionalism, and build human capital in marginalized communities for democratic participation and engagement. Seven strategic partner municipalities onboard fellows and place them in various government institutions within their respective municipalities. Through personal experience, the fellows learn about the systems and functions of local governments, judicial affairs, policymaking, service delivery, and the budgeting processes.
Australian Ambassador to Nepal Felicity Volk, SNGP Team members, and the third cohort of recently onboarded SNGP Fellows attended the event where graduating fellows shared reflections on their technical and interpersonal growth from the program. They emphasized how it has helped structure their professional goals and gave their observations on how the program supports communities by providing better access to services. They also offered recommendations for planning future fellowship programs. Ambassador Volk reiterated the importance of fellowship programs like SNGP, which enable women to have the confidence to approach demanding roles. She also highlighted the value of learning from mistakes and encouraged them not to fear what they don’t know and to surround themselves with supportive individuals who facilitate growth.
The event also featured the release of the second cohort’s video where they recall their experience as SNGP Fellows, their learnings and takeaways, and their message to the next cohort.
