Monrovia – The Youth Exploring Solutions (YES), an accredited non-for-profit, passionate and voluntary grassroots youth-led development organization welcomes its first-ever Asian fellows from the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal.
This exchange visit done in partnership with IDEAS For Liberia, an affiliate of IDEAS For Us based in the United States of America at 189 South Orange Ave. Suite 800, Orlando, Florida, 32801, is expected to last from September 1 to 12.
IDEAS For Us is an Orland-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and accredited NGO of the United Nations.
Professor Dr. Munni Raj Chhetri is an acclaimed professor of Community Medicine from Chitwan Medical College (CMC), and Pradish Poudel, President of IDEAS For CMC and Elsevier Student Ambassador 2016/17 to Nepal are the two distinguished Asian fellows from Nepal expected in Liberia.
Professor Dr. Munni Raj Chhetri holds a PhD in Epidemiology from the College of Public Health, Chulalongkom University in Thailand and two Masters of Science in Health Care Management from Pokhara University and Public Health from the Tribhuvan University in Nepal together with a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery in Integrated Medicine, NIIMS, B.U. in India.
Dr. Chhetri currently serves as the Principal and Head for the Department of Community Medicine and Public Health, Chitwan Medical College, Teaching Hospital.
He is responsible to lead and ensure the department effective implementation of the planned activities and strategies on time; prepare specific and periodic (monthly and three monthly) activity plans and progress reports; prepare and implement monitoring plan; coordinate with relevant stakeholders; communicate related information regularly to partners and other relevant stakeholders; deliver lectures on Epidemiology and Research and thesis supervision of Public Health and Medical graduate students.
Professor Dr. Chhetric also plans and conducts field-level training programmes and manual and guideline development; provides technical oversight to the project, monitoring and evaluation and contributing to the outputs of all project components; supervises the activities of and provide guidance to the Regional Monitoring Officer and be responsible for the regular flow of acceptable reports from field teams; spends considerable time in the field visiting and interacting with the District Public Health Office (DPHO), DDC, VDCs field teams and other stakeholders; translates national policy into practice to strengthen government health service delivery system; leads and ensures effective implementation of the planned activities and strategies on time; prepares specific and periodic (monthly and three monthly) activity plans and progress reports of the project; prepares and implements monitoring plan of the project; coordinates with relevant stakeholders in Nepal and different project destinations; communicates related information regularly to project partners and other relevant stakeholders.
The distinguished professor has provided consultancy for Save the Children Fund U.S., Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Fund Board, and the National Society for the Protection of Child and Environment.
He is the past President of Nepal Public Health Association, Vice President for the Research Center for Integrated Development of Nepal, and General Secretary of Nepal Public Health Promotion Centre.
He has also published many scholarly articles in journals and other media outlets.
21-years-old Pradish Poudel is the President of IDEAS For Chitwan Medical College, Vice President for the Nepal Youth Red Cross chapter at the Chitwan Medical College, Medical Writer at The Kathmandu Post and ICT E-newspaper. He also volunteers at Art of Living, Pioneer of Chepang Community Project (Outstanding Project of Rotaract Nepal for Year 2016/17), and Human Right Activist at Amnesty Nepal.
Pradish has led 30+ Health Camps and School Health Projects in rural areas, an active member of Together in Vibrant MBBS (Pre-med Institute) and Chairman at Horizon Academy for Entrance Preparation.
In words of Pradish: “Being a fellow for the Nepal-Liberia Exchange Program is an honor, but also a responsibility. I know that I will have many responsibilities; however, I am confident I have the ability to meet up with the challenges because of my passion and perseverance.
I am bringing more innovation to enrich the social life, solidify the strength in order to striving for more benefits for the people of both nations. I want to become one of the important bridges between Nepal and Liberia to expand upcoming opportunities through a mutual benefit partnership”.
The visit is an exchange program intended to build stronger partnership, strengthen youth initiatives, buttress public health policy, enhance community medicine, foster waste management, and boost the Sustainable Development Goals among Liberians of all ages and gender.
In addition, the visit will provide a unique opportunity to network and share ideas with government officials, health practitioners, youth leaders, and a host of private businesses, non-for-profit organizations including tertiary and secondary institutions coupled with an array of diplomatic mission accredited near Monrovia.
It is hoped that the Nepali team will conduct Liberia’s first Medical Waste Roundtable Dialogue to facilitate the drafting of a national Medical Waste Policy.
The team is expected to visit some of the remotest parts of the country to conduct free medical screening as well as conduct voluntary lecture series, workshops, and seminars on health, community medicine, and waste management.
The first-ever Asian fellows from Nepal imitative will further help improve leadership, professional, and career development of young Liberians as well as people of all ages and gender. The Nepali team visit to Liberia will also foster sustainability, leadership, peace pedagogy, and environmental partnership.