Posted on August, 15 2014

 Kathmandu, Nepal – WWF Nepal introduced a new chapter under its The Generation Green campaign today through the launch of a unique mentorship program for youth. The mentorship program is one of the key facets of the campaign and an exercise in promoting leadership development and growth of young people not just in conservation but in overall nation building as guided by the experience and exposure of selected prominent citizens of Nepal.

“The mentorship program is an opportunity for the youth of Nepal to start today to lead tomorrow,” stated Dr. Ghana S. Gurung, Senior Conservation Program Director of WWF Nepal. “With the able guidance of our mentors, we hope to develop a future generation of leaders, a critical mass who will champion the cause of conservation and sustainable development.”

The Generation Green, a five-year campaign launched in February 2014, aims to bring together 50 mentors and about 1,000 mentees by the end of the campaign period. The mentorship program launched today has started off with 11 mentors, representing diverse sectors such as conservation, business, media, art and development, and 88 mentees selected from the 375 applications received for the program from different parts of the country. The mentorship program is open to members of The Generation Green campaign.

“The future is now,” stated Mr. Anil Shah, a mentor and the CEO of Mega Bank. “While we, as mentors, will work together in planting the seeds of change for youth, the onus will inevitably rest on them to nurture the future that they want to make.”

The mentorship program will run for a period of six months for two separate batches of mentees in a year. The program curriculum is structured as per the expectations of the mentees and the ground rules and guidance of the mentors, which will include face-to-face learning opportunities, master classes led by the mentors, field excursions, volunteering work, and individual as well as group projects as assigned by the mentees. WWF Nepal and its campaign partners will facilitate the mentorship process and provide logistic support as required by the mentorship program curriculum.

“I take pride in being selected for the first batch of mentees,” stated Rama Khadka, a 20-year old student of environmental science. “This opportunity comes with an added responsibility for me and my peers to gain from the experience of our mentors and apply our learnings for the present as well as the future of our own selves and the nation.”