The official launch of the Pilot Project, titled “Community Development Training – Building Capacity of Small and Medium NGOs of Nepal,” funded by SOPAR Canada was successfully conducted on 26th September 2025. The digital launch of the Project was conducted via Zoom Platform. The event was jointly hosted by SAP Nepal (Implementing Partner), SOPAR Canada (Donor), and Bala Vikasa (Technical Partner) with active participation from selected 15 NGOs across Madesh Province of Nepal. The agenda of the event comprised of a welcome address, introduction of partners and participating NGOs, an overview of the NGO selection process, keynote remarks, the official project launch, a presentation on objectives and action plan, discussion on roles and responsibilities, an interactive Q&A, and a closing vote of thanks.
On behalf of SOPAR Canada, Mr. Louis officially and formally inaugurated the new partnership project between SOPAR-BV, SAP Nepal, and 15 local NGOs. In his remarks, he conveyed best wishes for the success of this initiative, expressing confidence that all partners would work collectively towards the shared goal of strengthening NGO capacities. The launch was symbolically marked by the waving of the national flags of Canada, India and Nepal by Mr. Shourya, accompanied by enthusiastic applause from all participants.
Mr. Shourya opened the session by noting that this pilot project marks the first overseas intervention of SOPAR-BV after more than 47 years of impactful work in India. He highlighted that the initiative reflects Mr. André’s vision of expanding SOPAR-BV’s reach globally. Emphasizing the importance of meaningful engagement, he called on all participating NGOs to commit dedicated time and resources for genuine organizational development. He underlined that the program goes beyond training and capacity building, aiming to provide ongoing handholding support until tangible and sustainable changes are achieved. He also urged NGOs to allocate human resources capable of adopting and applying the learnings for long-term growth.
Mr. Louis described the intervention as a valuable experience, being SOPAR-BV’s first initiative outside India. He expressed hope that this project would strengthen long-term relations between SOPAR-BV and its Nepalese partners, while wishing success for the community development efforts ahead. Additionally, Ms. Sobha referred to the project as a “special partnership” between SOPAR-BV and SAP-Nepal. She reiterated the motto of the training center—investing in people — which is also motto of this project and expressed her confidence that this initiative would pave the way for sustainable change and development in Nepal.
The opening session was followed by the presentation by Mr. Narendra Joshi (ED of SAP-Nepal” highlighting the NGO selection process and criteria, project objective/outcomes/action plans, and roles and responsibilities of partners of the project. The project launch event marked an important milestone in fostering partnerships between SOPAR, Bala Vikasa, SAP Nepal, and local NGOs. The collaborative spirit demonstrated during the launch has laid a strong foundation for the successful implementation of the pilot project. The event concluded with a shared commitment to work collectively towards building resilient and impactful NGOs, contributing to sustainable community development in Nepal.