US Embassy Youth Council and My Shattered Heart

I am the happiest when I share what I have understood with another human being and they get something of value.

Abhilasha Rayamajhi

In 2018, I got an opportunity to assist New York Times Bestselling author Carmen Renee Berry during her visit to Nepal with her team. I had offer letters from top ranking universities and was waiting for my scholarship results. Unfortunately, I did not get what I had expected. I did not get the scholarships and I felt devastated. I felt like it was the end of the world. I shared my feelings with Carmen, to which she said, “There will be several doors that will open for you, may be the door you chose was too small for you.”

                                            

I appreciated her concern but at that time I felt like nothing would make me feel better. All my hard work, the time I had spent writing essays, sending the documents and getting recommendation letters had gone in vain. I just had dreams, and those dreams shattered like a broken glass window which could never be repaired. I was nothing but a loser in my own eyes.

                                                                          Photo: tinybuddha.com 

                                                  

However, giving up could not be an option. I was already enrolled in a Master degree course in Nepal and applied for short term programs abroad. But that phase was excruciating.

I had the dream to be in top ranking university in the world and here I was in one of the government college in Nepal.

This was the time when I stumbled upon US Embassy Youth Council’s (USYC) application form. Somehow, I fixed my broken heart and picked up the courage to write essays for USYC.

Later I came to know that I along with 55 other youths were selected from a pool of 1,855 plus applicants who had applied for the program. I felt a bit happy.

                                                                Courtesy of US Embassy Nepal

Why USYC?

USYC is a network of youth under the age of 27 from all regions of Nepal and representing diverse backgrounds. The council was created by the Embassy of the United States of America to Nepal. The Ambassador’s Youth Advisory Council was initiated in 2011 by former US Ambassador to Nepal, HE Scott H DeLisi.

Every year around 55 youth are selected and they engage in a yearlong Civic Engagement Project (CEP).

I got an opportunity to participate in orientation and various workshop and events organized by the US Embassy in partnership with We Inspire Nepal (WIN). We were branded as “exceptional youth of Nepal”.

I was looking for a platform where I could explore my leadership and communication skills and also contribute to my country. I strived to find a place for me in a world which at that point of time felt hostile to me.

Amazing and inspiring people

I started communicating like-minded people as well as those who possessed the skill set I lacked. I aimed to work on a project that was directly linked to my experiences and interest. I understood that I would not be able to contribute much in an idea that was not related to my works. I had the experience of working in media for around five years and was training students and professionals on writing and presentation skills for two years. I wanted to create a project that would bring my experience in newsrooms and classrooms together and build a team that had common goals. Through my skills I aspired to impact and empower a community. We named our project, “Connecting Classrooms and Newsrooms”.

Thankfully, I found a team that helped me shape this vision and a mentor who would gave timely and 
much needed suggestions. Our project involved media literacy training and shedding light to Vital Registration to secondary school students.

I had an instant connection with Karuna Devkota who is interested in investigative journalism and is the 
founder of youth organization in Chitwan. Her proficiency in the Nepali language and translation skills were quite beneficial to the team. Kripa Shrestha who is LGCDP focal person at Lalitpur Metropolitan City Office, works with the local government, her knowledge and skills on financial reporting created a value for our team. Naveen Dahal’s expertise in graphic designing skills and connections were a boon for our project. Basanta Shah was one of the most helpful member of the team who was always there at the time of need. Aashiyana Adhikari’s experience in organizing workshops and her background in social sector came handy for the project. Even though Stella Mainali was not in the core team her morale support is worth mentioning here.

                              The team: From left: Naveen, Kripa, me, Basanta, Karuna and Aashiyana 
                              Behind the camera: Manoj Bohara

                                            

I am also very grateful to Barsha Shah, who recommended Uma Kanta Khanal, Senior Journalist as the facilitator for the workshop. His session was quite beneficial for the students.

Prerana Marasini, Information Specialist at the US Embassy in Nepal was assigned as our mentor. She guided us at each and every step so that we could attain our project objective and gave that extra push 
whenever it was required. The support from the Embassy and implementing partner WIN is appreciable. After all, they are the people who worked so hard behind the scene to make the yearlong project possible.  

Besides, all the youth whom I met and networked with are amazing and most of them have inspired me in some way.   

Connecting Classrooms and Newsrooms

After months of planning, designing, brainstorming and discussing we were able to conduct workshop on Media literacy at Jhapa. A month back we surveyed 120 students regarding the understanding of media focusing on fake news and disinformation in a public and private school in Haldibari, Jhapa. This led us to design our very first workshop for 36 students. 

Almost at the end of the workshop a participant came to us and asked, “How were you selected out of 1,855 participants who applied for USYC? How do you speak so confidently and fluently?” I was 
speechless. Through this project I could connect to young people and help them understand how media works and encourage them in some way. Furthermore, this project is helping me understand how I am as a person, what are the things that I value, how do I work in a team and most importantly about my leadership qualities. The best part of being USYC member is the network we have built and the friendships we have formed. The support and love I received from the friends I made here cannot be described in words.

I am the happiest when I share what I have understood with another human being and they get something of value.

After the second phase of the project, I feel accomplished. I don’t feel like a loser anymore. I have collected the broken pieces of my heart and created beautiful art.

I am sure in the journey of life, many of us feel like the way I did. So, for this piece is for you, the unstoppable soul who chose to carry on even after going through devastation and never give up.

                                          Photo: Hiveminer.com

Is it Time To Teach Back?

Telling stories to attract the masses.

A middle-aged man struggles to make electricity bill payment through mobile banking. He requests his wife to ask their son to help him transact. The reluctant wife tells him to ask the son himself. The son is most probably in his early twenties, lying on the sofa comfortably listening to music with headphones glued to his ears. The dad takes off the son’s earplugs and hesitatingly requests, “Son can you teach me one more time?”

The son gets agitated and reacts, “How many times do I have to teach you?” The mother intervenes, hands the son a glass of juice but the son refuses, breaks the glass and walks away. On his way he stumbles upon a dad running after his young son to teach him cycling. This takes him down the memory lane when his own dad taught him cycling, photography, fishing and other life lessons. The regretful son reminisces how his dad never got tired of playing with him, how he told him stories and taught him the value of money. He then heads back home and assures his dad who earlier requested him to teach mobile banking once again, “Baba, for you a million times.”

The tearful dad and son hug each other as the weeping mother looks at them. The son teaches his dad mobile banking and the dad now successfully transacts and it is a happy ending.

The story is the concept of an advertisement by Fonepay with the hashtag #TimeToTeachBack. The advertisement calls for action to teach parents mobile banking. The video got immediate responses and feedback from the audience in social media. Some people commented the advertisement to be over dramatic and unrealistic. A few even said that they themselves don’t know mobile banking how will they teach their parents, other critics even pointed that advertisement was copied from international ads.

Nonetheless, the video was shared by thousands and viewed by millions. Moreover, many commended the video for its ability to evoke emotions and celebrate relationships.

Audiences could relate to the advertisement as the incident was common in almost every household. The intensity of the reaction might be lesser but there are times when parents or an elderly person has requested younger generation to teach how to use technology. Most parents spend their lifetime teaching children and introducing them to the world. But when it is the turn of the children they usually don’t show similar enthusiasm and in some cases like shown in the advert disrespectfully walk away.

Such campaigns signify the shift of brands towards becoming socially responsible rather than working merely for a profit motive. This is not the first time brands have used emotional appeal to attract the masses in Nepal. In 2015, Coca-cola introduced the campaign ‘celebrating relationships’ which was the local version of ‘share a coke’ campaign. Other than that there are not many noteworthy creative or relatable marketing campaigns in Nepal. Especially no other tech company in Nepal has introduced such an advertisement. The level of digital literacy among the older generation has to increase for IT companies to do well.    

However, in the international advertisement world hitting the emotional cord is not a new thing. Time to teach back is inspired by Google India’s “Helping women get online” an initiative that empowers women in India to use the internet. In one of the Google ads, a daughter is seen celebrating her mother getting online. These kind of advertisements may not create immediate action but they start a conversation and has long- term impact.

Storytelling is a weapon for advertisers. If used wisely it can connect people to brand and create brand loyalty. However, inappropriate use may not lead to desired results. How effective will #TimeToTeachBack be? Will it trigger youngsters to teach their parents mobile banking? Only time can tell.  

This article was published in Republica on May 26, 2019.

Breaking Mobile Banking Myths

Abhilasha Rayamajhi

With the increase in the use of smartphones and internet penetration, mobile banking has a huge scope in developing countries. Various research and studies have been published in African countries such as Kenya, Nigeria and other countries which shows mobile banking has decreased corruption and increased transparency. Since payments can be digitally traced when it is done through mobile banking, the cases of bribery have gone down. 

Even though mobile banking connects people to financial services in a simple, secure and efficient manner, less than two percent of the population in Nepal uses it. Here are some of the popular myths that need to be broken for mobile banking to flourish in Nepal:

1. Myth: Mere SMS alerts is mobile banking
Fact: SMS alert is only a function of mobile banking 
In Nepal, around 6.4 million users have registered to mobile banking according to a report published by Nepal Rastra Bank in December 2018. Even though the number of registered users have increased, less than 10 per cent of the total registered users actively use the mobile banking application, according to sources. Most of the users still think that the mobile alerts or the SMS’s that they receive after every transaction is mobile banking. 

Many bank account holders are not aware that they have also paid for using a mobile application when they create a bank account and tick on the mobile banking option. Lack of awareness, resistance to change and low adaptability to new technology has resulted in the low number of users. 

2. Myth: Mobile banking is expensive
 Fact: Mobile banking helps you save
There was a time when people had to visit banks to deposit and withdraw cash and make payments. However, with the introduction of visa cards, cheque books were replaced. People started making payments in departmental stores, restaurants and shopping malls through visa cards. Now, with the increased awareness about mobile banking through various marketing campaigns, people are shifting towards becoming more digital and transacting through their handheld devices. 

My mother feels that she would be spending more if she used mobile banking and it is expensive to use. However, the opposite is true. Using mobile banking will help in saving as one can get cashbacks, offers and discounts. Further, a user can save transportation cost, time and effort with mobile banking.

3. Myth: Mobile banking is catered to the young and urban
Fact: Mobile banking is for all 
It might seem like mobile banking is catered to the young, educated and urban population of Nepal. However, this is not quite true. For some people residing in the rural area of the country visit to the nearest branch of the bank could be a four hours walk. The rural population who have to waste their entire day and spend extra money on transporting to make utility payment or visit a bank, reap maximum benefits from this facility. Further, people in the nooks and corners of the country have created a business out of mobile banking by providing financial services in simple, secure and affordable ways.            

4. Myth: Mobile banking is not secure
Fact: Mobile banking is secure; a strong password is required 
One of the concerns people have is security issues. What if I lose my mobile phone? What if I change my number? What if I can’t use it effectively? These questions arise in the mind of many users. However, mobile banking is quite secure. If you have a strong password or don’t share it with anyone it is quite safe to use. Especially with the biometric feature only you can access your mobile banking through your fingerprint.

5. Myth: Mobile banking is unreliable 
Fact: Mobile banking is quite reliable  
Recently my flight from Bhadrapur to Kathmandu got cancelled. I had booked my tickets through fonepay. Initially, I was worried if I would get the refund on time, where I would have to go. However, I just had to make a phone call and on the third day, I got my refund. I did not have to meet anyone or go anywhere for the refund. In new technology where the ecosystem is not yet digitised, problems do arise. However, it is not fair to assume that mobile banking is unreliable without even giving it a try. 

People who still buy recharge cards and scratch or wait in long queues to transact through a bank or make payments will be labelled as ignorant in the coming days. Making payments through QR will not be a new thing starting from now in Nepal. Further, mobile banking promotes transparency which is the need of the hour. 

This article was published in Republica on July 9, 2019.