The [Nepal-U.S. Alumni Network (NUSAN)](https://nusan.org/) is thrilled to announce the recipients of the [Alumni Small Grant (ASG) 2025](https://nusan.org/news/call-for-alumni-small-grants-asg-2025-proposal), an exciting opportunity designed for U.S. Government (USG) Exchange Alumni to enhance their professional skills while driving meaningful impact in their communities. The ASG 2025 program supports innovative, community-driven projects aligned with the thematic areas of combating illegal immigration, creating job opportunities, and enhancing entrepreneurial skills. This year, we received **35 impressive applications** from across all seven provinces of Nepal.

After a competitive selection process, one winner from each province has been selected to receive funding for their outstanding project ideas.

##### **Meet the ASG 2025 Grant Winners by Province:**
### 📍 **Bagmati Province**
* Santona Malakar (*IVLP-2024*) and Nabina Gyawali (*UGRAD-2014/15*)
* **चुलोको युवा-उज्यालो / Chulo ko Yuwa - Ujyalo:** By providing a platform to gain the essential knowledge of culinary, the project aims to empower the youth by providing training on culinary skills to become future entrepreneurs.
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### 📍 **Gandaki Province**
* Bhawana Bhandari (*CEE-2023*) and Prakriti Dhakal (*CEE-2022*)
* **उद्यम Shala: Enhancing Entrepreneurial Acumen:** The project aims to formalize and empower youth-led e-commerce ventures through the enhancement of entrepreneurial skills and awareness on law and technology.
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### 📍 **Karnali Province**
* Susmita Giri (*IVLP-2023*)
* **Lead with Language: English for Future Entrepreneurs:** By focusing on the significance of the English language, the project aims to provide practical English language training to bachelor-level students and prepare them to confidently prepare and pitch their business content in English.
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### 📍 **Koshi Province**
* Basanta Adhikari (*IVLP-2014*)
* **Educating and Empowering Students on the Values of Entrepreneurship and Economic Freedom:** By providing a platform to learn the essential entrepreneurial skills to students from government and private schools. The project focuses on empowering and supporting the students to become economically independent.

### 📍 **Lumbini Province**
* Arnab Chaudhary (*IVLP-2024*)
* **Deukhuri Udhyami Sangam (Deukhuri Entrepreneur Conclave):** By connecting the business leaders, government, and local entrepreneurs of the community. The project aims to support the youth and local entrepreneurs to showcase their businesses and raise awareness of entrepreneurship for a sustainable livelihood.
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### 📍 **Madhesh Province**
* Asish Thakur (*SUSI-2015*)
* **Shaping Youths in Entrepreneurship:** The project aims to empower local youths by transforming traditional family pickle-making skills into a source of income. Through targeted training in packaging, branding, and market readiness, young people from the community will be equipped to turn homemade pickles into sellable, professionally presented products.
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### 📍 **Sudurpaschim Province**
* Aayush Awasthi (*EIMUN-2024*) and Lal Bahadur Kunwar (*Hubert Humphrey Fellowship 2018/19*)
* **From Local to Global: Enabling Rural Producers for E-Commerce Success:** To foster local entrepreneurial growth, the project focuses on empowering youth through digital literacy. By providing training to use online platforms, the initiative seeks to help them showcase their products and expand their businesses across the nation.
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**Congratulations to all the winners!** These projects reflect the incredible potential of alumni to lead change and foster entrepreneurship, innovation, and inclusion across Nepal.

Stay tuned as we follow their journeys and celebrate their contributions to civic and economic development.

Announcing the Winners of the Alumni Small Grant (ASG) 2025 Program!

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