The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) organized a vibrant cultural program in Butwal, Rupandehi district, showcasing various activities to highlight the agency’s long-standing contributions to Nepal’s development.
The event, part of the ‘USAID Learning for Development Outreach Campaign’, featured captivating performances by renowned artists including singers Kali Prasad Banskota, Trishna Gurung, Afsar Ali, and Samjhana Ranapal. The popular Kutumba band also delivered an electrifying musical performance, leaving the audience spellbound.
In addition to musical entertainment, the program included engaging sideline events such as mural painting, quizzes, and fun games designed to inform the public about USAID-funded activities, projects, and programs in Nepal over the past 63 years. These interactive activities also aimed to gather opinions from participants, especially the youth, regarding their aspirations and reflections on development.
By involving attendees in creative activities like murals and face painting, the campaign sought to understand people’s ideas and expectations about development, emphasizing the importance of community engagement in shaping the future.
The diplomatic relationship between Nepal and the USA has spanned nearly eight decades, with American grant assistance through USAID playing a crucial role in Nepal’s socio-economic transformation. Over a million Nepali women benefited directly from USAID programs related to health, education, and economic growth in 2023, with an additional five million women benefiting indirectly.
Since 2000, USAID has provided over 1.5 billion US dollars (more than Rs 196 billion) to support Nepal’s development in various sectors, including health, education, infrastructure, agriculture, economic growth, women’s empowerment, humanitarian aid, good governance, environment, civil society, and business development. Notable achievements include the construction of Nepal’s first highway in 1955 and the establishing of the first nursing training school in Kathmandu in 1956, both supported by the US government.
USAID’s contributions have been instrumental in eradicating malaria from Nepal’s southern Terai region, establishing modern communication infrastructure, and supporting peace and democracy initiatives. During the COVID-19 pandemic, USAID provided vaccines, preventive gear, and technical assistance to Nepal.
The first ‘USAID Learning for Development Outreach Campaign’ event was launched in Badganga, Jitpur, Kapilvastu district last Friday. The campaign will travel to Lamahi, Kohalpur, and Nepalgunj in Lumbini Province, where over 20 national and local projects related to health, education, economic growth, environment, resilience, democracy, rights, and good governance are currently being implemented across all 12 districts with USAID assistance. The campaign is set to conclude in Kathmandu, Bagmati Province, later this month, celebrating the enduring partnership between Nepal and the USAID.
