With the goal of reducing plastic use and promoting a green and circular economy, a five-day cloth bag making training was organized in Ward No. 2, Bishalnagar of Kohalpur Municipality from July 16 to 20, 2025. The training was led by BAS Nepal, a Youth Advocacy Group from Kohalpur Municipality, under the EU-funded GreenShift project implemented by Restless Development with consortium partners CREASION and Youth Innovation Lab. GreenShift promotes circularity in plastic waste and builds sustainable youth-led climate solutions across Nepal.
The training was inaugurated amid a special ceremony chaired by Shiv Kumar Barma, Central Chairperson of BAS Nepal. Chief Guest Ward Chair Hari Kathayat commended BAS Nepal for its leadership in the “Plastic Free Kohalpur” campaign and reaffirmed the municipality’s commitment to supporting such youth-led initiatives. He also pledged support for the marketing of the cloth bags produced by the trainees.
Vir Bahadur Thapa, Head of the Environment Division at Kohalpur Municipality, emphasized the importance of collaboration in reducing plastic use, expressing hope that such efforts would move Kohalpur closer to becoming a green municipality.
Hemraj Bhatt, Director of BAS Nepal, outlined how the campaign envisions behavioral change through skill-building and awareness, contributing to GreenShift’s broader goals. Trainer Gita BK provided technical guidance throughout the training, and the event was facilitated by Shobha Bhandari, Senior Social Mobilizer at BAS Nepal.
Initially involving 10 women, the training concluded with 14 women receiving certificates at a closing ceremony attended by Deputy Mayor Sangita Subedi, acting Ward Chairpersons, and other local stakeholders. One of the participants shared, “I had never stitched before, but now I can make cloth bags that are useful for my family and can also be sold in the market. This training has given me both confidence and a new skill.”
This youth-led initiative, supported by Restless Development through GreenShift, not only empowered women through skill development but also provided sustainable alternatives to single-use plastics, reinforcing the project’s commitment to a just transition toward a circular economy in Nepal.
