1.Background of the context

After being involved in an international students’ movement for more than a decade, the university students from Nepal graduated and as young professionals, grew in the spirit of local and global solidarity, continued the discourse and action for the holistic transformation of society. And after much reflection, consultation and analysis thus ICAN was formed in the year 2012 when Nepal was in great period of political transformation.

2.Introduction

ICAN-Nepal is a community-based social movement consisting of intellectuals and students who constantly and steadily offer themselves in continuous researches and action via experimental new techniques of integral development. It is truly a non profitable and nongovernmental but a critical charitable social movement, which stands as an agent of transformation of present society into an idealistic state, hoping to create a world of justice, peace and joy in a universal manner.

 

ICAN member as “BLESSED PEACEMAKERS” work for justice and fulfils the natural obligation to bring individual and communal reconciliation. It believes in analytical debates and realistic expediency of human rights standards striving for the universal consent.

Observe, Analyze, Act and Change is our motto to fight against the injustices that persists in societies. Not self-compounded, ICAN works beyond caste, creed, ethnicity and nationality. ICAN itself being the “light of the world and salt of the earth”, eagle eyed, sees into the darkness of inhuman oppression and marginalization. It aims to bring fullness of lives by taking away the bitterness. In-line with spirit of past liberators, we carry out action through the pedagogy for the liberation of the poorest of the poor from the deepest transgression of gross poverty and oppression.

Members involved Total: – 18

Caste Breakdown: – Ethnics: 8, Brahmin & Chhetri: 10

Gender Breakdown: – 9 Women and 9 male

3.Goal

To establish an ICAN as a community based group.

4.Objectives

To form a group, to raise fund for the group activities, to be involve in civil societies activities

5. Major Concerns are

to bring back or reunite young professional for the common good., to set up a formal group to share common experiences, to perform social activities.

6. Activities undertaken

Formation Program, various fund raising activities, involvement in civil pressure groups, orientation

7. Activities in Details

A. Conducted Formation Program

An informal group is set up in the month of May 2012 after almost a year of continue consultation with like minded young professionals and students. Thus formed group which was initially composed of only 5 members but it increased up to 18 within a month. Profile of group is developed, constitution is written and logo is designed. Core committee of nine members is formed with their written consent note in order to express their desire to be a part of Pax Romana. And group also decided to take immediate action of fund raising whereas, at the same time to make plan of action for simultaneous performance of other activities. It’s been also decide to collect Rs 50 per person as a yearly membership fee. Such kind of formation have reunited young professional after being dispersed due to the new professional lives. And have made channel of action for common good of all.

B. Involved in civil pressure groups

As Nepal had been going through a lot of political ups and down, there were always been threat to sustainable peace and constitution. Nepal; once Compressive Peace Accord (CPA) was signed between government of Nepal and Unified Communist Party (Maoist) in 21 November 2006 by ending more than a decade long civil war, Interim constitution 2007 declared Nepal as a secular and federal democratic republic state which was previously known as only a Hindu kingdom in the world. And it leaded historical election of Constitutional Assembly (CA) in 2008. Thus elected CA was mandated for writing new constitution within 2 years. However in 2 years time, CA could not declare new constitution and it’s been 4 times that its term has been extended. On November 25 the apex court that said the CA’s term can be extended only one more time and that the Assembly will be defunct if the constitution is not promulgated within the extended term: 27th May, 2012. In the same time interval, three consecutive governments leaded by Communist Party of Nepal CPN Maoist, CPN – UML and again CPN – Maoist has been governing the state. In this context lately CA was not able to come to the conclusion regarding with federal structure due to the disagreement between parties and recent rising civil force in both favor and against federalism. More over some group of people tried to outburst ethnic conflicts, demanding federal autonomous state on the base of single ethnic identity. And hence to promote national unity and social harmony and to pressurize government to promulgate constitution on time, thousands of people from civil societies and individual gathered at the heart of Kathmandu with the national flag and slogan of national unity. ICAN also took this opportunity to show solidarity on national unity, peace and constitution. However unfortunately, CA dissolved on 27th May without having a new national constitution.

C. Conducted Orientation Program

ICAN being a newly formed group, it does not have any office room. However a room was provided by one of the members to conduct orientation program. 5 male and 8 female took part in the program. In the beginning, Mr. Prakash Khadka who is a chair person of ICAN gave short introduction about the session and took half an hour session on the stages of formation of community based group through the animation process. He made cleared about the formation stage where ICAN is at the moment. On the second session as an executive coordinator, Ms. Bindu Shilakar made participants cleared about the vision, mission, goals and objectives of ICAN.

D. Performed fund raising activities

Various activities of fund raising such as collection of waste papers, junks, iron etc have been performed. Thus collected materials are sold to a recycling. By this means, in the very first month: June – 2012, $75 has been collected. Though it is very tedious activity and collection of fund is very little, with high enthusiasm, 12 members are directly involving on collection where as others are supporting indirectly. Some of the members who have motorbike are helping on transporting collected materials. In other hand four of our members participated in one day paddy cultivation in nearby town. This paddy field belongs to one of our members, and little amount earned was submitted as ICAN fund.

8. Prioritize Area

Good numbers of members have not got appropriate capacity building training and social awareness. Empowerment of own group members will be our first priority where as performing some short of social works and charity works will be given priority as well. Gaining legal status, building national and international network and establishing relationship will be maintaining constantly.

9. Strengths

Since this is early life of ICAN, all of our members are energetic, interested and curious for what can be done next. Having some of members with good experiences, social knowledge and various capacities are the main strength of ICAN at the moment. Some of the senior people socially supporting from the back has remain as an additional inspiration and motivation.

10. Weakness

Having saying newly formed active group, we have some of our members living out of station. And hence full participation on each activity is rare. Allmost all of members having weak incoming background may cause low participation in the activities as they have to involve in their daily livelihood supporting business. Lack of resources is main weakness and often discouraging matters.

11. Sustainability

Fund raising activities being an essential part to run movement which will be continue by any means till the movement exists. Advocacy is a backbone of movement towards its goal which will be nonstop activities even though it is in micro level.