Ram Bahadur Kurumbang, the Chief District Officer of Bardiya, who brought ‘government to people’s homes,’ emerged victorious in the final round of the Integrity Idol 2018 held on Dec 7 at Karki Banquet, Maitighar, Kathmandu. A panel of judges had selected five contestants among thousands of nominees. Then it was left to the public to pick one winner.

Selecting the top five was difficult. “We had to compile and analyze reports from numerous sources. Besides the large volume of information, it was also difficult to separate reliable sources from unreliable ones,” said public administration expert and former secretary of the government of Nepal Dr. Kashi Raj Dahal, and one of the Integrity Idol judges. “But the endeavor was worth it. We must reward honesty in order to build a corruption-free Nepal.”

Asked how he was feeling on being selected Interiority Idol 2018, Kurumbang said, “The joy of winning faded quickly and was replaced by an immense sense of responsibility to maintain the good work which brought me to this stage.” During his tenure as the CDO of eight districts, including Bardiya, he established and ran ghumti sivirs that brought governmental services to individual households in some of the most inaccessible parts of the country.

Other Integrity Idol 2018 finalists didn’t go home empty-handed either. Sita Kumari Sharma, a senior A.N.M. of Birendranagar Municipal health office, Surkhet, won the ‘Integrity with compassion’ award; Mahedra Prasad Paudyal, an undersecretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sport, bagged the ‘Integrity with inspiration’ award; Arun Kafle, a senior horticulture development officer, Khumaltar, Lalitpur was given the ‘Integrity with Innovation’; likewise, the ‘Integrity with Action’ prize was given to Dhruba Raj Acharya, the chief administrative officer of Tikapur Municipality, Kailali.

Integrity Idol started in Nepal in 2014, following its global success. The number of votes in Nepal for the final five contestants has risen steadily in past four years, from 400 in 2014 to approximately 4,000 in 2018. Similarly, the number of volunteers doing the selection has also steadily increased. In 2014 nominees were selected from only 33 districts. This year the nominations came from 77 districts.

Interview

Can you tell us a bit about your career in government service?

I have been working as a government official for the past 30 years, even though my tenure was briefly interrupted by military service. When people find out that I am the CDO, they like to stereotype me as an unapproachable bureaucrat, but I consider myself no more than a devoted public servant. Before I was stationed in Bardiya, I had already worked as the CDO of seven other districts including Taplejung, Solukhumbu, Achham and Pyuthan. Throughout my career I have considered the people I am supposed to serve an integral part of my work.

What inspired you to enter public service?

I was a studious child born into a middle-class family. I thus felt obligated to work hard for a living. But I wouldn’t take a job where I had to know someone to be eligible. So I ended up taking the Public Service Commission examinations, where only my knowledge counted. I entered government service in 1988 and I am still a happy civil servant.

How has your experience as a civil servant been?

Being a civil servant in a country where people have lost faith in the government has been challenging. I believe that the absence of dedicated and honest officials is one reason why our country lags behind others. We have also been unable to utilize our resources, time most importantly. There are officials who do not work full time. Since people stereotype all government officials as bigots who care only about money, it is difficult to convince them there are also public officials who operate within the bounds of morality and are committed to the country’s development. I feel immense pride in saying that I am among the honest officials with high moral values and dedication for my work, and one who is not intimidated by challenges.

What inspired you to go to remote homes to offer government services?

There was an interaction program in an inaccessible village in the district of Myagdi. In that program I noticed that the villagers were reluctant to go to district headquarters and that they didn’t even have citizenship certificates. They had not heard about land revenue and survey departments. Their health was deplorable and the disabled had no identification certificates. There were other problems too. It was then I thought of the ghumti shivir, a government camp that would visit the most inaccessible parts and render government services.

We not only distributed citizenship certificates, but also all sorts of state documents like questionnaires for survey, disabled identification card, to altogether 117 inaccessible destinations. While residents of those communities benefitted, we government officials too got to hear people’s concerns and complaints firsthand. Government-citizen bond was thus strengthened. I have since carried over this idea to the other districts where I have served as the CDO.

Organizing the ghumti shivirs must have been challenging.

The primary challenge was to motivate other officials to join me in my quest to offer quality services to the people. They were reluctant as there would be no modern amenities in the remote areas we were visiting. Another big challenge was ensuring that the goods that we were delivering actually reached their destination. For example, often, the medications that were supposed to be delivered to health posts would not get there. The situation was worse during the monsoon where rains would make the process of delivering goods and services almost impossible.

How do you feel about winning Integrity Idol Nepal?

To be honest, I am quite intimidated, as public expectations have greatly increased. This may require me to double my output, but I am happy to do so. I may not have specific plans at the moment but I will continue with the work that I have been doing, with even more dedication.  

What message would you like to give to the youths who want to join public service?

The applicant pool for Public Service Commission examinations is fairly big because of limited job opportunities in our country. Despite such a large pool, most of the talented individuals are not attracted to government jobs. This should not be happening. Government officials are the ones who make plans and policies that have the biggest impact on the society. So until those who are honest and talented do not get into public service, we as a country cannot develop. The youngsters should view public sector as a platform to serve their motherland and its people.

‘You cannot go out.’ ‘You cannot go there.’ ‘You must stay at home.’ ‘You are just a girl.’ But even the wings of a butterfly make a sound. Listen closely. Can you perceive a small change leading to a big difference? That’s the Butterfly Effect.

On Dec 8 at Tangalwood premises, Sangeet Pathshala, in association with NGO Dristi Nepal, joined the global #HearMeToo campaign, to advocate for dialogue and change with regards to gender based violence, sexuality, and human rights by bringing together female-headed bands in the Celebration Phase of the Butterfly Effect.

I ask Bijay Khadka, the founder of Sangeet Pathshala, why they chose to do this event now. “For a long time we had wanted to do an event featuring female-led groups to celebrate womanhood. With so much in the press about violence against women and children, we felt the time was right to celebrate women speaking out against gender violence and supporting other women,” says Khadka. 

This feeling—women speaking out for themselves—was shouted loudly over and over from the stage… “We are here to show how strong and determined we [females] can be and we think music is the best language to spread awareness,” affirmed Dikshya Tamang of from Faithom band at the event. The audience roared back in agreement.

With music from their first album I/Eye, Space rocked Tangalwood. I ask the band members why they participated in the Butterfly Effect. “We feel that since everybody is busy with their own lives, only a few people notice the prevalence of violence against women and girls in society and try to make a change. We feel happy that people are coming together for this cause and most of all, it is being done through music and not violent protests. This event is perfectly in line with the feelings we try to convey in our music.”

Naturally, men were on stage too and one of the organizers, Pranay Subba, bassist of Superfuzz, is walking the walk, being in a female headed band. Says Tenzing Hyolmo ‘Yang’, the vocalist with the band, “We are very positive but are aware one event cannot make it [gender violence] vanish.”  

Mental Radio are perhaps not a household name, but for those who support, or follow social causes, this band is synonymous with people using music to raise awareness of mental health issues and other causes. “What is commendable about this event is that it is being organized by dedicated male musicians who believe in empowering female musicians, and Dristi Nepal, which is run by dedicated female activists. When you recognize an issue, regardless of your gender, and work together, that’s when real change happens,” says Garima Gurung, vocalist, Mental Radio.

Newly back from their Nepal tour, Nattu with 11.11 NST brought the house down with their pop-rock originals. I ask them what inspired them to participate, and the band explains that “it is our duty not only as humans but also as humane individuals… to support the betterment and safety of the female gender in our country”.

Also on stage were Somiya Baraily; Didi Bahini (women kicking ass with traditional instruments!); Samriddhi Rai, and Dissonance. Dissonance consists of kids from Nawa Asha Griha, an organization for street kids and children from broken homes. Getting lessons from KJC, among others, Dissonance have played in Women in Concert and WOW. Nepal’s youth walking the walk! 

The final phase in the Butterfly Effect is to work with urban and rural communities throughout the country, raising awareness on GBV and orientating women and girls and their communities. This will take place under the management of Dristi Nepal.

“Women who use drugs and women living with HIV are judged because of their drug use and status and this stigma is one of the major hindrances preventing women receiving services and being reintegrated (in society). Women from this hidden group are violated by partners, families and even community members. However, these women are not the exception when it comes to gender based violence. Through this event I believe we have conveyed the message: end the gender based violence,” says Parina Subba Limbu, Executive Director, Dristi Nepal.  

But this is just the beginning. The musicians agree they are willing to further promote the cause of women and girls through their music. In fact, Mental Radio said, “we are open to a possible partnership regarding the correlation between gender based violence and mental health issues.” As for the Butterfly Effect, “this will be an annual event and we hope to expand it beyond Kathmandu, involving artists from other parts of the country and including different genres of music. We want to keep contributing to Dristi Nepal to ensure they can continue to raise awareness and find solutions to end violence against women,” says Khadka, Sangeet Pathshala. For further information and possible collaboration, contact Bijay Khadka on 9849181518. 

The event is supported by the Chaudhary Foundation, United Nations Office on Drugs & Crime (UNODC) and the Aids Healthcare Foundation (AHF Nepal).  The Annapurna Express is the media partner and proudly supports gender equality and equity.

Having worked as a coun­selor for over 11 years, Ajay Karki has seen it all, even though he is only 33. From young drug users breaking down into tears as they narrate their seemingly insurmountable addictions, to adults choking on their words as they describe their terrible relationships. But what was it that initially piqued his interest in psy­chology and counselling? “I had always been interested in other peoples’ lives, and how thoughts brew inside the human brain and how they shape our personality,” Karki says. He first wanted to pur­sue a Bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Tribhuvan University. But as soon as he heard of psychology—a subject which not only granted an opportunity to investigate the human mind, he found out, but also to directly help peo­ple—Karki changed his mind. His passion for psychology has not faded since.

As a counselor and hypno­therapist, Karki has worked with hundreds of patients at his clinic, Healing Rain­bow, Nepal, “a platform for psycho-spiritual coun­seling, energy healing, personal growth and col­lective evolution”.

"I will never offer free counseling, as making someone pay is also a way to make them accountable for their outcome" Ajay Karki counselor and hypnotherapist

Karki charges a patient between Rs 1,500 to 2,000 a session

Most of Karki’s patients are young and typically struggling with anxiety and depres­sion, and thus unable to realize their full poten­tial. But as the young are more open-minded, “what I find is that they are able to overcome their mental problems sooner compared to the adults,” Karki says.

He also works with school students, and the most common prob­lem there is performance anxiety, which stems from huge expectations regarding grades and per­formance. But he also gets cases whereby someone from a rural area has been brought to him after all else has failed, including a trip to the local dhami. At this latter stage of mental illness, Karki can do little.

Is there any other notewor­thy commonality among his patients besides them being mostly young? “One common problem is that by the time someone comes to my coun­selling session, that person would have already gotten countless suggestions from people with limited knowl­edge of how the human mind works,” Karki says. “Casual advice like reminding the sufferer how strong he or she is right now can actually backfire as the person could then start comparing their troubled present to a trou­ble-free past.”

Then there are the chal­lenges of working as a coun­sellor in a poor country. “With less than 1,000 mental health personnel in Nepal, we often have to advise patients in areas that are not our spe­cialization,” Karki says. He says that such a situation was bound to come as the oldest institution of higher learning in Nepal, Tribhuvan Univer­sity, did not offer specializa­tions in Master’s degrees in Psychology until 2017.

The pay is also dismal, with a counsellor making any­where between Rs 20,000 to Rs 40,000 a month. Karki say that he charges a patient between Rs 1,500 to 2,000 a session. Those from impover­ished families get a discount.

“But I will never offer free counseling, as making some­one pay is also a way to make them accountable for their outcome,” he says.

“Only individuals who are extremely patient and who have problem-solving skills are suited for this profession,” Karki says. However, he also says that, seeing people come out of their mental anguish is highly rewarding. “The smile that accompanies their ‘thank you!’ when they get better is almost heavenly,” he says.

(To contact Karki search for ‘Healing Rainbow Nepal’ on Facebook

The Odaan Restaurant & Lounge is a new addi­tion to the burgeoning restaurant scene on the Bansbari road (the road from Narayangopal Chowk that leads to Budhanilkantha). They cater to the growing populations of the otherwise quiet neighborhood of Bansbari, Golfutar, Chapali, Bud­hanilkantha and other areas in proximity.

Coming back to Odaan, it is a multi-cuisine restau­rant and lounge that serves breakfast, lunch, snacks, dinner and drinks. Chinese, Continental, Tibetan, American, Indian and Nepali dishes are offered on the extended menu that includes everything an empty tummy would want—from “Aaloo Choyela” to “Thai Chicken with Basil”; “Pork Thukpa” to “American Chopsuey”; and “Maharaja Non-Vege­tarian Thali” to “Pepper Chicken Sizzler”—all under one artistic roof.

 THE MENU

Chef’s Special:

- Dhido Thakali Thali Set

- Tibetan Cuisine

- Pepper Chicken Sizzler

Opening hours: 11 am - 9:30 pm

Location: Bansbari Road, Ktm

Cards: Accepted

Meal for 2: Rs 3,000

Reservations: 01-4374939