We are the voluntarily-organized group of passionate individuals united to create, foster and institutionalize the spirit of inclusive societies through the integration of persons with and without disabilities in a multiple chains of main-streamed development.
We are pleased to share that during these 3 years time, Bright Star Society has been actively taking it’s further momentum in the field of social works in Nepal. In 2013 and 2014, our initial activities were centered towards empowering people with special needs with health service in the urban areas while we focused our attention to the rural areas with the skill-oriented trainings such as radio anchoring and personality development, disability sensitization short-term trainings ETC. With the main spirit of linking persons with and without disabilities in the inclusive framework of development, we attempted our best to look for “disability” with the help of local people in various villages via the training programs. Also, our active involvement in CAN Softec and Can Infotech, which are the grand exhibitions of information technology in Nepal, through these platforms, we educated people about the way that blind and visually-impaired use computer, mobile phone, braille and other assistive devices and information technology. In brief, introducing new technologies, assistive and adaptive hardware’s, software’s and other electronic devices for the people with special needs in Nepal, conducting the series of trainings especially in the rural communities and making people aware of various existing issues of disability, promoting the right to accessibility in the infrastructural development, motivating youth to walk and work together for minimizing the barriers, cultivating the partnership with local youth clubs and raising the voices of voiceless, minorities and marginalized through media-campaigning, we are moving forward with lots of creative models. In addition, Before the devastating Earthquake, we organized 50+ health camps in Kathmandu valley and nearby semi-urban sites while 10+ health orientations programs were organized. Moreover, after the devastating Earthquake of late April, our pace of works has been accelerated. Along with helping Earthquake affected victims with relief packages, rehabilitation as well as assistive tools, now our focus has turned towards the promoting independence through entrepreneurship for Earthquake-survivors. Hence, selflessly using the own money of the members instead of asking other to join for our cause,, we, through this venture, kept going to institutionalize our spirit of social works via advocacy, media-campaigning, disability-rights activism and lots of innovative right-based awareness initiatives.
Bss was established in 2013 as a self-help group of youth volunteers, later we realized to give this as a formal legal organizational form. The story behind the birth of BSS has been presented below:
Birth behind us:
It was A cold evening of February, around a couple of years ago, Bashudev Adhikari and Sushil Adhikari, visually-impaired brothers and social activists, were discussing about the possibilities of starting a new and innovative social venture in Nepal. The meaningful discussion held between Adhikari brothers on their roof-top experiencing the cool evening gentle breeze, soon, led to the inauguration of a self-help NGO, “Bright Star Society. (BSS)” The vision of Adhikari brothers, in turn, got the tremendous support by their friends and well-wishers, who actively encouraged, admired and offered the valuable insights to make the goals and visions set by BSS a grand success. Later, the team grew and formed a group of seven individuals who have distinct expertise and experiences in their respective fields/professions ranging from media to medicine, computing to counseling!! The growing gap between people living with and without disabilities is one of the problems of disability movement in Nepal. In this situation, the real development begins only when both segments, persons with and without disabilities, come together, march together, interact and learn from each other and fill the gap between them. Realizing this fact, now, BSS is growing with lots of innovative and creative initiatives, constructive campaigns and productive programs. After the devastating Earthquake that ruined Nepal in 25th April and subsequent aftershocks, This self-help NGO got further momentum and amazing triumph to touch the lives of thousands of Earthquake victims.
By the sentiment of ”Going together and growing together” we firmly believe that persons living with disabilities are not only the beneficiaries of the services but they are equally capable to engage, drive and fully participate in the community-based, national and international affairs and provide the services unconditionally.
Through Bright Star Society, we aim to institutionalize our spirit of social works, and give the money of our own to persist our social campaigns. It doesn’t mean that we are rich and have enough money, but what we do believe that, helping someone requires a big heart, willingness and spirit rather than money.
Today we grew up as an independent
For the brief overview of our initial activities and events, please check (link) how we grew up?
Our mission, vision and core Belief:
- We believe on the theme that “Resources are inside us, one needs to dig them and discover.”
- We focus on need-based support rather than random distribution.
- As we believe on strength, sustainability and dynamism, we strive to keep our plans, projects and activities based on sustainability, for which we ourselves contribute the portions of our earnings that we earn from our professions to this venture.
- We focus our target to beneficiaries, we are not donor-dependent rather we adopt the beneficiary-centric approach.
- Each member is supposed to hold their own profession to sustain, and we function as volunteers in the organization.
- We strive to change the charity-based approach into right-based approach while dealing with disabilities.
- We promote inclusive volunteerism.
- Disability is our high priority, but not limitation. Hence we aim at integrating persons with disabilities with people who are not with disabilities to create an inclusive environment for them to grow and be an active part in main-stream of developmental process.
How we work?
We identify the needs and provide need-based support to the individuals who approach us for support
How we are funded?
We the members who are job-holders save up money and regularly and put our contribution. We also do partnership with like-minded organizations, youth-led ventures, and civil societies. Together, we conduct various programs. “United we raise, divided we fall.”
As Nepali culture also provides a platform to generate some funds, every year, we organize and participate in Deusi Bhaili Program.
To explore further about us, we ask you to visit:
(link how we grew up
(link) FAQs
Or download our (link) brochure which gives the brief synopsis of our works.