From Fellowship to Founding a Movement: The Transformational
Journey of Mohammad Ayatulla Rahaman and Nepal Unites
By Mohammad Ayatulla Rahaman
Founder and National Director, Nepal UNITES
Kathmandu, Nepal
I was born into a Muslim family but raised in a Hindu home in a rural area of Surkhet, Karnali Province, in mid-west Nepal. Growing up in a mixed-faith environment, I learned to respect all religions and traditions. I believe in humanity above any single faith and I can say that religion as a guide to living with discipline and kindness.
In a country shaped by its historical complexities, ethnic diversity, and socioeconomic disparities, I emerged as a determined and visionary youth leader to stand up for peace, justice, and youth empowerment. My journey with Nepal Unites and Global Unites is a story of purpose, resilience, and a deep-rooted commitment to building a just and inclusive nation.
I experienced the socio-economic struggles and discrimination that many marginalized communities face. Instead of succumbing to these circumstances, I transformed my challenges into catalysts for change. Today, as the National Director of Nepal Unites and a prominent figure in the Global Unites movement, my journey stands as a youth-led peacebuilding, grassroots empowerment and a drive to foster change from the grassroots level.
The Seeds of Change: Global Unites Fellowship, 2018
I was honored to be selected as a fellow of the Global Unites Fellows 4th Cohort a leadership development and mentoring program designed for visionary young leaders living in conflict zones. This initiative seeks to identify youth who are passionate about conflict transformation, youth engagement, and peacebuilding.
During the fellowship, we participated in live sessions via Skype that focused on key areas such as Youth Leadership, Non-Violence, Conflict Transformation, and Grassroots Movements. Fellows from various countries such as USA, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Liberia, Afghanistan, Congo and so on shared insights into their nations’ social and political conflicts. These conversations inspired a deeper commitment within me to extend the movement’s mission to my home country, Nepal.
Recognizing my dedication and drive, the Global Unites team entrusted me with the responsibility to lead and initiate the movement in Nepal. I proudly recommended five delegates from Nepal to participate in the Second Global Unites Summit held from August 5th to 9th, 2019 in Nairobi, Kenya. The summit aimed to inspire, connect, and equip a new generation of peacebuilders from around the world.
In Nairobi, I engaged with youth leaders from different continents and listened to powerful stories of grassroots peacebuilding and reconciliation. One particularly impactful connection was with Florence Odiwuor, the National Director of Kenya Unites, who offered immense encouragement and guidance to help me carry forward the vision of Nepal Unites.
Upon returning to Nepal, I took the initiative to establish Nepal Unites as a loose network, beginning the journey to localize the values and spirit of the Unites movement. From that point onward, Nepal Unites has grown into a platform that empowers young people to become agents of peace, justice, and unity in their communities.
Nepal Unites: The Journey to Legal Registration
The journey to formally register Nepal Unites was very complicated. As the initiator of the movement in Nepal, I faced numerous challenges. Yet, driven by the passion to create a platform for youth from diverse backgrounds to lead peace and social transformation, I remained committed.
The legal registration process began at the District Administration Office in Kathmandu, Bagmati Province. With the support of a legal advisor and diverse backgrounds youth, we prepared all the necessary documents. The process was long and often exhausting, taking nearly three months of continuous effort and follow-ups.
Finally, on August 3, 2020, Nepal Unites was officially registered under the Government of Nepal with Registration Number 963/2020/021. This milestone was achieved with the collaboration and support of committed youth from various cultural, ethnic, and social backgrounds. Later, we also secured affiliation with the Social Welfare Council, with Affiliation Number 51550, further solidifying our legitimacy as a youth-led peacebuilding organization.
Throughout this process, I encountered a common but troubling misconception: a large portion of Nepali society nearly eighty percent, by my observation believes that NGOs are registered primarily to access foreign aid and dollar-based funding. This stereotype not only undermines the true purpose of grassroots initiatives like ours, but it also creates suspicion and challenges for sincere changemakers.
With over 57,000 NGOs affiliated with the Social Welfare Council, it is unfortunate that in many cases, registration has become a formality, rather than a reflection of active, mission-driven work. But at Nepal Unites, we have chosen a different path. We are driven not by formality or funding, but by community needs, youth leadership, and a vision for a just, inclusive, and peaceful Nepal.
Our legal status is just a foundation. The real work is in the streets, the schools, the communities wherever youth are ready to rise and lead. Nepal Unites is established to serve as a platform for young people across Nepal regardless of caste, ethnicity, religion, or class to engage in transformative peacebuilding, leadership development, and civic engagement. With a clear vision, Nepal Unites quickly became a platform for marginalized voices and a space for intercultural and interfaith dialogue.
Funding Challenges in the Nepal Unites Journey
Working with Nepal Unites has been one of the most persistent difficulties I’ve faced is the lack of sustainable funding. There have been times when I’ve felt stressed, discouraged, and uncertain about the future of our work due to financial constraints. Yet, my hope, commitment, and passion have always fueled to keep pushing forward.Nepal Unites currently does not operate with long-term contract-based projects. Instead, we have managed to continue our initiatives through small grants from a few supportive organizations and by collaborating with partners. These partnerships often include sharing resources, time, and energy to co-host or support events and campaigns.
Despite the limited financial backing, we remain active and focused on our movement.
Some of the key activities we’ve implemented include:
School Relations Tour Program – Through this, we establish Nepal Unites Peace Clubs in schools, offering students leadership development and engaging them in extracurricular activities.
Workshops on Youth Challenges – These sessions aim to empower young people by addressing real-life issues they face in their communities.
Social Media Campaign – We actively document and promote our work online, amplifying youth voices and encouraging greater reach through our official social sites.
Youth Exchange Program – Connecting young leaders from diverse regions and backgrounds to build understanding and solidarity.
Future Leaders Conference – A common platform for inspiring and equipping young changemakers from across Nepal.
Interfaith Dialogue – Fostering mutual respect and peaceful coexistence among different religious and cultural communities.
International Volunteer Service Program – Promote the LESS principles:
- Live, Listen, Learn from communities.
- Eat what locals eat, promoting empathy and solidarity.
- Share life stories to foster mutual understanding.
- Simple living to connect more authentically with communities.
These principles guide international youth participants who immerse themselves in Nepal’s rural communities, further deepening the values of Nepal Unites.
While the financial struggle is real, it has never stopped us from doing the work that matters. Nepal Unites remains a volunteer-driven, passion-led movement, determined to transform our communities from the ground up.
Specific Goals Rooted in Peacebuilding and Justice
My leadership has always been grounded in clarity of purpose. From the start, Nepal Unites set specific goals:
- To create safe spaces for interfaith and interethnic dialogue.
- To train youth across all seven provinces in nonviolent communication, peace education, conflict transformation, reconciliation and grassroots peacebuilding.
- To establish peace clubs to foster leadership at the local level.
- To establish a Reconciliation Center, a safe and inclusive space where young people from diverse backgrounds can come together to share, learn, heal, and collaborate. Through this center, we will organize leadership workshops, dialogue sessions, peacebuilding activities, and interfaith gatherings that promote unity, understanding, and long-term reconciliation. This center will serve as a hub for youth empowerment and grassroots peace efforts, reflecting Nepal Unites’ commitment to building a just, inclusive, and peaceful society.
Strategies for Systemic Change
I always focus the importance of realistic planning. Knowing that policy change and social transformation are long-term endeavors, I focus first on what was achievable:
- Partnering with local governments to secure recognition and modest funding support.
- Partnering with international networks such as Interfaith Cooperation Forum (ICF), Taichung YMCA, Asia and Pacific Alliance of YMCAs, Global Unites, United Religions Initiative (URI) and so on.
I work is deeply relevant to Nepal’s current social fabric. These initiatives are aligned with urgent national issues: caste-based violence, political and religious motivated violence, lack of youth representation and so on.
In response to rising communal tensions post-COVID, Nepal Unites launched the “Together for Peace” campaign a series of interfaith dialogues, community engagement, and youth mobilizations.
Over the years, I have grown as a leader through my involvement with the Global Unites family. I had the opportunity to represent Nepal in international events across Asia and Africa, where I shared the story of Nepal Unites as an example of peacebuilding at the grassroots level.
Today, I am proud to be recognized as one of Nepal’s young peacebuilders. My journey with Nepal Unites and Global Unites is about shaping the next generation of leaders. As Nepal Unites grows, we are also spreading our message: that every young person; no matter where they come from; can be a leader, a healer, and build a nation that thrives in peace and justice.
TOGETHER WE CAN!
.jpg)
