By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Oct. 18: The Karnali Basin Conservation Foundation (KBCF) and WorldLink Communications Limited have forged partnership to bring socio economic development to the Karnali and Sudurpashchim provinces of the Karnali River Basin (KRB).
KBCF funds activities that promote biodiversity conservation, livelihood opportunities, healthcare, access to quality education, and eco-tourism and WorldLink will expanding its services to remote and rural areas in the country.
"Making the internet available to the under-privileged will help bridge the great divide between the connected and not connected. As the current COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated, with schools and businesses having to move online, access to the internet is more important than ever," said the WorldLink.
KBCF is a nonprofit organization promoting biodiversity conservation and economic development in the Karnali River Basin. It has support from USAID’s Paani (Water) Project in Nepal and DSV Advisors (a joint venture company of Dolma Advisors Private Limited, SAFAL Partners, and VRock & Company Pvt. Ltd).
Radhesh Pant, Chairperson of KBCF, said, “Having infrastructure, both soft and hard, for a digital economy will be key in this regard. Our aim is to support the provinces in the region to leapfrog in the development process, and WorldLink is the ultimate partner to achieve this pioneering objective.”
Likewise, Dileep Agarwal, Chairman of WorldLink said, “We will jointly work towards identifying growth zones and providing internet access for commercial business, community groups, and individuals to leverage the opportunities of a stable digital platform, fulfilling our vision of creating a ‘Digital Karnali'.”
Both parties have pledged to work together to achieve economic, environmental, and social impact through employment creation and support to local entrepreneurs and medium and small enterprises. They will also support the promotion of local products and sustainable local supply chains.