Organizational Development

On 16th November, 2024 - Saturday, our Founder and President Mr. Abhishek Shahi and the Co-founder & Secretary Ms. Deepika Shahi along with Ms. Fanny Collado - the President of Expedición Solidaria as well as the Directora de Área, Generación Espontánea Design Factory - UPV met with Danny. Then, they visited to Museo Tiflologico, situated in Madrid, Spain.

This is a unique and inclusive museum operated by the Spanish National Organization for the Blind (ONCE). Founded in 1992, the museum is designed to provide a tactile and sensory experience, making it particularly accessible for visitors with visual disabilities. Its name, "Tiflológico," comes from the Greek words "typhlos" (blind) and "logos" (study or discourse), reflecting its focus on accessibility and sensory learning. The special thing about this museum is that it provides descriptions in braille, audio guides, and materials suitable for all visitors.

National Section:

At first, our Founders visited national section where they touched a tactile replica of the Lady of Elche (La Dama de Elche), a famous Iberian sculpture, celebrated for its intricate headdress and detailed craftsmanship. Then, they touched the tactile prehistoric cave paintings, from the famous Cave of Altamira, located in Cantabria, Spain.

Then, they observed all the accessible 3D Maquetas (Models) of national and cultural heritages and monument from Spain including the Alhambra of Granada, Cathedral of Santiago, Tower of Hercules, Burgos Cathedral, El Escorial Monastery, Sagrada Familia, Roman Aqueduct of Segovia, La Giralda and Mezquita-Catedral de Córdoba.

International Section:

After completing the National section, our Founders went to the International section where they discovered accessible 3D Maquetas (Models) from the different part of the world including The Eiffel Tower, The Statue of Liberty, The Taj Mahal, The Great Wall of China, The Parthenon, The Colosseum, The Pyramids of Giza, and The Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament (London, England).

Historical Section:

Climbing down the stairs, our Founders visited to Historical Section where they observed variety of antique Braille typewriters, books, educational tools, and other objects that showcase the evolution of Braille and the tools that have been used by individuals with visual disabilities throughout history. It also highlights the technological advancements that have empowered persons with visual disabilities, as well as the significant contributions made by figures like Louis Braille, who invented the Braille system.

Section of artworks by Artists with Visual Disabilities:

The final destination for our Founders to explore was artworks by Artists with Visual Disabilities in the museum. One by one, they observed and touched the creations placed in the section including "Mujer Abstracta" (Abstract Woman) by José Luis Gómez, "Paisaje Texturizado" (Textured Landscape) by Rosa María Rodríguez, "Esculturas Abstractas" (Abstract Sculptures) by Francisco Javier Pérez Canto, "Pinturas Texturadas" (Textured Paintings) by Vicente Romero Redondo, "Escultura Táctil" (Tactile Sculpture) by José Royo, and "Silla de Ruedas" (Wheelchair) by Manuel M. Rodríguez.

On 15th November, 2024 - Friday, our Founder and President Mr. Abhishek Shahi and the Co-founder & Secretary Ms. Deepika Shahi met Mrs. Inma Villalonga Grañana who was working as a staff at Universitat Politècnica de València, Spain.

Mrs. Inma shared her experience of supporting students in starting their own company and start up project when she was working in IDEA - UPV. Our Founders presented about Chain For Change and associated activities and projects including Wings to Dreams and inclusive hiking’s and trekking’s. Our Founders also demonstrated about the CFC app and its features.

Observing everything, she shared some of the ideas where our organization can develop entrepreneurial aspect. She gave feedback on improving our products and application and avenues to seek funds. She was also willing to support us further and become self-reliant.

On 14th November, 2024 - Thursday, our Founder and President Mr. Abhishek Shahi and the Co-founder & Secretary Ms. Deepika Shahi along with Ms. Fanny Collado - the President of Expedición Solidaria met with Mr. Alfonso Gonzalez - Ex-Faculty of Universitat de Valencia, Spain and Mr. Miquel Pans – a professor from Universitat de València, Spain.

In the meeting, Ms. Fanny explained about the collaboration of Expedición Solidaria and Chain For Change in different projects since 2018 along with 3 different inclusive hiking events and Project Wings to Dreams. She also shared about the work and progress of the Meridies Scholarship students from UPV in Nepal.

Mr. Alfonso also shared about the collaboration that he had with Chain For Change in April, 2024 regarding the inclusive trekking and proposed Mr. Miquel Pans and Universitat de València to join in this venture.

Our Founder Mr. Abhishek Shahi also shared more about Chain For Change and the activities that were done. He also shared about the sports that children and youth with visual disabilities were involved in Nepal. Mr. Miquel shared about his experience with working with an organization with disabilities in Nepal and his interest in the project.

On 13th November, 2024 - Wednesday, our Founder and President Mr. Abhishek Shahi and the Co-founder & Secretary Ms. Deepika Shahi visited to the Educational Department of ONCE, Valencia, Spain. They met Ms. Belén Zamora García who was working as Técnico Rehabilitación in ONCE.

Ms. Belén guided them and met Mrs. Elisa Córdoba Cámara who was working as Especialista Núcleos Periféricos in ONCE. She then took our founders to a room where they would teach braille and introduced to a braille teacher.

Then, they displayed all the types of educational materials that they provide to the students with visual disabilities in their country. There were tactile maps of continents and books with other 2D tactile extruded images. There were braille learning kits like Braille Legos, big Braille cubes, braille play toys and dolls, arithmetic simple calculation board, interactive tactile books for children, ETC.

They also had story books with tactile and 3D texture, Maquetas of different world famous heritages and comic characters, and a huge library with production facilities. Later, they also had interview with Ms. Belén and Mrs. Elisa to support our Founder in his thesis report.

On 13th November, 2024 - Wednesday, our Founder and President Mr. Abhishek Shahi and the Co-founder & Secretary Ms. Deepika Shahi along with Ms. Fanny Collado - the President of Expedición Solidaria attended a meeting with a staff and the professors of Architecture of Universitat Politècnica de València, Spain.

The meeting was conducted in hybrid model, where our Founders, President of Expedición Solidaria and UPV staffs met physically and one of the professors joined us from online. Ms. Fanny initiated the meeting along with the introduction of participating members. Our founders gave a presentation about the Project and the contribution of the Meridies Scholarship students to achieve the goals.

The participating members also discussed about the accessibility project that they were interested to carry out in Nepal, development of action plan and future strategy. They also agreed on developing academic resources and publication.

On 12th November, 2024 - Tuesday, our Founder and President Mr. Abhishek Shahi and the Co-founder & Secretary Ms. Deepika Shahi met with Mr. Alfonso Gonzalez - Ex-Faculty of Universitat de Valencia, Spain and visited at IES Molí del Sol Secondary School, Mislata, Valencia for a meeting. They met with one of the professor Mr. Rafael Armero who was teaching in that school.

Our Founder explained about Chain For Change and the Project Wings to Dreams. He also explained about the 3 inclusive hiking events for blind children and a training session for inclusive trekking that we had carried out in Nepal. The professor expressed his interest in visiting Nepal with a sport project and sending some of their students for internship at Chain For Change for few months in coming years. They also discussed regarding some future strategies and action plan for Inclusive and Adapted Sports in Nepal.

On 12th November, 2024 - Tuesday, our Founder and President Mr. Abhishek Shahi and the Co-founder & Secretary Ms. Deepika Shahi met Mrs. Begoña Saiz who is the professor at the School of the Aerospace Engineering and Industrial Design, Universitat Politècnica de València, Spain.

Mrs. Begoña explained about how she began her journey from fine arts to physics and enjoyed hand crafting the design of the products. She shared that one must be able to express their mental image through sketch and give it a form. She encouraged developing a model from hand crafts rather than, putting everything into 3D printing or using other modern machineries.

She explained about the proper usage of 3D printers while developing a product to our Founders. As she supervises the exchange students/Intern Design Instructors of Chain For Change, she gave very valuable suggestion to keep in mind to improve the 3D printing facilities. The conversation also shifted to discuss on the future plan of the project.

On 12th November, 2024 - Tuesday, our Founder and President Mr. Abhishek Shahi and the Co-founder & Secretary Ms. Deepika Shahi met with Ms. Fanny Collado - the President of Expedición Solidaria as well as the Directora de Área, Generación Espontánea Design Factory - UPV. She shared that there were 60 students' projects that she was managing under her department, out of which we went to meet AeroDesign - UPV.

In the space of AeroDesign - UPV, we saw an airplane parked perpendicularly and another prototype which was in the developmental phase. This team focuses on aircraft design and engineering and competes in international competitions regularly, where they develop and test prototypes with an emphasis on aerodynamics and innovation in aviation.

On 12th November, 2024 - Tuesday, our Founder and President Mr. Abhishek Shahi and the Co-founder & Secretary Ms. Deepika Shahi met with Ms. Fanny Collado - the President of Expedición Solidaria as well as the Directora de Área, Generación Espontánea Design Factory - UPV. She shared that there were 60 students' projects that she was managing under her department, out of which we went to meet Faraday - UPV.

When our founders reach there, the team of Faraday - UPV were working. One of them approach ahead and explained about their project. They are developing rockets, with the ambitious goal of taking UPV to space by launching a rocket up to 10 kilometers high. This team recently participated in the European Rocket Challenge and continues to work on advanced rocket technologies, including sensorization and telemetry. Our Founders got to touch their rocket components during their short project presentation.

On 12th November, 2024 - Tuesday, our Founder and President Mr. Abhishek Shahi and the Co-founder & Secretary Ms. Deepika Shahi met with Ms. Fanny Collado - the President of Expedición Solidaria as well as the Directora de Área, Generación Espontánea Design Factory - UPV. She shared that there were 60 students' projects that she was managing under her department, out of which we went to meet Hyperloop - UPV.

One of the team members of Hyperloop - UPV explained about their project where they have develop a high-speed, levitating train based on Hyperloop technology. Their work includes designing a levitating transport pod, aiming to revolutionize the future of high-speed rail transportation. Our founders got chance to observe and touch 2 of their prototypes.

On 7th November, 2024 - Thursday, our Founder & President Mr. Abhishek Shahi and Co-founder & Secretary Ms. Deepika Shahi met Mr. Miquel Cañada who was working as Laboratory Technician in Digital Manufacturing at ETSIADI - Universitat Politècnica de València, Spain.

In this meeting, Miquel shared about his inspiration of working with 3D printers and explained about different types of filament and resin including their characteristics. He described about the advancement in the modern 3D printers and technology that were being added to reduce manual efforts. The conversation also took turn in improving and enhancing our Resource Center with Accessible Facilities in Nepal and possible steps for future collaboration.

On 7th November, 2024 - Thursday, our Founder & President Mr. Abhishek Shahi and Co-founder & Secretary Ms. Deepika Shahi met Mr. Dabid who is one of the representatives of Erasmus Student Network - Universitat Politècnica de València, Spain. Ms. Fanny Collado - the President of Expedición Solidaria introduced Mr. Dabid to our Founders.

In the meeting, Mr. Dabid explained about the activities that Erasmus Student Network carried out along with his involvement in the association. There were many significant actions that ESN had taken to sensitize the community and exchange culture within its reach. Our Founder also explained about the work that the Meridies Scholarship students have been doing in Nepal along with the goals and projects of Chain For Change. The discussion also took turn in possible collaboration and expansion of the network in Nepal.

On 6th November, 2024 - Wednesday, our Founder & President Mr. Abhishek Shahi and Co-founder & Secretary Ms. Deepika Shahi along with Ms. Fanny Collado - the President of Expedición Solidaria met Mrs. Mati Barbaran who had worked in ONCE, Valencia, Spain as a Técnico Rehabilitación for 36 years.

In the meeting, she shared some of her experiences supporting individuals with visual disabilities in Spain. She also described the situation of persons with visual disabilities in the country and showed her concern regarding how many individuals are being born with multiple disabilities.

Then, she taught our Founder to walk independently using the white cane on the street. She shared how carefully the roads and pavements are made in the footpath and how someone with visual disabilities must navigate using these different texture and listening to the sound of traffic. She also explained our Secretary, some of the important concerns that a guide must be mindful while supporting an individual with visual disabilities.

On 6th November, 2024 - Wednesday, our Founder & President Mr. Abhishek Shahi and Co-founder & Secretary Ms. Deepika Shahi visited ONCE, Valencia, Spain and met Ms. Belén Zamora García who was working as Técnico Rehabilitación.

She shared how an individual with visual disabilities in Spain is given orientation About Life Skills in order to manage their daily life with independence. Our Founders learn some useful hacks that could be applied by an individuals with visual disabilities in managing their kitchen or wardrobe. They learn to make home appliances friendlier to individuals with visual disabilities like ovens, washing machine and induction stove. She also displayed different accessible tools like talking watches, measuring instruments, Euro coin purse, ETC.

On 1st November, 2024 - Friday, our Founder & President Mr. Abhishek Shahi and Co-founder & Secretary Ms. Deepika Shahi visited to La Lonja de la Seda, or "The Silk Exchange," in Valencia, Spain. Ms. Fanny Collado – the President of Expedición Solidaria took our founders in a city tour where they observed this masterpiece of late Gothic architecture and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Built between 1482 and 1548, it originally served as a center for silk trade and is considered one of Europe’s most stunning examples of civic Gothic architecture that reflect Valencia’s prosperity during its golden age.

As our Founder has visual disability, he was given an audio device that would describe the heritage's architectural history and details, from the intricate carvings to the soaring vaulted ceilings. Using it, he toured around La Lonja de la Seda and listen to the olden times anecdotes and civic Gothic details including The Hall of Columns (Sala de Contratación), The Tower and The Consulado del Mar (Consulate of the Sea).

On 1st November, 2024 - Friday, our Founder & President Mr. Abhishek Shahi and Co-founder & Secretary Ms. Deepika Shahi visited to the Catedral de Valencia (Valencia Cathedral), also known as the Metropolitan Cathedral-Basilica of the Assumption of Lady of Valencia. The religious heritage consist of metallic Maqueta of The Catedral de Valencia along with braille description and 2D city map to make it accessible. Our Founder Mr. Abhishek Shahi visited to this sight in 2019 and conceptualized the ‘Project Wings to Dreams’.

Ms. Fanny Collado - the President of Expedición Solidaria took our founders in a city tour where they witness this historic landmark and a blend of various architectural styles, predominantly Gothic with touches of Romanesque, Renaissance, Baroque, and Neoclassical elements. Built on the site of a former mosque, the cathedral was consecrated in the 13th century and has been a central religious site in Valencia ever since.

On 26th October, 2024 - Saturday, our Founder and President Mr. Abhishek Shahi and the Co-founder & Secretary Ms. Deepika Shahi along with Ms. Fanny Collado - the President of Expedición Solidaria, and Exchange Teachers Er. Rajan Karmacharya and Mrs. Kamil Prajapati participated in a inclusive hiking event.

Ms. Fanny coordinated this hiking event for our Founders and exchange teachers who came from Nepal with the local people. There was a very short hike to Olocau. This event was supported by the local government and the mayor of this village also came by to greet the participants of this inclusive hiking.

The company who organize this trip had assured that there were people from different background like persons with and without disabilities. Along with our Founder who has visual disability, there was a woman in special motorized wheelchair who participated in this venture. The Founder also had some discussion with the owner of the company who organize this trip to seek for future collaboration.

On 25th October, 2024 - Friday, our Founder and President Mr. Abhishek Shahi and the Co-founder & Secretary Ms. Deepika Shahi along with Ms. Fanny Collado - the President of Expedición Solidaria, and Exchange Teachers Er. Rajan Karmacharya and Mrs. Kamil Prajapati attended a meeting with the team of Centro de Cooperacion al Desarrollo - Universitat Politècnica de València, Spain.

In the meeting, the team from CCD gave an presentation about different projects and programs that was being carried out from their department. Our Founder also explained about the work that the Meridies Scholarship students has been doing in Nepal as he is the coordinator of this program. The participating organization also discussed about the upcoming projects and collaboration as one of the major agendas of this meeting.

On 24th October, 2024 - Thursday, our Founder and President Mr. Abhishek Shahi and the Co-founder & Secretary Ms. Deepika Shahi attended an exhibition organized by ONCE in the occasion of White Cane Day at Plaza de los Pinazo, Valencia, Spain. This exhibition was done in the city in order to aware the people about blindness and their adoption to the environment using accessible tools and resources.

In the exhibition, the ONCE had kept many materials on display that was accessible to individuals with visual disabilities like, braille books, braille typing machines, accessible board games, tactile books and maps, 3D Maquetas of Taj Mahal, Casa de Carmelo, etc. The Founders also met and interacted with the chief of ONCE and other staffs.

On 23rd October, 2024 - Wednesday, our Founder and President Mr. Abhishek Shahi and the Co-founder & Secretary Ms. Deepika Shahi along with Ms. Fanny Collado - the President of Expedición Solidaria and Er. Rajan Karmacharya - Chief Technical Officer at St. Xavier's College, Maitighar attended a meeting with Sarah Blanc who was the staff of ETS d'Enginyeria Informàtica - Universitat Politècnica de València, Spain. In the meeting, the staff explained about the project that she was doing in Nepal with the collaboration with Tribhuvan University and other educational institution. The discussion also took turn in improving soft skills and capacity building of young Nepalese and embrace entrepreneurship to tackle out dropouts. The conversation also explored avenues for future collaboration and terms with the partnering organization.

On 22nd October, 2024 - Tuesday, the Founder and President Mr. Abhishek Shahi and the Co-founder & Secretary Ms. Deepika Shahi along with the exchange teachers from St. Xavier’s College, Maitighar attended a meeting with Mr. Israel who was the staff of IDEA - Universitat Politècnica de València, Spain.

Mr. Israel gave a presentation about entrepreneurship, start-up and the contribution of IDEA- UPV to create wonderful impact in its community and world. All the representative from the participatory organizations discussed about the prospect to collaborate with one another in different ventures.

From January 6, 2024, till January 11, 2024, the Project Lead of Project Wings to Dreams, Joon Shakya and the Secretary of the project, Karmendra Prakash Shrestha attended the Incubation program organized by Idea Studio Nepal in Bagbazar, Kathmandu. The project members interacted with a whole host of successful people from various backgrounds, built networks, and learned about topics like ideation, finance and budgeting, design thinking, developing lean canvas model, etc. The project members also listened to the various experience sharing sessions from key business personnels whose insights were both valuable and applicable to the project. Furthermore, the project members learned and practiced how to make and give an effective pitch. These sessions proved to be immensely valuable as the project has successfully been selected as the Top 10 Finalists for the College Idea Hunt, 2024.

One of our founding members participated in two days Social Entrepreneurship and Livelihood training Program on 27th and 28th December 2022, which focused on understanding the basic concept of Social Entrepreneurship and Social Enterprises and a brief overview of existing policies, practices and issues of Social Entrepreneurship in Nepal including fair trade. There were sessions which gave idea to create an efficient social business plan and design innovative business models.

Chain For Change was selected by Urjaa Nepal to receive training on Gender Inclusiveness on 28th and 29th July, 2022. In these 2 days of training, basic concepts of gender and sexuality, the gender disparity in legal systems and gender issues related to intersectionality in context of Nepal were focused. It also highlighted gender responsive policies and international framework to adopt Gender Transformative Approaches in the projects or programs.

In December, 2021, Chain For Change nominated one of the youth members to be a part of Leadership and Organizational Development training organized by Restless Development Nepal. The event emphasized on understanding leadership, digital advocacy and stakeholder analysis and engagement.

Chain For Change was selected to receive an Organizational Development Training organized by Restless Development Nepal in October, 2021. The founders of CFC took part in this training. It focused on strategic planning, policy development, meaningful youth engagement, fund raising strategies and other aspects for the development of the organization.