Computer Association of Nepal - USA

These companies are actively recruiting:

·         Centrify

·         Academix Direct

For immediate consideration please send your resume or inquiries to: jobsinquiries@Can-usa.org

Please free to contact directly as well.

Watch Rajan Pant’s (controller of the digital certificates, ministry of science and technology) interview with USNepalOnline on Nepal ICT prospects: http://www.usnepalonline.com/technology/interview-with-rajanraj-pant-in-new-york.html

Thank you all of our dedicated networking event patrons!  Please read the note below and click on the links to learn a lot more about the topics.

July 8^th, 2010 meeting was very lively and engaging.  We had an insider view of Nepal Research and Education Network (NREN) from our guests Kishor Panth and Prashant  Manandhar who are active volunteers for Nepal Wireless Project and work very closely with Mahabir dai.  Together with other volunteers like Gaurab Upadhyay, they help out technically to bring the internet to villages.  They explained that the wireless projects in the villages are successful because the projects are requested by the villagers themselves and partly maintained by villagers as well.  This is perfect example of how organically grown projects can be sustained instead of projects brought over by foreign donation without paying attention on how to empower locals with ownership of the projects.

It was also eye opening for us that the project processes of Nepal Wireless project are now streamlined, equipments are standardized, towers used are permanent and the network is maintained in a consistent manner since last year.  So, today if a village is determined to bring internet in their village (Library, VDC, School, Office, and Banks etc.) a blueprint of the project is available to get it done quickly.

Highlight of the discussion concentrated on how the NREN (45MBPS connectivity) can be used by the projects dearest to CAN-USA and other professional organizations:

·         Disaster Preparedness

·         Tele-Medicine

·         Open University for Nepal (OUN)

Kishor ji emphasized that the CAN-USA should continue the Networking events and also have frequent brainstorming sessions with Nepal counterpart in a regular basis which will have a high impact.

The Networking event concluded with the following remarks:

1.        Next Bay Area networking event will continue on 3^rd Thursday of the month (August 19^th) but in a lunch setup at Ming’s restaurant with a guest speaker.

2.        Networking and brainstorming session with Nepal counterpart should continue in at least once in two months basis.

3.        CAN-USA should work with professional organizations to support NREN

Attendees:

Bhushan Mudbhary

Bineet Sharma

Kishor Panth

Pradeep Khanal

Prashant Manandhar

Samana Ghimire

Computer Association of Nepal-USA (CAN-USA) is an American organization dedicated to the professional development of its members and technological progress of Nepal.  It is a tax exempt 501 (3) © non-profit organization with members throughout the United States.  The organization continues to utilize the creativity and talent of its members and the broader American community to develop technology-rich solutions that address some of Nepal’s challenges. Please visit http://www.can-usa.org/ for more information.

A Report from Nepal by Nisha Thapa

About one month ago, I was invited by the Computer Association of Nepal (CAN) USA to  a conference as the keynote speaker and representative of the US-Nepali disaster relief community in Kathmandu. The conference was a part of a joint initiative between CAN USA, the American Nepali Medical Foundation (ANMF), and the American Society of Nepalese Engineers (ASNEngr). Though honored by the invitation and excited about the experience, I was overwhelmed by such an important role.

I have been heavily involved here in the U.S in organizing community health screenings, and running a free clinic for uninsured people from Bhutan, Nepal, and Tibet as a part of the Himalayan Health Care Project.  My only experience in disaster relief was fundraising for the post-earthquake relief effort in Haiti with student volunteers from Harvard’s Operational Medicine Institute (OMI).

With this limited experience, I reached out to the best resource for disaster relief I could think of: The executive director of OMI, David Callaway. I found his insights invaluable, particularly his perspective on alliances, or as he called it, Disaster Diplomacy. This meant that the need to identify and reach out to Nepal’s allies is imperative. These allies are the Nepali army and police (the first responders), the Indian Embassy, Indian NGO’s, and other disaster relief entities such as the International Red Cross and the United States Agency of International of Development (USAID).

Bringing together some of the best minds and organizations of Nepal in this historic precedent for establishing a functional disaster relief infrastructure has already made strides in the effort. For the agencies such as the Nepal Society of Earthquake Technology (NSET) who have been doing this work for years, a new platform has been established to prop up the importance of their work.  Joint initiatives between organizations such as the Computer Association of Nepal (CAN) - USA, the American Society of Nepalese Engineers (ASNEngr) and the American Nepal Medical Foundation (ANMF) have been forged to develop disaster response plans. Various organizations that attended the meeting were hopeful that this joint initiative led by U.S Diaspora would bolster their ongoing efforts by integrating technology with disaster preparedness.

Our U.S based organization, Sahayeta.org, is piloting medical software called the Electronic Medical Record (EMR) at Model Hospital in Kathmandu, and in our Himalayan Health Care Project here in Bay Area. Electronic health records allow easy access and storage of medical records and billing information while facilitating better communication between health professionals, management and patients. EMR also allows for better preparedness in disaster recovery since the records can be easily duplicated and stored at multiple locations. Our hope is that the software will eventually be used to serve other disaster relief communities such as in places like Haiti, where the lack of technology made record keeping of patients and procedures challenging. This brings us to the central problem of disaster management: you cannot manage a disaster after it has happened. You must be prepared before it occurs. While an earthquake might be inevitable for Nepal, we must take the initiative to ensure that disaster impacts are mitigated. Disaster response plans are currently being drafted, but setting short term goals are equally as urgent.  Between preventative health care and Disaster Diplomacy, we have got a lot of work to do, and no time to spare.

Nisha Thapa is the founder and the president of Sahayeta.org.  She can be reached at nishathapa82@gmail.com.

Houston, TX, USA. May 28-29, 2010

Prabuddha Dahal

A joint panel discussion on earthquake disaster preparedness in Nepal was organized by ANMF/ASNEngr/CAN-USA in Houston, TX during the 4^th regional conference of NRN. The panel was chaired by Dr. Prahlad Pant and moderated by Dr. Bishnu Phuyal.

The chair, Dr. Pant, opened the discussion by emphasizing the need for urgent attention to disaster preparedness in Nepal. The moderator, Dr. Phuyal, highlighted how the cooperation of the three agencies has already made a positive impact, leading into a conference with wide participation. He then invited the panelists to share their perspective on disaster preparedness.

The first panelist, Dr. Gaury Adhikary (E.C, ANMF), showcased how ANMF had participated in numerous healthcare services in Nepal and has had a strong footing in the field. He expressed his organization’s interest and ability to quickly mobilize medical personnel and medical assistance shortly after disaster has occurred.

The second panelist, Dr. Rajendra Shrestha(V.P, ASNEngr),  agreed that an effort to make better use of resources and a higher level of cooperation between the three organizations was necessary. Dr. Shrestha graphically explained to the audience how geological formation of the Indian sub-continent and the Himalayas has put Nepal at a high risk of major earthquake activity.

Prabudhda Dahal (V.P, CAN-USA) explained the possibility of complete failure of communication and transportation infrastructure during an earthquake and stressed the need for alternate communication mediums, such as walkie-talkies or satellite phones, to build a back-up communication system. He also underscored the need for effective use of technologies, such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS), before, during, and after a major disaster. For such a massive task, he stressed the need for cooperation between the three agencies and urged the audience to get involved through membership or by volunteering time.

(Click here to view complete presentation)

Suman R. Timsina of NRN emphasized the need for cooperation between all fellow Nepalese living around the globe and assured, as an NRN executive, to work towards achieving such cooperation through NRN’s programs and networks.

The session was highly interactive, with curious and active participants, who not only listened and questioned the panelist, but also provided suggestions. Below is a list of suggestions/questions that came from the participants:

1.      Participants suggested that the joint effort be expanded to

a.       Organize similar presentation on the status and path forward for disaster preparedness in Nepal

b.      Prepare projects and participate in disaster awareness in Nepal especially in public places and institutions such as Schools and Hospitals with large number of people.

2.      Participants suggested that the three organizations should build a coalition and partner with other agencies for Building code enforcement in Nepal

a.       Majority of the attendees seemed unsure on how to take this issue in a manner that will generate results

3.      Another suggestion worth noting is a potential for cultural barriers

a.       What is the preparation to address cultural ethnocentrism following a disaster, thereby, limiting flow of essential goods and/or services from or via one community to another

b.      Efforts should be focused on  bringing politicians and social scientists together to discuss this issue

c.       Learn from other areas that have seen such conflicts during disaster (Haiti?)

4.      Mr. Sharda J. Thapa suggested that satellite phone companies could be willing to provide sets so we need to approach them with this request. He graciously agreed to help connect to these providers.

5.      Participants raised questions on the availability or establishment of a contingency fund. If there is none in place, it is something that needs immediate attention.

6.      The need to develop a comprehensive plan to bring government and local agencies, such as Mahanagarpalika, together with the Aid and Non-Profit organizations.

Prabuddha Dahal is Vice President of CAN-USA and is an expert in GIS.  He can be reached at prabdahal@gmail.com