Greenway campaign was launched in Tilottama Municipality of Rupandehi district by distributing bicycles to 51 school girls along with a bicycle rally. Bicycles were provided to 51 poor, destitute, marginalized, and backward class girls studying in community schools on the basis of the recommendation of the ward office on Friday 17 December 2021.
Under the Green-Way Nepal Campaign, bicycles have been distributed to the girls in Tilotta in collaboration with the Municipality, United Nations Development Program, Ncell, Kantipur Media Group, Cycle City Butwal, and Cycle City Network Nepal.
Speaking on the occasion, Mayor Basudev Ghimire said that bicycles have been provided to the adolescents to promote the cycle journey for healthy living and a clean city. Mayor Ghimire believes that getting a bicycle will make it easier for teenagers to reach school and will help them in their studies. Stating that Tilottama has been developed as an environment-friendly city, he informed that a mobile app will also be launched for the development of cycling culture. He said that Tilottama would be developed as a bicycle city as cycling would improve one’s health. Tilottama had distributed bicycles to more than 100 working women last year.
Speaking on the occasion, Lumbini-Gandaki Chief of the United Nations Development Program, Sudip Aryal, said that a bicycle promotion program has been launched for sustainable development, adding that the program would help in protecting the environment. Nivesh Dugad, vice-president of Cycle City Network Nepal, said that increasing the number of bicycle users would help in reducing air pollution and would have a positive impact on human health.
Ncell’s Swastik Ghimire mentioned that the cycling campaign will protect the environment of the city. In the program conducted by the spokesperson of the municipality Surendra Shree, the representatives of Bicycle Entrepreneurs Association Rupandehi, Bicycle City Butwal, and other organizations discussed the health and environment of a person while riding a bicycle. After the program, Mayor Basudev Ghimire, Deputy Mayor Jageshwari Devi Chaudhary, and other people’s representatives and teenagers who received bicycles also held a bicycle rally.
Greenway is a campaign to promote cycling and other environmentally friendly practices in Nepal. It is a multi-stakeholder campaign implemented by Cycle City Network Nepal (CCNN), with support of and in partnership with the Ministry of Public Infrastructure and Transport (MoPIT), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Lalitpur Metropolitan City (LMC), Tulsipur Sub- metropolitan City, Kantipur Media Group (KMG), Ncell Axiata Limited. and IME Pay. The joint initiative with the slogan – “My way is the Greenway ” aims to create a platform to promote green initiatives and bring onboard institutions and people who believe in promoting sustainable urban mobility, curbing carbon emission, conserving the environment, and fostering partnership for urban sustainability.
As part of the “Women On wheels” campaign, 50 bicycles were handed over to different school girls from different schools around Tulsipur Sub-metropolitan City. The distribution program was held on the occasion of International Day of Peace, 21 September 2021 at the premises of Tulsipur Metro College, Haripauri, Dang. The girls were selected from 20 community schools belonging to 8-12th grade on the basis of their distance from school, low-income group family, commitment to complete their education, and not to marry before the age of 20.
The bicycles were handed in the presence of the Mayor of Tulsipur- sub-metropolitan City- Mr. Ghanashyam Pandey, Resident Representative of United Nations Development Program- Ms. Ayshanie Medagangoda-Labé (Sri Lanka), Province 4 and 5 head of United Nations Development Program- Mr. Sudeep Aryal, GESI Advisor of UNDP- Ms. Binda Magar, Regional Head of IME Pay, Mr. Subash Subedi, Senior Communication and CSR specialist of Ncell Axiata Limitedrepresentative, Mr. Ramesh Shrestha, Vice – President of Cycle City Network Nepal- Mr. Nivesh Dugar, Secretary of Cycle City Network Nepal- Ms. Anuradha Shrestha and Executive Director of Cycle City Network Nepal.
The distribution of bicycles to the girl students was followed by a 2km bicycle rally from Tulsipur Metro College. Marking the International Day of Peace a tree was planted jointly by Mayor of Tulsipur Sub-metropolitan City- Mr. Ghanashyam Pandey and Resident Representative of United Nations Development Program- Ms. Ayshanie Medagangoda-Labé on the premises of Tulsi Metro College.
Speaking at the program, Mayor of Tulsipur Sub-metropolitan City- Mr. Ghanashyam Pandey expressed that a bicycle is a tool for the freedom of mobility of girls if girls move forward as the world progresses. I commit to making Tulsi municipality a cycle-friendly city by adopting a bicycle policy in the near future. The campaign ‘Smart Chori’ will continue further in the future with more projects for women empowerment.
Vice president of Cycle City Network Nepal, Nivesh Dugar, addressed the program saying that the activities done for the promotion of Cycle and cycle-friendly programs have enhanced the sustainable development goals.
Senior Communication and CSR specialist of Ncell Axiata Limitedrepresentative, Mr. Ramesh Shrestha congratulated all the recipients of bicycles on the day. The company states that it is pleased to join hands with UNDP for this green cause to promote cycling and contribute to achieving multiple SDGs related to the environment, health, and education. This initiative is aligned with Ncell’s commitment towards sustainable society as well as its parent company Axiata’s journey to becoming a net-zero carbon company.
Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Program- Ms. Ayshanie Medagangoda-Labé shared that the commitment from the local government has shown. Towards the sustainable development goals and sustainable mobility. I would also like to congratulate the safe, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable city on sustainable development goal no 11. We want to have a balance of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. We are trying to promote sustainable transport- bicycles which can help reduce the impact of climate change. We would like to promote green mobility for girls. The distribution of bicycles is not enough. We need to create a conducive environment for safer mobility for everyone, especially girls. Even families play a vital role in encouraging the use of bicycles by women and girls.
Deputy mayor of Tulsipur Sub- metropolitan City, Maya Sharma shared that the Smart Chori initiative brought forward by Tulsipur- sub-metropolitan City has successfully reached out to quite a few young girls and women. There are several programs in the pipeline towards the empowerment and welfare of women.
