Zonta Club of Kathmandu celebrated their annual “Yellow Rose Day” on March 7, 2021 to honor ‘Inspirational and Courageous Women’ for their achievements regardless of their circumstances.

The award ceremony was supported NABIL Bank, Byanjan a premium food brand by Nimbus, Star Hospital Limited, Toni and Guy, Golchha Group and the event was organized at Soaltee Hotel Kathmandu.

On the Yellow Rose Day 2021, twelve such exemplary women from all walks of lives were honored at the event. The awardees shared their journeys of how they succeeded in breaking the glass ceiling. Sharing and rejoicing the stories of such empowering women has undoubtedly made a difference in the society and serves as an immense source of encouragement to all the women in the country.

On the occasion of International Women’s Day, Zonta Club Kathmandu also provided award to various personalities in different categories for this year. Those include:

Princess Helen Shah Award - SSP Kiran Bajracharya: Who fought against human and Girls Trafficking

Amar Rana Game Changer Award – Ms. Shristi KC: Founder of Blind Rocks

Ratna Devi Award to Covid Heroes

WHR (Representative: Ms. Lily Thapa): WHR (Women for Human Rights, Single Women Group) have done a lot of volunteering during COVID times.

Ayushma Rana Yakthumba: She’s been supporting families in need during COVID times by supplying basic needs such as Food, medicine etc specially to new mothers and their newborn babies

Jyoti Scholarship Award​

JMK: Ms. Suprima Poudel who has published thesis on “Impact of Credit risk on performance of A and B class institutions” at Journal of Nepal – NRB Economic Review.

Women in Tech: Ms. Melisha Gimire who is Managing Director at Girls in Tech Nepal and Program Manager at Women in Big Data SEA Region.

Indrakala Scholarship Award​

YWPA: Ms. Sanskriti Phuyal who works for the mission of “Sports in Equality” and conduct sports for girls at school

Women in Space : Ms. Reja Thapa who discovered main belt asteroids during 2019-2020 through All-Nepal Asteroids Search Campaign.

Similarly, Zonta Club of Kathmandu awarded Rs. 35,000 each supported by Nabil Bank to four other women under the title of Unsung Heroes as an appreciation for their extraordinary work that has helped to shape the attitude of the society towards women. They have been inspiring and working against the odds. These women are working in sectors, which are traditionally male dominated. It was an honor to recognize and appreciate these courageous women who are inspiration on their genre of work.

Sakuntala Kumari Budha: 15 years old girl who successfully ran the campaign against Chhaupadi Pratha in Kalikot to fight against age-old rituals where girls are kept in a small hut separately during menstruation.

Sumitra Shrestha: First Female Lady Plumber and working since 13 years in Jorpati Area

Sahanshila Sharma Jha: First Female Priest for Annapurna Temple in Ason who was appointed a month before.

Radhika Thapa: First Female Army who complete Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare Training.

Zonta International, founded in 1919, is a leading global organization of professionals, empowering women worldwide through service and advocacy. It envisions a world in which women’s rights are recognize as human rights and every woman is able to achieve her full potential. In such a world, women have access to all resources, are represent in decision-making positions on an equal basis with men and no women lives in fear of violence. Under the umbrella of Zonta International, the Zonta Club of Kathmandu was establish in 2012. It is a legally register NGO in Kathmandu and has been working on the advancement of the status of women with the objective to improve the economic, education, health, and issues related to youth and violence against women at the national and local level through service and advocacy. Nepal is the 64thcountry to be officially charter.

Zonta Club Kathmandu’s programs include adult literacy for women, advocacy on ending child marriage and awareness on women's entitlement, self-defense training for girls, education supplies and skill development training for women prison inmates, 16 Days of Activism against Violence against Women (VAW), sanitation project - building toilets, distributing cycles to girls and women ease their commute to educational institutions, etc. Zonta Club Kathmandu is committed to continue and strengthen initiatives for wider impact.