Bonita Sharma
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Bonita Sharma (English: बोनिता शर्मा) is a Nepali health and nutrition activist. She runs Social Changemakers and Innovators (SOCHAI) and in 2019 was listed as one of the BBC's 100 Women.
Early life[edit]
Sharma was born in Nepal. She studied for a BA in Public Health at Purbanchal University and took a master's degree in Nutrition from Tribhuvan University.[1]
Career[edit]
Bonita Sharma founded Social Changemakers and Innovators (SOCHAI) in 2017.[2] It is a non-profit organization which aims to eradicate malnutrition and to encourage good health, particularly for women and children.[3] In order to reduce child deaths from malnutrition, she introduced a bracelet called Nutribeads (Poshan Maala) which helps mothers to plan meals for their children.[4] In 2016, Nutribeads won the Asia Pacific Youth Innovation Challenge.[1] With the profits raised from selling the bracelets, SOCHAI was able to provide aid to mothers and children affected by disaster in the Morang district of eastern Nepal.[1]
SOCHAI is also producing Red Cycle bracelets with 28 beads so that women can plan their menstrual cycle using different colours.[5] Sharma writes on issues affecting women such as nutrition, abortion and COVID-19.[6][7] Sharma's name was announced on the BBC's 100 Women list in 2019 and she is a UNESCO Female Champion as part of the Malala Fund for Girls’ Right to Education.[4][2] She also won the Zero Hunger category award of the Lead 2030 Challenge presented by One Young World, which gave her $50,000.[1] Bonita is also awarded the Goalkeeper Global Goals Progress Award 2020 by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.[8][9]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d Rijal, Ajita. "The Rising Nepal: Bonita, latest inspiration to Nepali youth". The Rising Nepal. Archived from the original on 8 September 2020. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
- ^ a b "Bonita, a young change-maker inspires girls and women in Nepal through education". UNESCO. 23 January 2019. Archived from the original on 11 June 2020. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
- ^ "Bonita Sharma in 'BBC 100 women 2019' list". My City. 16 October 2019. Archived from the original on 9 December 2019. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
- ^ a b "BBC 100 Women 2019: Who is on the list?". BBC News. 16 October 2019. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
In a bid to tackle child deaths to malnutrition, she designed Nutribeads, a bracelet for new mums with different coloured beads to remind them what to feed their babies.
- ^ "Accelerating mission nutrition, Bonita Sharma". TNM. Archived from the original on 7 June 2020. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
- ^ Sharma, Bonita. "How about stepping into our shoes? – September 28 Campaign". September 28. Archived from the original on 28 December 2019. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
- ^ Sharma, Bonita (18 March 2020). "Stop the spread of fake news". Kathmandu Post. Archived from the original on 9 August 2020. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
- ^ "We Are Goalkeepers". www.gatesfoundation.org. Retrieved 2020-10-05.
- ^ "2 OYW Ambassadors named Goalkeepers Award Winners". www.oneyoungworld.com. Retrieved 2020-10-05.