Formation 2006 Staff 18 | Website www.samriddhi.org | |
Samriddhi Foundation is an independent economic policy think tank that facilitates a discourse on pragmatic market based solutions for a free and prosperous Nepal. Samriddhi is based in Kathmandu, Nepal. Inspired by the Second People's Movement in Nepal or the Jana Andolan, it was founded in 2006 and was formally registered in 2007.
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For the creation of a prosperous Nepal, Samriddhi believes in the power of private entrepreneurs as key to economic development and engages in fostering democracy and building a more conducive environment for economic growth.
Known for bringing together entrepreneurs, politicians, business leaders, bureaucrats, experts, journalists and other groups and individuals to make an impact on the policy discourse of Nepal, Samriddhi works with a three-tier approach
Some of its highly successful efforts include the annual economic policy reform initiative named “Nepal Economic Growth Agenda (NEGA)”, a sharing platform for entrepreneurs named “Last Thursdays with an entrepreneur” and a regular discussion forum on contemporary political economic agendas named “Econ-ity”. Samriddhi also hosts the secretariat of ‘Campaign for a Livable Nepal', popularly known as Gari Khana Deu campaign. One of Samriddhi's award winning programs is a five-day residential workshop on economics and entrepreneurship named Arthalya, which has produced over 400 graduates over the past few years, among which more than two-dozen run their own enterprises now.
Samriddhi was listed in the University of Pennsylvania’s Global GoTo Think Tank Index Report 2015 in multiple categories including the category Best Independent Think Tanks.
Vision
Samriddhi, The Prosperity Foundation, envisions a free and prosperous Nepal where individuals can live a dignified life in a vibrant and democratic society with equal access to opportunities and respect for the rule of law.
Mission
To promote ideas of freedom- civil, political and economic- through public policy recommendations (based on independent research), educational programs and public participation for a free and prosperous Nepal.
Objectives
1. To conduct research and generate alternative ides on the social, economic and political agendas to throw light upon the contemporary issues of public discourse and come up with policy advocacy documents to bring them into wider rhetoric.
2. To lobby for and monitor the implementation of basic social, political and economic rights while promoting transparency and advocacy as the basis of a prosperous Nepal.
3. To educate, train and empower public on active citizenry, ideas of free society and entrepreneurship, and the role they can play at influencing policy level decisions.
4. To develop a comprehensive resource center for public use (especially for researchers, students and policy makers) focusing on the social, economic and political discourse moving forward at a given time period.
Programs
All of Samriddhi’s research and advocacy efforts are focused on
A. Enabling market mechanism and entrepreneurship
In order to facilitate regulatory reforms such that an ordinary Nepali citizen is able to participate in and reap the benefits of a market economy in order to improve his/her living standards, Samriddhi focuses on the following thematic areas:
B. Improving governance
Samirddhi realizes that while policies and regulations can change on paper, this may not necessarily translate to changes in the actual environment. One of the major reasons behind this is weak governance. While policies may be framed, the institutional mechanism and the incentive system may not been thought through. This is where Samriddhi sees its role as a policy institute and help in the implementation aspect of reforms. The larger focus in improving governance is to make policies work for Nepal. Samriddhi focuses on the following thematic areas in this regard.
C. Fostering values for a free society
While policies and regulations can change on paper, this may not necessarily translate to changes in the actual environment. One of the major reasons behind this is weak governance. While policies may be framed, the institutional mechanism and the incentive system may not been thought through. This is where Samriddhi sees its role as a policy institute and help in the implementation aspect of reforms. The larger focus in improving governance is to make policies work for Nepal. Samriddhi focuses on the following thematic areas in this regard.