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Nurturing a spirit of innovating locally
to make a global impact

Karkhana Samuha is a Nepal focused non-profit organization that empowers people with the skills and attitude to help build their own future and the future of the community.

Nurturing a spirit of innovating locally
to make a global impact

Karkhana Samuha is a Nepal focused non-profit organization that empowers people with the skills and attitude to help build their own future and the future of the community.

What we do


We use design thinking and results-based management approaches to work under five broad areas (SLIDE) – Sustainability and Climate Action, Lifelong Learning, Innovative and Inclusive Education, Digital Transformation, and Education in Emergencies.

Sustainability and Climate Adaptation

We understand that for future generations to get access to the resources this planet has to offer requires the current generation to adapt to sustainable and environment friendly practices. We engage with local and international experts in contextualizing climate actions to fit the local narrative in Nepal.

Lifelong Learning

We believe that education need not be limited to the learning that occurs inside the classroom in schools and universities. We focus on enabling semi formal learning spaces like workplaces and homes to allow experimentation with different pedagogical approaches to support and encourage professional’s continued learning.

Innovative and Inclusive Education

We work to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education through innovation. We believe that innovation in education is more than introducing new technology in learning, it’s about designing situated learning experiences that enable students to not only solve problems but express themselves.

Digital Transformation

We enable Nepali people to use technology responsibly to learn, create and participate in the digital world, and help them become good digital citizens. We create contextual resources that help people adapt digital tools and content while also making sure of its responsible use.

Education in Emergencies

We support and strengthen educational institutions and systems in times of emergencies ensuring that people continue to have access to quality learning experiences during times of crisis. We focus on building a capable and resilient education system to reduce negative impacts of emergencies on student learning.

Our Approach


Co-creation

Karkhana Samuha (KS) practices participatory decision making and co-designing by bringing together partners, collaborators and end users. KS uses Design Thinking (DT) and Human Centered Design (HCD) as its core project design and management methodology.... These operational models are proven by academic literature and experience to lead to more innovative ideas and provide meaningful voice to the intended end-users. To operationalize co-creation, KS works through participatory, collaborative and iterative methods to identify potential solutions. In strengthening this approach, KS also works on building communities of practice which are created deliberately with the goal of gaining, sharing and implementing knowledge to innovate locally and make a global impact.

Adaptive Management

KS uses the Result Based Management (RBM) approach to define project impacts, outcomes, outputs and corresponding indicators such that there are clear linkages enabling a process for the effective and efficient allocation of project resources.... The RBM approach not only allows for the conceptualization and development of project strategies but also allows for their monitoring and evaluation. This enables a learning strategy and paves the way for the implementation of adaptive management based on immediate changes in the project environment.

KS’s own design thinking approach TMPI, which stands for Think Make Play Improve, is an adaptive, non-linear, iterative, and learning oriented approach to management. Applying the TMPI philosophy, KS approaches its work as a series of cycles where planning occurs (Think), action is initiated (Make), activities are conducted in partnership with others, (Play) and a reflection phase where insights are generated/learnings are realized (Improve). After the Improve phase, the project begins another TMPI cycle starting at a Think phase. TMPI is thus a non-linear iterative approach to management that has built in opportunities to gather information about the environment at a given time i.e., is context aware, to reflect on one’s actions and generate insights about them i.e. enables learning, and to adjust one’s behaviors based on changes in the context and new insights i.e. is adaptive.

Policy Coordination

Karkhana Samuha (KS) and it’s leadership are deeply engaged with shaping and providing input into policy in the education and innovation spaces. Our team members have served as experts on several Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology (MoEST) constituted committees....These include the Committee on Implementing STEAM Education as well as the SubCommission on Education, Pedagogy and Alternatives in response to COVID-19 where the whitepaper produced by a KS team member served as the basis of the national education policy response.

The KS team also serve on the curriculum committee for the Kathmandu University School of Education, as a Civilian Expert on the Assessment Committee of the national Military Science Technology Competition conducted by the Nepal Army, and on the Science Education Advisory Committee of the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST). As a member of the Local Education Group (LEG), KS is actively involved in coordinating and representing the voice of Civil Society Organizations (CSO) in policy processes.

Given it’s unique position as a bridge between peripheral but innovative and creative stakeholder and the education policy establishment, KS makes a special effort to represent alternative voices and ideas in the established policy processes.