Poonam shares how education, health, and social wellness work together
Today Poonam Pokhrel, Associate Manager of the Kopila Valley Health and Wellness Program, shares her journey to building a career focused on health for children.
I am Poonam Pokhrel, born in the central region of Nepal. My early education took place in a girls’ school, and I continued my academic journey in nursing among female colleagues. Naturally introverted, I was initially hesitant to engage broadly, especially with individuals of other genders. However, during my nursing practicum and professional experiences, I gradually adjusted and embraced working with multiprofessional teams.
After completing my three-year nursing certificate, I worked at B.P. Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital. There, I supported individuals battling cancer through counseling and motivational guidance, helping them navigate their treatment. I also worked closely with caregivers facing emotional and logistical challenges—this marked the beginning of my deep engagement in psychosocial support.
My academic journey continued with a Bachelor’s in Nursing in Kathmandu. Following graduation, I transitioned into academia and guided nursing students for over 16 years. As the program in-charge, I managed around 200 students from across Nepal, fostering both clinical skills and compassionate care.
Realizing the need to enhance my teaching methodology, I pursued a Master’s in Health Education. To explore health behaviors and systemic negligence more deeply, I also completed a Master’s in Sociology in Health. These degrees helped me understand the intersection of family, culture, and healthcare—essential for inclusive and community-based approaches.
Beyond academia, I served through Lions Club International, conducting awareness programs on adolescent health, women’s rights, environmental conservation, and social equity. My life’s core value—sustainability—motivated me to promote essential life and social skills through education and engagement.
In pursuit of blending health, education, and sociology, I enrolled in the Master in Public Health (MPH) program at BRAC University. This broadened my understanding of community-based interventions and policy-level impact.
With a growing vision for an inclusive society, I began an MPhil in Inclusive Education at Tribhuvan University, supported by the Lupic Project (South Korea). Currently, I am pursuing a PhD in the same field with a doctoral fellowship NORHED-II project “Building Inclusive Education Program in Nepal (BIEPN)” supported by Norway. I firmly believe diversity exists everywhere; what varies is its form. Respecting and harnessing these differences is my life’s motto.
Throughout my journey, I have maintained a curious mind—leading to small-scale research initiatives that I have presented at various professional forums. My research on E-learning during COVID-19, funded by Balkumari College, offered insights into education resilience during crises and was published in a Nepjol article.
https://www.researchgate.net/
Now, I serve with Kopila Valley Sewa Samaj in Surkhet, dedicating myself to promoting health and education for marginalized communities through family collaboration. I actively support health promotion, disease prevention, behavioural guidance for academic success, family engagement for students with diverse needs.
I see tremendous potential in multiprofessional collaboration to achieve Education for All (EFA) in Nepal. Embracing the national concept of “One School, One Nurse,” I conducted research on school nurses’ attitudes toward inclusive education for children with autism, advocating for their integration into mainstream classrooms. This study was presented at a global conference in Kathmandu in 2024.
My other research presentations include:
- A phenomenological study on adolescents’ lived experiences of suicide and self-harm at the International Child and Adolescent Mental Health Conference (Oct 2024)
- A quantitative study on adolescent anxiety prevalence presented at the STAR Network Conference at Kathmandu University, Dhulikhel
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Parental Engagement in Student’s Academic Improvement: A Case Study at 1st International Conference on Shaping the future: Trends in Education, Society, and Business in a Changing World organized by Mid-Wet University, Nepal
These platforms have enabled me to share Nepal’s context globally and learn from others committed to child and adolescent well-being.
Moving forward, I am inspired to delve deeper into contextual behavior management for children, ensuring inclusive education systems are supported through tailored interventions. I strongly believe that inclusive education, health education, and societal well-being must be addressed collaboratively. Only through interdisciplinary synergy—where teachers, healthcare providers, families, and communities unite—can we build equitable and resilient societies.
