We are happy to announce that this month a new Chapter at the Open Knowledge Network is being launched officially: welcome Open Knowledge Nepal in this new stage!
Since February 2013, Open Knowledge Nepal has been involved in research, advocacy, training, organizing meetups and hackathons, and developing tools related to Open Data, Open Government Data, Open Source, Open Education, Open Access, Open Development, Open Research and others.
The organization also helps and supports Open Data entrepreneurs and startups to solve different kinds of data related problems they are facing through counseling, training and by developing tools for them.
Nikesh Balami, CEO of Open Knowledge Nepal tells us: “from random groups of people to build a core team of diverse backgrounds, starting from messy thoughts to realistic plans and long-term goals, we have become more organized and robust. [We] Identified ourselves as a positive influence towards the community and nation. After being incorporated as a Chapter, we now can reach out extensively among interested groups and also expect to create impact in a most structured way in national and international level. Our main goal is to establish ourselves as a well-known open data organization/network in Nepal.”
Pavel Richter, CEO of Open Knowledge International, underscored the importance of chapters: “Most of the work to improve people’s lives is and has to happen in local communities and on a national level. It is therefore hugely important to build a lasting structure for this work, and I am particularly happy to welcome Nepal as a Chapter of the growing Open Knowledge Family.”
Chapters are the Open Knowledge Network’s most developed form, they have legal independence from the organization and are affiliated by a Memorandum of Understanding. For a full list of our current chapters, see here and to learn more about their structure visit the network guidelines.
The Open Knowledge global network now includes groups in over 40 countries. Twelve of these groups have now affiliated as chapters. This network of dedicated civic activists, openness specialists, and data diggers are at the heart of the Open Knowledge International mission, and at the forefront of the movement for Open.
Check out the work OK Nepal does at oknp.org
Oscar Montiel is the international community coordinator at Open Knowledge Foundation
