Tek Singh Bhat

The development sector is facing an unprecedented crisis. Recent global developments indicate a drastic reduction in funding, leading to potential job losses, project closures, and uncertainty about the future of humanitarian aid. The situation is further exacerbated by the fact that millions of students are currently pursuing degrees in development studies, anticipating careers in this sector. Having spent over a decade in the development field, I have always been aware of the inherent risks and uncertainties. From the very beginning of my career, I understood that while we teach farmers and entrepreneurs about resilience and risk anticipation, we, too, must be prepared for a sector that may not offer long-term job security. However, if development work is truly a passion, survival will be possible, albeit through the principle of 'survival of the fittest.' The USAID Fund Crisis and Global Aid Cuts : The recent decision by the U.S. government to impose a 90-day pause on al...

Pic. 1: Landslide-prone area, high-risk village, and continuous excavation.    While traveling from Simara to Kathmandu, an unsettling sight caught my attention. As I observed out of the window, a particular village came into view that left me both shocked and thinking more about it. It seemed as though the people living there were waiting for their fate to be sealed, their existence hanging by a fragile land. At the same time, others were unknowingly digging their way into disaster, oblivious to the looming catastrophe. Curious to know more, I tried to capture a clear image of the place. However, due to the distance, the quality of my camera, and the rough road conditions, I couldn’t get the perfect photo. But what I did capture was meaningful to get the reality of that village. Later, upon checking the location, I found that it lies in Godawari Municipality-7, Devichaur, Babiyagaun, Lalitpur, Nepal . The village lies on a landscape that shows all the signs of near-future c...