To say her plate is full is an understatement. Anita Silwal, a Florida Polytechnic University graduate student, is not only in the process of earning a master’s degree in innovation and technology with a concentration in big data analytics, she’s also committed to making a difference in the lives of children in her native Nepal and here in Florida.
Silwal founded a nonprofit organization, Welcome Womanhood, in January 2018 to empower young girls through academic scholarships, social awareness, and mentoring programs. Its efforts range from developing an ambassador program in Nepal, Kenya, and Malawi to helping with education and access to basics such as school supplies and feminine hygiene products.
“There’s a desperate necessity for these things in different parts of the world,” said Silwal. “I may not be able to change the world, but I can definitely make it easier for children to attend school.”
Silwal’s goal is to bring technology and nonprofit together. Growing up in Nepal, she earned a bachelor’s degree in finance and a master’s degree in sociology. From being a childhood actress to working as a senior national television journalist, her focus has always been on how to educate communities and give back. Additionally, as a country lead for Habitat for Humanity Nepal, she helped mobilize 500,000 youth as part of the Asia-Pacific Youth Build campaign.
“I am always excited to learn more about how technology can help nonprofits for the advancement of communities,” she said. “I would like to bridge the gap between data analytics, technology, and journalism. I believe skilled data analysis and interpretation plays a vital role in the accuracy of news we report on.”
Silwal is grateful for so much in her life, especially a dream her father had for her and her sister to get an education.
“I am really thankful for my dad. He was born and raised in a very rural area of Nepal and came to the capital city seeking a dream to find a better platform for his children,” she said. “Rather than investing in real estate and business, he invested in his daughters’ education, with the expectation to see us creating change and impacting lives.”
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