After the end of the AuthorAid mentorship program, one of the mentees (Ms. Surpiya Shrestha) was hired by Apara Innovations for the implementation of an NCD research project funded by the Australia Awards Nepal, and Nepal Health Research Council (NHRC), Nepal. Supriya had expressed interest to learn about project management and monitoring and evaluation of projects during her application. Although she did not have a lot of experience in the area, we wanted to provide her with practical experience of managing the research project, so she could learn what she was really interested in. Throughout her tenure, she was closely supported by the Apara team.
She performed well and gained good field experiences. Now, she has been hired by another organization because of the experience she gained at Apara Innovations. She shares her feedback with us after one year of the mentorship program as follows-
As a recent graduate with a bachelor’s degree in public health (BPH), the road ahead seemed both exciting and uncertain. That was until I was presented with a golden opportunity – a chance to be part of Apara Innovation’s mentorship program. From the very beginning, my mentor at Apara Innovation provided me with much more than just guidance; it was a building step towards my career. Little did I know that this experience would not only shape my career but also provide me with the opportunity to be involved in research. The most important aspect of this mentorship was the opportunity to transition from theory to practice. I got the opportunity to be involved in the Research project of Apara Innovation as a Research Assistant which helped sharpen my ability to communicate with confidence in the community. I developed valuable experience in project management by enthusiastically engaging in overseeing fieldwork, interacting with local stakeholders, and coordinating meetings among four separate study groups.Along with that, I got to learn various aspects of research from the initial phases and data management. In this experience of 5 months, regular interactions with my mentor, and the project team turned out as a channel for absorbing knowledge, refining my skills, and broadening my understanding of public health research and project management. At last, I would love to thank Apara Author Aid Mentorship Program team for providing me this wonderful opportunity.
Supriya Shrestha, BPH Graduate, Cohort 1 Mentee