In 2005, a small group of friends in Kathmandu came together with a shared vision: to create a development organisation rooted not only in charity, but in compassion-based change, sustainability and collective action. That vision became CREASION (Centre for Research and Sustainable Development Nepal). From the start, the guiding principle was that development should not just be done to communities, but with them; where the local youth, women, environment and volunteerism would be central. To be what we are today, a huge credit goes to the founder, Mr. Aanand Mishra, and the early board who envisioned a “virtuous, self-reliant society” empowered with creativity and compassion. 

As of 2024, the Social Welfare Council reports there are more than 54,000 legally registered NGOs in Nepal. Despite this crowded landscape, Creasion was one of the earlier-registered organizations. However, in its early years, many of our initiatives lacked strong innovation, sustainability, or roots in the community. To stand out, we deliberately carved a niche by blending rigorous research, volunteer-driven action, youth engagement, and environmentally sustainable work. In those formative years, we focused primarily on capacity building, earning trust, and making small but meaningful impacts at the community level.

Operating in Nepal, with its geographical, infrastructural and socio-economic constraints, posed additional challenges remote communities, disaster risks, limited resources. Yet these obstacles became motivation rather than deterrent, shaping Creasion’s resilient approach.

Evolution Over Time

• 2005-2009 – This was more of a incubation years. The organisation set up its base, developed volunteer platforms, built early networks. 

  

• 2010 – Launch of the ‘Volunteer for Change (VFC)’ programme, engaging youth from under-privileged backgrounds and promoting hands-on community work. 

  

  

• 2011-2015 – Expansion of community work, WASH projects (water, sanitation, hygiene), and international volunteers join. Then the major turning point: the earthquake in April-May 2015 in Nepal. Creasion responded with its Rebuild for Change and Emergency Disaster Response initiatives. 

  

  

• 2017 – Floods and other disasters, alliance building in disaster relief, school-reconstruction collaborations. Disaster relief and Rehabilitation is one of the thematic area of CREASION.

  

• 2019 – Launched first of it kinds “Recycler Saathi “project, a plastic waste recycling enterprise deeply rooted in the circular economy marking a significant environmental pivot. 

  

• 2020 – Amid COVID-19, the Waste Workers Emergency Relief Project (WWERP) was initiated to support informal recyclers and waste-workers facing crisis. 

• 2021 – In collaboration with partners like The Coca‑Cola Foundation, the campaign “Oxygen for Nepal” was launched, installing oxygen-generating units in hospitals to support pandemic response. 

  

  

• 2022-2024 – Projects like "Mountain CleanUp 2023" “GreenShift Nepal”, “RiPL: Preventing Plastics in Nepali Rivers”, “Project CAP” emerged, focusing on youth, environment, circular economy, climate justice. 

  

  

  

  

  

  

• Further details can be availed from: https://creasion.org/home

Over its journey, CREASION’s operations stretch across provinces of Nepal. Collaborations with government agencies, international partners, corporate foundations, local communities and youth organisations have enabled scale and credibility. 

20 years of envisioning the change, CREASION stands at a point where we are clear on the priorities of communities, addressing environmental issues, promoting sustainability, and supporting a circular economy.

Stepping into our third decade (Creasion 2.0), it is time to reflect on how far the organisation has come and where it is headed. We recognize that environmental degradation is accelerating, and so must our actions. With renewed pace and a more substantial approach, we are building on what we have learned, accelerating every effort towards a more sustainable and resilient future. The term “2.0” implies evolution, maturity, amplification, innovation and acceleration:

• From a modest start to a multi-theme, multi-partner development actor.

• From isolated volunteer-led projects to systemic interventions (circular economy, climate-resilience, disaster response).

• From localised efforts to national-scale influence and international/ regional collaboration.

In this next stage, the goal is to scale deeper, not just wider: to embed sustainability into community systems, to empower youth and women as agents of change, to pivot from “doing for” to “working with” and to accelerate impact through smarter design and stronger partnerships. Staff, volunteers, communities, partners all will be key in this collective journey.

Looking Ahead

The horizon for Creasion 2.0 is rich with possibility:

• Strengthening youth leadership platforms and enabling more young people to become changemakers.

• Expanding plastic waste management interventions across more river basins, mountains, rural areas-driving Nepal’s transition towards a circular economy.

• Deepening women’s economic empowerment programmes, embedding market linkages and sustainability.

• Enhancing disaster-resilience infrastructure, preparedness and recovery capacity in the face of climate crises.

• Building stronger data, monitoring & evaluation systems to capture and share impact, scaling what works, adapting fast.

• Concentrating on the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly by tackling climate change, promoting sustainable agriculture, and addressing other pressing environmental challenges.

None of this would have been possible without the dedication of staff, volunteers, community members, partner organisations, funders and well-wishers like you. As Creasion celebrates this milestone, it honours every story, every hand extended, every life touched. The journey from humble beginnings, through struggle, growth and transformation, reflects the true spirit of sustainable development, evolving, resilient, inclusive.

CREASION 2.0 marks not just a new version of an organisation, but a new phase of commitment: to creativity, compassion, and collective action. It is about going beyond intervention to transformation; beyond outputs to outcomes; beyond projects to partnerships.