First WE Summit · 23 June 2027 Find out more

Our work

What we do

Five pillars (Connect, Equip, Champion, Serve and Enterprise) turn our mission into programmes for women engineers at every career stage.

A suspension bridge on the trail to Annapurna Base Camp. Photo: Bijaya2043, CC BY-SA 4.0Chilime hydropower dam, Rasuwa. Photo: Shree Krishna Dhital, CC BY-SA 3.0A solar cooker outside a home in Ranipauwa, Mustang. Photo: Bijay Chaurasia, CC BY-SA 4.0
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A suspension bridge on the trail to Annapurna Base Camp. Photo: Bijaya2043, CC BY-SA 4.0Chilime hydropower dam, Rasuwa. Photo: Shree Krishna Dhital, CC BY-SA 3.0A solar cooker outside a home in Ranipauwa, Mustang. Photo: Bijay Chaurasia, CC BY-SA 4.0
A train-the-trainer workshop at Kathmandu University. Photo: Nabin K. Sapkota, CC BY-SA 4.0A suspension bridge on the trail to Annapurna Base Camp. Photo: Bijaya2043, CC BY-SA 4.0A solar cooker outside a home in Ranipauwa, Mustang. Photo: Bijay Chaurasia, CC BY-SA 4.0
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A train-the-trainer workshop at Kathmandu University. Photo: Nabin K. Sapkota, CC BY-SA 4.0A suspension bridge on the trail to Annapurna Base Camp. Photo: Bijaya2043, CC BY-SA 4.0A solar cooker outside a home in Ranipauwa, Mustang. Photo: Bijay Chaurasia, CC BY-SA 4.0
An outreach programme at Kathmandu University. Photo: Nirjal stha, CC BY-SA 4.0Kathmandu University administrative building, Dhulikhel. Photo: skrissh2013, CC BY-SA 3.0IT centre, Pulchowk Campus, Lalitpur. Photo: Lulukef, CC BY-SA 4.0
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An outreach programme at Kathmandu University. Photo: Nirjal stha, CC BY-SA 4.0Kathmandu University administrative building, Dhulikhel. Photo: skrissh2013, CC BY-SA 3.0IT centre, Pulchowk Campus, Lalitpur. Photo: Lulukef, CC BY-SA 4.0

Connect

Network

A national network with provincial, campus and diaspora chapters.

  • Campus chapters
  • Provincial hubs
  • Diaspora circle
A train-the-trainer workshop at Kathmandu University. Photo: Nabin K. Sapkota, CC BY-SA 4.0A train-the-trainer workshop at Kathmandu University. Photo: Nabin K. Sapkota, CC BY-SA 4.0A presentation during an outreach programme at Kathmandu University. Photo: Nirjal stha, CC BY-SA 4.0
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A train-the-trainer workshop at Kathmandu University. Photo: Nabin K. Sapkota, CC BY-SA 4.0A train-the-trainer workshop at Kathmandu University. Photo: Nabin K. Sapkota, CC BY-SA 4.0A presentation during an outreach programme at Kathmandu University. Photo: Nirjal stha, CC BY-SA 4.0

Equip

Skills

Skills training, licence-exam prep, mentorship and leadership training.

  • Licence-exam prep
  • Mentor circles
  • Leadership lab
Swayambhunath, Kathmandu. Photo: Nabin K. Sapkota, CC BY-SA 4.0Patan Durbar Square, Lalitpur. Photo: Rajesh Dhungana, CC BY-SA 4.0Kathmandu Durbar Square. Photo: Alexander Shafir, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Swayambhunath, Kathmandu. Photo: Nabin K. Sapkota, CC BY-SA 4.0Patan Durbar Square, Lalitpur. Photo: Rajesh Dhungana, CC BY-SA 4.0Kathmandu Durbar Square. Photo: Alexander Shafir, CC BY-SA 3.0

Champion

Voice

Visibility, awards, data and policy advocacy for the profession.

  • INWED & awards
  • Data & research
  • Policy advocacy
A village tap stand in Bharat Pokhari, western Nepal. Photo: Anwpwiki, CC BY-SA 4.0A district engineer shows visitors a school under construction. Photo: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, CC BY 4.0Irrigation channel in Kaski. Photo: Anil Simkhada, CC BY-SA 3.0
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A village tap stand in Bharat Pokhari, western Nepal. Photo: Anwpwiki, CC BY-SA 4.0A district engineer shows visitors a school under construction. Photo: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, CC BY 4.0Irrigation channel in Kaski. Photo: Anil Simkhada, CC BY-SA 3.0

Serve

Community

Engineering expertise for community resilience and the public good.

  • STEM for girls
  • Rebuild corps
  • Safety clinics
A solar cooker in Ranipauwa, Mustang. Photo: Bijay Chaurasia, CC BY-SA 4.0Kathmandu valley from Battisputali. Photo: Gaurav Dhwaj Khadka, CC BY-SA 4.0Bagmati river irrigation diversion. Photo: Gaurav Dhwaj Khadka, CC BY-SA 4.0
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A solar cooker in Ranipauwa, Mustang. Photo: Bijay Chaurasia, CC BY-SA 4.0Kathmandu valley from Battisputali. Photo: Gaurav Dhwaj Khadka, CC BY-SA 4.0Bagmati river irrigation diversion. Photo: Gaurav Dhwaj Khadka, CC BY-SA 4.0

Enterprise

Earning

Paid work, consulting and founding companies, for members and for WE Nepal.

  • Expert roster
  • Paid trainings
  • Founder track

Our foundation: sound governance · mixed income · data and digital tools · male allies

Our work in practice

Where our programmes meet real needs

How our programmes respond to real needs across Nepal: in exam halls, on construction sites and in communities rebuilding after disasters.

A train-the-trainer workshop at Kathmandu University. Photo: Nabin K. Sapkota, CC BY-SA 4.0A train-the-trainer workshop at Kathmandu University. Photo: Nabin K. Sapkota, CC BY-SA 4.0Grade 8 students at Shree Dharmasthali Lower Secondary School, Pokhara. Photo: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, CC BY 2.0
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A train-the-trainer workshop at Kathmandu University. Photo: Nabin K. Sapkota, CC BY-SA 4.0A train-the-trainer workshop at Kathmandu University. Photo: Nabin K. Sapkota, CC BY-SA 4.0Grade 8 students at Shree Dharmasthali Lower Secondary School, Pokhara. Photo: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, CC BY 2.0

WE Licence Ready

Getting through the licence exam

Since 2023 every new engineer in Nepal must pass the Nepal Engineering Council licence exam, and pass rates have been near 30%.

WE Licence Ready runs eight-week hybrid prep cohorts, discipline by discipline, with mock tests. Civil engineering runs first, with free seats for women from marginalised groups.

See all programmes
A floodway under construction on the Bagmati river, Kathmandu. Photo: Stig Berge from Myanmar, CC0A district engineer shows visitors a school under construction. Photo: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, CC BY 4.0Kathmandu Durbar Square, with restoration work under way. Photo: Rajesh Dhungana, CC BY-SA 4.0
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A floodway under construction on the Bagmati river, Kathmandu. Photo: Stig Berge from Myanmar, CC0A district engineer shows visitors a school under construction. Photo: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, CC BY 4.0Kathmandu Durbar Square, with restoration work under way. Photo: Rajesh Dhungana, CC BY-SA 4.0

WE Rebuild Corps

Engineering expertise for flood-hit communities

After the late-August 2026 Bhotekoshi floods, reconstruction needs are estimated at USD 4–5 billion.

WE Rebuild Corps is a trained roster of women engineers for damage assessment, safe rebuilding, and gender-responsive shelter and water design, deployed through official coordination.

Volunteer with us
A solar cooker outside a home in Ranipauwa, Mustang. Photo: Bijay Chaurasia, CC BY-SA 4.0Women bricklayers in Kirtipur, outside Kathmandu. Photo: Adam Jones from Kelowna, BC, Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0Kathmandu valley from Battisputali. Photo: Gaurav Dhwaj Khadka, CC BY-SA 4.0
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A solar cooker outside a home in Ranipauwa, Mustang. Photo: Bijay Chaurasia, CC BY-SA 4.0Women bricklayers in Kirtipur, outside Kathmandu. Photo: Adam Jones from Kelowna, BC, Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0Kathmandu valley from Battisputali. Photo: Gaurav Dhwaj Khadka, CC BY-SA 4.0

WE Founders

From classroom to career to company

Members start by earning through our expert roster, then go on to set up consultancies, design studios and tech ventures, with support from business clinics, a founders track and links to the government startup loan.

How the pathway works

Full activity catalogue

More activities follow as volunteers and funding allow.

A student workshop at Kathmandu University. Photo: सरोज कुमार ढकाल, CC BY-SA 3.0A presentation during an outreach programme at Kathmandu University. Photo: Nirjal stha, CC BY-SA 4.0An outreach programme at Kathmandu University. Photo: Nirjal stha, CC BY-SA 4.0
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A student workshop at Kathmandu University. Photo: सरोज कुमार ढकाल, CC BY-SA 3.0A presentation during an outreach programme at Kathmandu University. Photo: Nirjal stha, CC BY-SA 4.0An outreach programme at Kathmandu University. Photo: Nirjal stha, CC BY-SA 4.0

WE Connect meetups

Monthly meetups that rotate between Kathmandu, the provinces and online.

Campus chapter kit

A starter pack for engineering colleges with a charter, event plan and faculty adviser.

Provincial hubs

One volunteer lead per province, with two events a year each.

Diaspora circle

Online mentors, speakers and remote-work leads from Nepali women engineers abroad.

Member directory

An online community, searchable by discipline, district and skill.

Software bootcamps

AutoCAD, Revit and BIM, ETABS, GIS, solar PV design, EV systems, and data and AI for engineers.

Site-readiness & safety

Safety on site, fieldwork logistics and negotiating for proper facilities.

Leadership lab

A six-month cohort for mid-career women covering negotiation, public speaking and board readiness.

Return-to-work

Refresher training and job placement for women coming back from a career break.

Awareness days

Women and Girls in Science Day (11 Feb), International Women's Day (8 Mar) and INWED (23 Jun).

State of Women in Engineering report

An annual survey-based report with policy asks.

Policy briefs

Briefs on site facilities, childcare and anti-harassment practice under the Sexual Harassment at Workplace (Prevention) Act, 2071.

WE Stories

A podcast, blog and social series about role models.

Leadership representation

We back women standing for NEA posts and nominate women for NEC council seats.

Engineer for a Day

School visits for grades 8–12, timed before girls choose the science stream.

Scholarships

For women engineering students from Dalit, Janajati, Madhesi and remote-district backgrounds.

Safety clinics

House-safety checks and building-code awareness, run with municipalities.

Inclusive infrastructure audits

Audits of toilets, lighting and accessibility in public buildings and sites.

Expert roster

Vetted members matched to consulting and survey work.

Remote work desk

Drafting, BIM modelling and design-check work for overseas and local clients.

Business clinics

Help with registering a firm, bidding for public procurement, tax and accounts.

Job board

Employer postings and recruitment support.

Enterprise pathway

A ladder from learning to leading a venture

Members start by earning through WE Nepal's roster, then go on to set up their own firms and ventures. We support every step.

Kathmandu valley from Battisputali. Photo: Gaurav Dhwaj Khadka, CC BY-SA 4.0A solar cooker outside a home in Ranipauwa, Mustang. Photo: Bijay Chaurasia, CC BY-SA 4.0A solar cooker in Ranipauwa, Mustang. Photo: Bijay Chaurasia, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Kathmandu valley from Battisputali. Photo: Gaurav Dhwaj Khadka, CC BY-SA 4.0A solar cooker outside a home in Ranipauwa, Mustang. Photo: Bijay Chaurasia, CC BY-SA 4.0A solar cooker in Ranipauwa, Mustang. Photo: Bijay Chaurasia, CC BY-SA 4.0
  1. 1 Step 1

    Learn

    Build skills and pass the NEC licence exam.

    WE Licence Ready, bootcamps and mentoring

  2. 2 Step 2

    Earn on the side

    Take assignments from the expert roster or remote work desk.

    Matching, contracts, quality review and on-time payment

  3. 3 Step 3

    Go independent

    Work as a consultant or freelancer.

    Business clinics on registration, pricing, contracts and tax, plus a peer founders' circle

  4. 4 Step 4

    Build a firm

    Run a women-led consultancy, design studio or contracting firm.

    Procurement readiness, joint bids and a roster of women-led firms

  5. 5 Step 5

    Scale a venture

    Build a product or a tech-led business.

    WE Founders track, pitch day, and investor and CSR introductions

Where the openings are:Resilient housing & reconstruction · Clean energy & EVs · Remote BIM & drafting · Water & sanitation · Inclusive-infrastructure audits · GIS & drone surveying · Materials testing

Our five-year goals

What we aim to achieve by 2031

These are ambitious targets. We will recalibrate them once our Year-1 baseline survey shows the real size of the community.

Annapurna South and Annapurna I from Annapurna Base Camp. Photo: Bijay Chaurasia, CC BY-SA 4.0Cholatse and Ama Dablam, Khumbu. Photo: Vyacheslav Argenberg, CC BY 4.0The Himalaya from Baitadi, Sudurpashchim. Photo: Gokarna Prasad Joshi, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Annapurna South and Annapurna I from Annapurna Base Camp. Photo: Bijay Chaurasia, CC BY-SA 4.0Cholatse and Ama Dablam, Khumbu. Photo: Vyacheslav Argenberg, CC BY 4.0The Himalaya from Baitadi, Sudurpashchim. Photo: Gokarna Prasad Joshi, CC BY-SA 4.0
2,500

members

Including 1,000 students, with chapters in all 7 provinces and at 15 campuses.

Connect
1,500

women through licence-exam prep

Plus 500 mentoring pairs and 150 leadership-lab graduates.

Equip
20,000

girls reached through school outreach

Plus 100 scholarships and one flagship resilience project a year.

Serve
100

members earning through the expert roster

Plus 25 women-led ventures supported through WE Founders.

Enterprise
60%

of our income earned, not granted

So that no single donor can switch the mission off.

Self-reliance
1 report / yr

State of Women in Engineering in Nepal

With NEC publishing gender data every year and a national target adopted.

Champion