Sagar Budha is a passionate environmentalist, mental health advocate, and youth leader from Bolugaun, a remote farming village in Kalikot, Karnali Province, Nepal. Raised in a humble farmer family, Sagar’s childhood was marked by harsh realities—floods destroying homes, landslides blocking paths, and crops failing due to unpredictable weather. Alongside this physical hardship, he witnessed something deeper: the rising fear, anxiety, and hopelessness in his community. These emotional scars became the seeds of his journey toward climate justice.

After completing his early education in his village, Sagar moved to Surkhet for further studies. He completed his high school from Shree Jana Secondary Government School, where he began sharpening his leadership and academic drive. His dedication led him to top the Kathmandu University entrance exam for Environmental Engineering, earning him a full scholarship. However, for Sagar, education never remained limited to books; he took every opportunity to turn knowledge into action.

Pioneering Climate Mental Health Advocacy

Motivated by his own experiences of climate-induced anxiety and the pain he saw in others, Sagar founded Project Resilient Minds Nepal’s first youth-led campaign addressing the mental health impacts of climate change. Supported by the British Council, the project began in Bethanchowk Rural Municipality, where over 2,000 homes were destroyed in the 2024 floods. Through this project, Sagar and his team:

• Trained health professionals in trauma-sensitive care.
  Organized mental health workshops for youth, farmers, women, and indigenous communities.
• Provided hygiene and well-being sessions for 800+ community members.
  Conducted trainings for farmers on resilient agriculture, linking them with agriculture companies for long-term support.
• Captured and amplified real stories, bringing the voices of affected communities to national attention.

Championing Clean Air and Innovation

While many study air pollution in theory, Sagar believes in building solutions that work on the ground. His journey with air quality began during his +2 studies, and now at Kathmandu University, he leads a Low-Cost Air Quality Monitoring Project. His project includes:

• Designing custom air quality sensors (ESP32 with PMS7003/SDS011).
• Developing real-time pollution alert systems. Collaborating for data validation and testing. Preparing to install devices on local buses and public spaces.

Restoring Ecosystems through Beekeeping

Sagar also serves as Monitoring & Evaluation Lead for the “Bee Green” project, a beekeeping and biodiversity conservation program funded by the European Union Delegation in Nepal. As part of the ‘Pollinate Prosperity’ initiative under the Action at Home project of the Youth Sounding Board, the work is focused in Nuwakot. There, Sagar:

• Designs impact-monitoring frameworks for pollinator-friendly practices.
• Collaborates with local farmers and youth to encourage biodiversity-friendly farming.
• Supports the promotion of beekeeping as a resilient livelihood strategy for climate-affected families.

Clean and Green Surkhet: A Youth-Led Movement of 100+ Weeks

One of Sagar’s proudest legacies lies in Surkhet, where he initiated and coordinated the Clean and Green Surkhet Movement from 2020 to 2024. This was not a one-time campaign. It was a consistent, community-based environmental movement that ran for over 100 weeks, involving thousands of volunteers, students, and stakeholders. Through this campaign:

• He mobilized students, leaders, and activists, not doing all the work himself, but doing, exactly what a true leader does coordinating, empowering, and trusting others.
• Formed Eco Clubs in more than 30 schools, planting the seeds of environmental responsibility in young hearts.
• Facilitated the plantation of over 30,000 medicinal plants in public spaces and degraded lands.
• Conducted 3R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) workshops in dozens of schools and communities.
• Worked hand-in-hand with local government officials, public representatives, teachers, and social workers.
• In recognition of this dedication and leadership, Sagar received the National Climate Champion Award 2025, presented by Nepal’s Minister of Forests and Environment.

A National and Regional Youth Voice

Today, Sagar continues to represent the voices of rural youth on national and international platforms:

• Youth Sounding Board Member for the EU Delegation in Nepal
• Shakers Fellow with YECAP
• OMLAS Champion Glocal Teen Hero 2023 – Top 20under20

He also contributes to UN online campaigns and serves on the Executive Board of Future Nepal, supporting health camps, disaster relief, and cultural preservation. The Glocal platform played a transformative role in amplifying Sagar’s journey. Being recognized as Glocal’s 20under20, Glocal Teen Hero Nepal 2023 was not just an award, it was a validation of years of grassroots effort. Through Glocal, Sagar found a platform that truly listens to young change makers from every corner of Nepal, even the remotest ones like Kalikot. It gave him national visibility, connected him with a powerful network of young leaders, and boosted his confidence to scale his projects further. More importantly, it inspired him to believe that even a farmer’s son from Kalikot can shape national conversations, lead change, and stand tall on global stages. The encouragement and recognition from Glocal continue to fuel his drive to do more and dream bigger.

From a quiet village in Kalikot to regional climate platforms, Sagar Budha’s journey is not just about titles or projects, it is about heart. About carrying the pain of his people, turning it into hope, and leading from the ground up.

“Real leadership is not about doing everything yourself, it’s about believing in people, guiding them, and walking together toward change.”