
Bonita Sharma from Nepal has been listed on BBC 100 Women 2019. Sharma is a Nepali social activist who owns a social organization Social Changemakers and Innovators (SOCHAI). She has been placed in an entrepreneur and change initiator under the knowledge category.
India’s Susmita Mohanty and Greta Thunberg from Sweden are also in BBC’s 100 Women 2019 list for their contribution to climate change. Mohanty is a spaceship designer and her organization monitors and understands climate change from space.
Inspired by her mum’s determination to obtain a degree despite pressure to become a housewife, Bonita Sharma helps educate and empower women and girls in her native Nepal.
In a bid to tackle child deaths to malnutrition, she designed Nutribeads, a bracelet for new mums with different colored beads to remind them what to feed their babies. Her projects have been awarded funding from the UNESCO Malala Fund, and she has founded her own organization to empower women and girls: The Social Changemakers and Innovators.
Name | Bonita Sharma (Social Activist) |
---|---|
Founder & CEO | Social Change Makers and Innovators( SOCHAI) |
Born & Brought up | Kathmandu |
Education | Masters in Food & Nutrition (PK Campus, Kathmandu) |
Field of Subject | Public Health |
Hobbies | Travelling Photography and Animals |
Passion | Social Innovation for Women Empowerment, Nutrition, Environment and Health. |
Awards | 🏆 BBC 100 Women 2019 🏆UNESCO Female Champion |
What is (SOCHAI)?
The Social Changemakers and Innovators (SOCHAI) is a youth-led nonprofit organization formed with a vision to improve the health and nutrition of people, particularly, women, girls, and children through education, innovation, and entrepreneurship. The organization has been raising awareness about the importance of nutritious food among the various communities of the country.

The Team
There are 4 of the founding members including Bonita Sharma, Neha Malla, Manjita Rajopadhyay, and Aasutosh Dhoj Karki. SOCHAI aims to build a network of youth who are committed to aware and educate the public for addressing the issues of malnutrition in Nepal. They call upon youth from diverse backgrounds to join in fighting malnutrition to build a healthy happy future for children in Nepal.
In 2019, SOCHAI won the “Lead 2030 Challenge” in May under the Sustainable Development Goal – 2 “Zero Hunger” category initiated by One Young World and supported by the RB (Reckitt Benckiser) Group. The team was awarded $50,000 along with mentorship from the challenge partner. SOCHAI was chosen as one of the most impactful youth-led solutions from 1200 applicants from 100 countries around the world.
Also, SOCHAI is the winner of the 3rd High-Level Meeting Asia Pacific Youth Innovation Challenge organized by UNICEF, Tandemic and the Government of Malaysia.
SOCHAI Innovation
Nutribeads bracelet: The Nutribeads bracelet by SOCHAI is an award-winning innovation that won the 3rd High-Level Meeting Asia Pacific Youth Innovation Challenge organized by UNICEF in November 2016. The Nutribeads bracelet or Poshan Maala is an educational tool to inform the mothers about proper child feeding practices in the first two years of a child’s life.

Redcycle bracelet: The Red Cycle is a colorful bracelet that helps in understanding the monthly menstruation cycle and tracking the average menstrual cycle in a simple, innovative, fun, and attractive fashion. This tool is developed to create awareness, acceptance, and confidence to better manage menstrual health, hygiene, and break the silence around menstruation.

SOCHAI team is moving forward with the mission of supporting women, children, girls, and families to reach their full potential in life by improving their overall health and breaking the vicious intergenerational cycle of malnutrition.