About Us
Workshop Teaching Consultants
Ms Jimpa Zangmo, Community Based rehabilitation (CBR) Worker
Jimpa Zangmo is originally from Pemagathsel in eastern Bhutan and is currently based in Thimphu. Her journey into community work has been shaped by a deep commitment to supporting individuals and families to live healthier, more independent lives. She has undertaken comprehensive training in Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR). This training laid the groundwork for her hands-on experience working with stroke survivors, where she supported individuals through basic rehabilitation exercises and helped them regain essential daily living skills. Beyond individual support, Jimpa has played an active role in building and facilitating stroke survivor support groups. Through this work, she has contributed to coordinated, community-based rehabilitation efforts that emphasize peer support, shared learning, and collective resilience. Jimpa is currently attached to the Pema Secretariat as a Protection Officer. In this role, she works within a team dedicated to promoting mental well-being, providing psychosocial support, safeguarding vulnerable individuals, and implementing inclusive, community-based programs. Above all,Jimpa is passionate about empowering people to regain confidence and independence, strengthening mental health initiatives, and helping to build caring, resilient communities where no one is left behind.
Ms Sancha Maya Pakhren, MSc. Psychological Counseling
Sancha Maya Pakhren is originally from Sindhupalchok District, Nepal. She graduated from Tribhuvan University with a degree in Counseling Psychology in March 2025. She is a certified psychosocial counselor, having completed a six-month psychosocial counseling training program accredited by the Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTEVT). Currently conducting research on the Cultural Concept of Mental Health among the Newar Community, Sancha Maya is focusing on their beliefs, perceptions, and mental health practices. Sancha Maya has facilitated various mental health awareness programs across several districts in Nepal. She is known for her hardworking, dedicated, and adaptable nature and is deeply committed to promoting mental health awareness in local communities.
Mr Bimol Bhetwal – Program & Business Development Manager
Bimol Bhetwal is a seasoned development professional and executive leader with over 15 years of experience advancing rights-based development across South Asia. He has led and advised multi-country, donor-funded initiatives at regional and national levels, working in close partnership with international donors, UN agencies, government institutions, and grassroots civil society organizations to promote legal empowerment and community-led change. Bimol brings deep expertise in strategic leadership, grant-making, fundraising and proposal development, donor compliance, financial governance, MEAL systems, safeguarding, and ethical partnership building. He has a strong track record of strengthening organizational systems, stewarding resources responsibly, and ensuring transparent, high-impact programming grounded in evidence and accountability. Recognized for his inclusive and feminist leadership approach, Bimol is committed to fostering collaborative, values-driven organizations that prioritize learning, equity, and integrity. He is particularly passionate about advancing justice-oriented programming that centers marginalized communities, especially children, adolescents, and youth, supporting them to claim their rights and shape their own futures. He holds a Master’s degree in Political Science and is highly adept at leading diverse, remote teams across multiple countries and time zones through effective use of digital platforms and adaptive leadership practices.
Mr Nir Pakhren -Regional Director, Sindhupalchok
Nir is Tamang, a marginalized indigenous ethnic group in Nepal, and is from Panchpokhari Thangalpal Rural Municipality in Sindhupalchok. With the help of his sisters, he completed his Law studies ( LLB & LLM), an extraordinary achievement for a young man from a small village. Currently, Nir lives and works in Kathmandu as a law associate for C & K Associates. For the past ten years, he has been active with non-profit and social organizations working on education, public health, and women’s and girls’ empowerment. Nir is also a board member of the Rural Scholarship Program, a local educational organization that helps students from rural settings complete higher education in Kathmandu. Nir places a high value on helping others. By working with Kids First Nepal, he brings his experience and enthusiasm for empowering young people to achieve their aspirations.
Trustees
Trustee: Tristan Harger-Bronson
Tristan holds a Master's in Classical Research from Roehampton University in the UK. After teaching English in China for two years, he now lives in the USA. Having spent most of his life living around the world since leaving the USA at age 5, he has developed a keen interest in addressing poverty and social inequalities affecting children worldwide.
Mr. Mark van der Zeyden
​Mark is originally from Johannesburg, South Africa, and has been living in London for twenty years. He trained as a graphic designer in advertising but later moved into the public sector. Mark currently works with charitable organizations and partners to support the rehabilitation of youth offenders within ethnic minority communities in East London.
Dr Paula Bronson-Founding Director
Paula’s first visit to Nepal was in 2010 to help at a medical camp for young monks and nuns. She has returned many times, in various capacities, after falling in love with Nepal’s rich cultural diversity. Paula trained as a physical therapist in the USA in 1988 and has brought her skills and experience back to Nepal multiple times since.
With help from many Nepali friends, Paula founded Kids First Nepal in 2016. Her interest in collaborative health care and participatory teaching and research led her to pursue a doctorate in medical anthropology and to conduct fieldwork in Sindhupalchok, Nepal, in 2019/2020. Following the completion of her doctorate in 2025, Paula has devoted her time to extending KFN’s network and impact in Nepal.
