Astha co-founded the Shequal Foundation, an organisation that increases representation for women and girls in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and information communication and technology (ICT) through personal and career development programmes.
The Shequal Foundation began in 2020, when Astha and her Co-Founder, Melisha Ghimire, realised that they were often the only women in STEM and ICT spaces. To correct this, they built their organisation around providing women and girls with opportunities for financial independence, empowering them to make informed decisions about their bodies and lives, and eradicating patriarchal norms. It does this through sexual and reproductive health training, personal development sessions, and STEM clubs that lead to career placement opportunities.
The nonprofit has reached 600 girls with information on sexual and reproductive health through its training sessions. It has also delivered personal development training to 405 girls. In addition, 283 university-aged women have participated in a STEM fellowship programme, of whom 75% have been offered jobs in STEM fields. The Shequal Foundation also hosted Nepal’s largest all-female Hackathon in partnership with UN Women.
While attending the 2024 Summit in Montréal, Astha represented Nepal as the country’s flagbearer in the Opening Ceremony. After the Summit, Astha participated in a webinar titled Driving Action for the Sustainable Development Goals with One Young World Co-Founder and CEO Kate Robertson. Her work was also featured in the May 2025 Ambassador Spotlight.
“The Community that we have from One Young World makes you realise you can’t just stop. That’s the platform that I go to and see that people are still doing so many things.”
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