Lajana Manandhar

Lajana Manandhar | Executive Director, Lumanti
Lajana Manandhar is the Founder and Executive Director of the Lumanti Support Group for Shelter, based in Kathmandu, Nepal. With an M.Phil. in Agricultural Economics and over 30 years of experience, she is a leading expert in urban poverty, housing rights, and community-led development.
Core Expertise
Her work spans several critical sectors dedicated to social equity:
• Housing & Urban Development: Advocating for secure tenure and sustainable housing for marginalized urban communities.
• WASH & Governance: Leading initiatives in water, sanitation, and hygiene while promoting transparent, inclusive local governance.
• Economic Empowerment: Fostering leadership and financial independence among grassroots women in both social and political spheres.
Leadership & Advocacy
A passionate advocate for the power of collective action, Lajana believes that sustainable urban development is only possible when the poor are at the center of the solution. Beyond her work at Lumanti, she holds influential regional roles:
• General Secretary: Asian Coalition for Housing Rights (ACHR)
• Regional Convenor: Freshwater Action Network South Asia (FANSA)
Through her pioneering community-led approaches, she continues to influence policy and transform the lives of the most vulnerable populations across Nepal and the broader South Asian region.