Not Letting This Moment Pass Me By

A USAID staffer in Nepal explains what inspired her to rejoin the agency now and why that matters

When Stuti Basnyet (right), a USAID Private Sector Engagement Specialist, met Administrator Samantha Power (left) during her visit to USAID’s Mission in Nepal a year ago, the two connected over their shared enthusiasm for the Agency’s Progress Beyond Programs efforts. Here, they reconnected later in the year during Stuti’s Fellowship in Washington. / Photos courtesy of Stuti Basnyet

With nearly 15 years with USAID, a decade of which has been spent as a locally-employed staff member or FSN at the Nepal Mission, I’ve been privileged to contribute to significant development goals. Over the past year, I have been thrilled to witness the elevation of FSN empowerment as an Agency-wide priority.

Why is this so important? Because, we live in a time where the scale of need exceeds the resources available to meet them.

Achieving our collective ambitions requires each of us to rise to our potential and deliver enduring results.

Empowering USAID’s nearly 5,000 FSNs, officially Foreign Service Nationals, ensures that the Agency’s work — strategic planning, local stakeholder engagement, scaling innovations, economic growth — is undertaken with local insights at the center. Moreover, empowering FSNs is an essential — and the first — expression of locally led inclusive development. USAID cannot be true to the spirit of its localization and DEIA goals without it.

The empowerment of FSNs also contributes significantly to the societies where USAID works when they choose to serve beyond USAID. FSNs have gone on to lead ministries, become entrepreneurs, strengthen local non-profit organizations, and serve in high-ranking positions — bringing with them a nuanced understanding of the U.S. Government and U.S. development agenda.

Colleagues and mentors who listened, supported, contributed, guided, and inspired, infusing meaning and joy into our work.

My own journey in the development sector began in 2008 with USAID, when I joined the Nepal Mission to help raise the profile of its development impact and garner support from key stakeholders. In 2016, I made the decision to leave USAID, feeling that I had reached a ‘growth ceiling’ after leading outreach and communications to new heights. During my time away, I managed local development initiatives in Nepal, Bangladesh, and Cambodia.

Last year, inspired by USAID’s bold vision for locally-led inclusive development and the magnified recognition of its ability to drive Progress Beyond Programs, I rejoined USAID in Nepal.

I currently serve as president of USAID/Nepal’s FSN Advisory Committee in addition to my day job as a Private Sector Engagement Specialist. I’ve also had the opportunity to serve as an FSN Empowerment Fellow in the Office of the Administrator in Washington D.C. — and experienced firsthand how our staff at USAID’s headquarters are supporting the FSN empowerment agenda.

FSNs sticking together on a particularly windy day in D.C.: Kagna Mourg from Cambodia, Shehla Rizwan from Pakistan, Kafia Khan from Bangladesh, Asma Ben Aicha from Tunisia, Siriporn “Biew’’ Rathie from Thailand, and me. This community of FSNs offered beautiful companionship during our shared journey as FSN Fellows in D.C.

This agenda has cut through the fog, recognizing FSNs as fundamental to advancing our entire Agency’s mission and dedicating real resources towards the work of empowerment.

Making such fundamental change take root in a large, dispersed organization like USAID isn’t easy. First, FSN Empowerment is the responsibility of every employee, regardless of our hiring mechanism. Second, it is not “one size fits all” — it requires tailored approaches that embrace Mission and team uniqueness and harness FSN strengths. Third, it must be supported by a vibrant learning culture that promotes inclusivity, adaptivity, and mutually supportive collaborations. Fourth, it calls for a foundation of trust.

Our FSN Empowerment interest is therefore about creating institutional support structures, catalyzing behavioral shifts, and enhancing our collective skills. It will take work.

If empowerment is both a moral and a strategic imperative, then we have to treat it like one. The change we are seeking is worth the effort.

Deputy Administrator Paloma Adams-Allen (left) invited FSNs into her working circle. Participating, actively listening, engaging, and contributing to discussions in various team meetings felt like real inclusion. It was a pleasure to witness her blend of intellect and empathy, demonstrating compassion and stewardship every day.

Last November, as USAID and the Department of State celebrated the 6th annual Global FSN Recognition Day, Deputy Administrator Paloma Adams-Allen eloquently and passionately noted that FSN Empowerment is about closing the gap between the value-add of the FSN community to this Agency and this Agency’s investment in their wellbeing and growth.

Administrator Power echoed those sentiments, declaring that FSN empowerment is also about ensuring that our voices are heard, our impact is recognized, our ideas are valued, and our potential is unleashed.

Adams-Allen (left) and USAID Counselor Clinton White (center) went above and beyond — but not all the way to outer space as this immersive experience at ARTECHOUSE in D.C. suggests — bringing their whole selves as they generously engaged with FSNs, both within and outside the realm of work.

From what I saw in Washington during my Fellowship last year, it feels like the Agency is on the path to real change. I hope we continue to challenge norms and drive cultural and behavioral shifts to level the playing field and problem-solve — both inside and outside USAID.

Working at USAID, the world’s premier international development agency, grants us a unique privilege and an undeniable responsibility to address pressing challenges. We can only do this by harnessing all our resources.

Martin Luther King Jr. once spoke of the silence of the good person — the one who, by not standing up for our shared values, leaves others hanging.

Let’s ensure our actions speak volumes.

About the Author

Stuti Basnyet is USAID/Nepal’s passionate advocate for strategic partnerships, innovations, and inclusion. She currently serves the Private Sector Engagement Specialist and leads the Mission’s FSN Advisory Committee.