Our Founding Story

In March 2015, DfG Founder Celeste Mergens traveled to Nepal in the wake of a devastating earthquake – determined to meet the urgent menstrual health needs of women and girls.

During one training session with local women, Celeste met Dr. Usha Maharjan: a doctor and humanitarian who was moved to tears by the Days for Girls story.  Dr. Maharjan immediately stepped up to lead the movement and to spread our mission far and wide in Nepal! She soon founded the DFG Nepal office and brought on board a strong team of doctors, nurses, social workers, and entrepreneurs.

Dr. Usha and her team wasted no time developing partnerships with local and international organizations, including The Rotary Club, Lion’s Club, Soroptimist International and Peace Corps. She also collaborated with friends, family and volunteers to overcome resource scarcity barriers. Today, she is proud to have led the Nepal Office through groundbreaking achievements in DFG history – changing lives for women and girls throughout the country.