KOICA Nepal Office collaborated with Makarios Pvt.Ltd for an event on Inclusive Business Solution (IBS) to train the handicapped, orphans and women in Computer Graphic (CG). The project is aimed at recruiting 30 ~ 40 students each year, employing more than 85% of them as interns of Makarios Co., and ultimately employing more than 75% of them in Makarios and in CG industry in Nepal.

KOICA collaborated with Makarios Co., Ltd., with about Korean Won 2.5 billion (KOICA 70%, Makarios 30%) from Dec. 2018 and Dec 2022 (4 years) to extend support to about 120 persons including differently abled, orphans and women. The project is expected to contribute in strengthening the self-reliance capacity of the targeted group, creating high-quality job creations, and building a successful business model for aspiring start-up companies

In March 2019, a newly CG training hall for the vulnerable class was established, followed by a lecture from the Story Farm, a CG technological company in Korea. The training has been started since March 25, 2019. Out of 47 trainees, 35 were recruited from the Nomadic Orphanage (SOS), the Disability Support Organization (Miral Foundation), and the Warm Nest Foundation.

Ko Sung Hoon, the Country Director of KOICA Nepal Office, explained KOICA's various projects in the field of vocational training that is contributing in increasing the employment rate in Nepal. Furthermore he explained through the partnership with local companies in Nepal, the employment rate of vulnerable people in Nepal will be improved. It is expected to achieve high performance in the shortest time with most effective results.

Highlighting the IBS project Ko stressed that due to Nepal’s geographical limit there is high unemployment rate due to vulnerable domestic industries and policy alienation for vulnerable classes that are causing hindrance to the development of Nepal. Thus, the development of competent technical personnel is the solution to break these barriers. At the end, this initiative will contribute towards boosting the growth engine that can drive economic development in Nepal.

The opening ceremony was attended by Ambassador Park Young-Sik, Ambassador of South Korean Embassy in Nepal, Personnel from SOS, Nepalese Orphan Support Organization (Miral Foundation) and Warm Nest Foundation, additionally the event included a platform to share the testimonies of the students who are the part of the training from last two months

Makarios is a start-up company established in Nepal in 2016 to respond to the high demand of Korea's VFX market. The company is dedicated for outsourcing game, broadcasting and film production using CG animation and CG technology. Makarios aim to overcome the barrier of competition by turning the current situation of lack of domestic VFX specialists and high wages into utilizing the capable technical manpower and low wage structure.

* As VFX industry is a core growth area of the future, potential market is expanding mainly in CG animation, CG technology, games, broadcasting, and movies. In the overseas market, the movie market is dominant in the entertainment industry significantly

The advantage is, VFX and 3D operations can be delivered without the restrictions of distance and language, through data transmission platforms and management systems. It has been evaluated that The CG industry will emerge as a new market to overcome the issue of weak manufacturing units, lack of developed infrastructures, and the export/import limitations of Nepal as being a landlocked country.