Jyoti Pandey is a Pestalozzi alumna from the class of 2004, now working as a Senior Social Protection Specialist at the World Bank Nepal country office. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and International Relations from Connecticut College and a master's in public policy from the Hertie School of Governance in Germany.

In her current role at the World Bank, Jyoti supports the implementation of Bank-funded projects and conducts policy analysis to assist the Government of Nepal in improving the lives of the country's poor and vulnerable populations. Her work focuses on strengthening delivery systems for social assistance and employment services.

Beyond her work at the World Bank, Jyoti serves on the board of the Samaanta Foundation, which addresses inequality by offering comprehensive fellowships to meritorious but disadvantaged students. Samaanta was established in 2012 by a group of friends, including Jyoti, who wanted to pay forward the educational opportunities they had been afforded.

Now in its 13th year, Samaanta Foundation has supported 121 Fellows, with 59 active Fellows from fifteen districts across Nepal - a tangible reminder that one Pestalozzi education, well used, can ripple out to transform hundreds of other lives.