Extra earnings to repay loan and educate children

Laxnawati Danuwar, 35, Chitaha village, Nepal

My husband passed away more than 10 years ago. Our four children, my sister-in-law and I live in the Dhanusha district, near the Kamala River. We run a small groceries store to make ends meet. We also sell wood sticks collected from the forest and farm land nearby. We make between US$0.70 and US$1.50 a day.

I quit the collection of fuel wood job at the moment and joined a labour group for 30-day work in one of the Kamala Irrigation Management Division (KIMD)/ILO- Employment Creation and Peace Building based on Local Economic Development (EmPLED) projects in December 2008.

This short term employment allowed me to earn as much as US$3-4 a day. With the extra savings, I was able to add more products on the shelves. The additional profit we are making is helping improve our living conditions and re-pay loan. It also allows us to support our children’s education.

I am Free

Asma Khatoon, 45, Dhanusha District, Nepal

I am Asma Khatoon. I am a 45-year-old muslim woman living with 8 family members at Ward number 2, Baramjhiya Village Development Committee of Dhanusha District, Nepal.

We have a land about 1,700 square meters which can only yield three months worth of food a year. I earn 500 (US$7) to 1000 ($14) Nepalese rupees (NRs) per month from traditional birth attendant work. I joined a labour group as a team leader and worked for 200-days in one of the irrigation project supported by Kamala Irrigation Management Division and International Labour Organization/EmPLED (Employment Creation and Peace Building based on Local Economic Development) from 24th December 2008. I earned NRs55,000 ($762) from labour work (especially from earthen work).

I had never earned that much money in my life. It was my first. As a result, I paid off NRs40,000 ($554) for a loan we took for my daughter. I am now debt free.

I am very happy to continue to invest in our land which now has irrigation facility and I hope to start increasing our food production a few months’ more.

Promotion on entrepreneurship in the hill district

Mr Dhan Bahadur Tamang Ramechhap, 51, Ramechhap District, Nepal

51 year old Mr Dhan Bahadur Tamang, an indigenous from Okhreni -1, Ramechhap District, Nepal, started a general store with a capital of NRs60,000 ($831) in Gaitar Village after the Bhalukhop-Chayaunkethanti Road was repaired and upgraded by Local Road User Committee with the technical assistance from ILO- Employment Creation and Peace Building based on Local Economic Development (EmPLED).

He orders his goods by phone. His prices have dropped due to less transportation costs thanks to the improved roads which has cut the travel time by at least 2 hours by porter services.

His profit has risen by NRs12,000 ($166) a month. He has even started to export local products especially a locally grown sweet orange called junar. Now he has an inventory of rice, sugar, rice flakes, salt, edible oil and other daily consumable goods in his store worth about NRs300,000 ($4155).

The upgrading of the road has brought convenience and improved the quality of the daily lives for hill residents like Mr Tamang.