Many farmers in our partner communities rely on rural direct-to-consumer markets to build their agricultural businesses. One such market is in Bung, where locals and neighboring villagers come together every week to buy essential goods, including fresh green vegetables, kitchenware, accessories, clothing, and more. Amidst the vibrant colors and lively chatter of vendors and shoppers, one can find a community of local entrepreneurs, each with a unique story of resilience and hard work. Among them are two inspiring women, Kausila and Pemlaki, members of dZi's farmer groups, who are making a name for themselves in the market and beyond. Kausila sells mouth-watering snacks for market visitors, while Pemlaki offers her organic vegetable produce.
As we celebrate Women's Day this week, let's take a closer look at the incredible achievements of these women and the insights we can gain from their experiences.
Kausila Rai's Venture: A Lesson in Diversifying Income Streams
Kausila Rai, a resident of Bung in the Solukhumbu District, has had a challenging life. Her husband is working abroad but she doesn't get much help from him. She's had to support herself and her young son. She also had a significant loan when she started building her house in 2015. Despite her financial struggles, Kausila found ways to overcome her difficulties. Anyone grappling with financial challenges can benefit from her story.
Kausila is a member of dZi's farmer group in Bung. Through her participation in the group, she has been able to produce fresh green vegetables which she sells for a good amount of money.
Additionally, she also has cows and buffaloes, which she raises in a shed near the dense jungle, nearly a two-hour walk uphill from her home. She manages to raise crops like maize and millet on her land around the home.
Kausila Rai plowing her field
Kausila Rai cleaning her dishes in her forest dwelling
On Saturdays, Kausila also runs a food stall in the Bung market, where she cooks various delicacies such as momo, noodles, roti, and samosa. She prepares the food from Friday evening and earns more than a thousand rupees each week. She is quite skilled in weaving bamboo baskets and husk mats, which she also occasionally sells in the market.
Kausila wrapping the dough around the filling
Kausila crafting a bamboo basket
A tray of momos ready to be steamed in Kausila's weekly shop
Kausila never relied on anyone else and found creative ways to support herself and her family. Through her unwavering work ethic and diverse income sources, she has been able to earn consistently and repay all her debts.
Pemlaki’s Discovery: Growing Smarter Not Harder
Pemalaki Rai is an exemplary farmer in the Unnati Farmers Group in Bung. As the group's chairperson, she has inspired other farmers – demonstrating what can be achieved through a commitment to learning.
Pemlaki and her husband have six children. She earns an annual income of over 50,000 NPR ($380 USD) just from selling her vegetables. Her home's convenient location near Bung's dense settlement makes her a go-to supplier for locals who are looking for fresh produce. Her daughter also chips in by selling the leftover vegetables at the weekly market, thereby expanding her loyal customer base, who regularly visit her home to buy fresh greens.
Pemalaki couldn’t always grow as she does now. She used to toil hard in her fields, but the results were never in her favor. After joining dZi’s agriculture group and receiving training related to various crop production, she could then analyze the gaps in her traditional farming methods. By passionately learning and adopting innovative techniques such as water-efficient irrigation, greenhouse farming, manure composting, and more, she's been able to grow bountiful fruits and vegetables. Her efforts have enabled her to provide for her family and pay for her children's education.
Recently, she received beekeeping training from dZi's agriculture program. As soon as she got the training, she replaced her old wooden log hives with modern top bar hives. She has plans to expand her beehive operation this year.
Manure composting at Pemlaki's farm
A custom-built framework to support Pemlaki's kiwi vines
Women farmers and entrepreneurs in dZi’s remote mountainous communities have historically struggled to access resources and markets to grow their businesses. However, with the advent of dZi’s agriculture program, the introduction of modern agricultural technology, local government initiatives, and the rise of local markets, there is now more opportunity for these women to thrive. From precision farming techniques to water-efficient irrigation systems, women are now able to access the latest tools and techniques to improve their farming practices, increase their crop yields, and explore new economic avenues.
Women like Kausila and Pemlaki remind us every day that anyone can overcome challenges and achieve their goals with determination, hard work, and access to resources. Their success reaffirms the importance of investing in our programs and ensuring they promote education, equity, and entrepreneurship.
Pictures taken by Sitaram Thapa Magar (Samip).
