WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS AS AGENTS OF CHANGE
WOW – Women of the World – is a global movement that champions gender equality celebrating achievements of women and girls everywhere and examining the obstacles that keep them from fulfilling their potential. It was first held in 2017 in Nepal. This year, the WOW Festival was held from March 1 -7 on a virtual platform.
WOW magazine was commissioned by the British Council to identify and produce the content for the MARKETPLACE wherein we identified 15-20 women entrepreneurs from across the country with a focus on their business idea, their impact, and the effect of the pandemic on their ventures.
The objective was to amplify the voice of these producers so that their businesses benefit, their concerns articulated, and their achievements celebrated.
Prakriti Mainali
Founder, Shakti Milan Nepal
After graduating in Business Management, Prakriti Mainali was looking for ways to execute her learnings. Prakriti started her entrepreneurial journey from a small bed and breakfast venture. She has always held the opinion that economic empowerment is central to a woman’s social empowerment. She then decided to give her thoughts life and established Shakti Milan Nepal in 2014. The company which has a turnover of Rs 10 million creates products out of waste upcycling and repurposing rice sacks and converts them into handbags, totes, and pencil cases among other uses which are exported for sale.
Working with socially vulnerable groups of women, Shakti Milan Nepal also supports the socio-psychological wellbeing of the women. Initially, Prakriti assisted women who had been assaulted and had traumatic pasts and uncertain futures. She affirms that social construct we are in plays an invisible hand in supporting patriarchy.
“One is always inspired by the international and national figures that we read and hear about. But our daughters can relate more if they see their own mother, sister or aunt paving the path to success. It then becomes more real.”
Women are constantly scrutinised and judged. She believes that the role models we create in our homes and society contribute in flourishing women entrepreneurship. She explains, “One is always inspired by the international and national figures that we read and hear about. But our daughters can relate more if they see their own mother, sister or aunt paving the path to success. It then becomes more real”.
Prakriti has her heart and mind set on empowering women. Through her recently initiated project Mission 10,000 she aims to facilitate the education of 10,000 girls. The numbers cold multiply in later years.
“Shakti-Milan Nepal is a profit-oriented organisation but we operate with social objectives. We redistribute our profits for child care centres and girls education,” says Prakriti.
Radha Laxmi Shrestha
Founder, Radhako Burn Survivors
A gas explosion at home became the turning point of life for Radha Laxmi Shrestha. Her mother died and Radha was left critically injured. After months of treatment at the hospital, Radha survived. The tragedy burnt her body but not her courage. She channelled her pain into purpose and decided to work with burn survivors like herself.
In 2019, Radha Laxmi Shrestha established Radhako Burn Survivors with the intention to create an income source for them. Today, along with Radha, 30 women are actively engaged in making handcrafted candles and ornamental products.
Radhako had just positioned itself in the market as a small-scale business model when the coronavirus outbreak happened. The pandemic has affected her business severely and they have had to downsize their workspace. But Radha is not to be deterred. She got her team members to work from home.
“As differently abled people, the government is supposed to provide us with grants and concessions. Instead they create roadblocks with poor policy and rules and regulations.”
Radha owes her life purpose to Dr. Andreas Setje who not only cured her burnt skin but also supported her work.
Radha says that the government lacks empathy towards people like her. “As differently abled people, the government is supposed to provide us with grants and concessions. Instead they create roadblocks with poor policy and rules and regulations,” protests Radha.
Nisha Taujale KC
Co-founder, Kathmandu Organics
Nisha Taujale KC is a farmer turned entrepreneur. Growing up in an family that is engaged in agriculture, Nisha got into farming for three years. However, she was immensely discouraged with the price she got for her produce. With a mission to minimise the gap between farmers and consumers, Nisha established Kathmandu Organics in 2017. Kathmandu Organics sells organic food, vegetables and fruits in the capital that are brought from different parts of Nepal. Now she has also started in-house production of homemade gundruk, pickles, and sutkeri masala. Kathmandu Organics operates out of two physical locations in the capital and also has a strong online presence.
Nisha says, “There is no middle person involved in our business. Farmers are paid the price they rightly deserve and we assure that our customers get the best quality products”.
“There is no middle person involved in our business. Farmers are paid the price they rightly deserve and we assure that our customers get the best quality products.”
Nisha says that the mistrust towards women entrepreneurs and the high collateral requirements are among the many hassles faced by women when they decide to get into business. “Unlike male entrepreneurs, most women do not own tangible assets. This makes acquiring financial assistance very difficult,” she explains.
Nisha finds that it important to provide skill and financial literacy trainings and access to finance and markets if the government really wants to promote women entrepreneurship in the country.
Kreepa Shrestha
Founder, Supply Support
Taking forward the family business, Kreepa Shrestha reinvented Supply Support in 2004. Supply Support manufactures promotional and customised products such as t-shirts, caps, mugs, water bottles, totes and umbrellas. Most of their products are targeted to the travel tourism industry. Kreepa has been successfully running the business as its Managing Director for 14 years now.
Although the travel industry has been hit hard by the pandemic, Kreepa says that it has helped her realign her business strategy and prepared her to understand what is necessary and what is not. “The challenges and difficulties that we face are what shape us and lead us on the path to success,” opines Kreepa.
“The challenges and difficulties that we face are what shape us and lead us on the path to success.”
A woman of unique strengths, Kreepa believes in looking past gender differences. “Regardless of gender, it’s the business mindset that makes all the difference. I think both males and females encounter the same level of challenges in business,” she says adding that she wouldn’t want it any easier or different. She states, “If given a platform women can navigate their journey by themselves”.
Sitara Rajbhandari
Founder & Managing Director, Spicy Home Spices
At 51, starting a business was something Sitara Rajbhandari had never imagined possible. Yet by age 52, she was a budding entrepreneur, and by 58, she had started to successfully exporting her range of spices to various countries.
When Sitara’s children had grown and become independent, she had time on her hands and a family that wanted her to use her strengths and stay productive. She says, “My husband trusted my capabilities which gave me the strength to overcome my fears and self doubt about starting a business”. She enrolled into training at FWEAN and that set the path for her successful entrepreneurial journey.
She was initially in the knitwear and a series of events had her then transition to establishing Spicy Home Spices in January 2000. Spicy Home Spices are manufacturers of spices available in the country, and have a strong focus on quality. She works directly with farmers to ensure the quality of her products.
“The identity of a woman is defined by her relationship with the men of her family. But I urge women to manifest their own identities out of their skills and dreams”.
A late start did not stand in her way of success, instead Sitara shares that it is an advantage to be older when you start a business as you work a lot smarter.
As a financially independent woman now, Sitara believes women must expand the horizons of life beyond the four walls of their homes. “The identity of a woman is defined by her relationship with the men of her family. But I urge women to manifest their own identities out of their skills and dreams”.
Januka Sapkota
Founder, RJ Pad Udhyog
Januka Sapkota was one among the 83% of Nepali women using cloth during their menstrual cycle. Januka even had to be hospitalised because the waste cloth she was allowed to use as pad was unhygienic. Before that, Januka was unaware about sanitary napkins. When doctors explained to her, she understood but what was available in the market was beyond her reach. She thought: why not make an affordable and sustainable version for herself and the women in her village.
She started spending long hours making prototypes of reusable handmade pads. Her persistence paid off when she got a training opportunity from an Australian charity, World Youth International. With their guidance on manufacturing and her personal savings, she established RJ Pad Udhyog in 2014.
RJ Pad Udhyog manufactures reusable sanitary pads using cotton cloth making it economical as well as ecologically sound. For the convenience of differently abled and working women, RJ Pad Udhyog also manufactures disposable pads.
She started her venture with an initial investment of Rs. one million, and today she makes an income of approximately Rs. 200,000 a month.
Januka argues that the major hurdle to women entrepreneurship is not just finance but the small market which prioritises foreign goods over local products. She feels that the government could assist small entrepreneurs like herself by promoting local products instead of imports.
For Januka entrepreneurship allows her financial independence, and that is what she wants to empower her team of six women workers with.
Januka is new to social media marketing but not new in her quest for learning and finding solutions. She says “When I started, I was new to the online business. But I have adapted and keep up with technology now”. Today, she comfortably attends business meetings on online platforms and also sells her products through social media.
Januka argues that the major hurdle to women entrepreneurship is not just finance but the small market which prioritises foreign goods over local products. She feels that the government could assist small entrepreneurs like herself by promoting local products instead of imports.
Binisha Shrestha & Sapana Shakya
Co-founders, The Saal leaf
Binisha Shrestha returned to Nepal after living in the United States for nearly a decade and was looking for ways to start something meaningful. Several ideas came up but none of them took shape. She then discovered the potential of good food delivering business over lunch with a friend, Sapana Shakya. “When Sapana invited me to lunch, I was so impressed with her cooking that I instantly suggested to open an online eatery. Sapana agreed right away because she had been thinking along the same lines,” says Binisha Shrestha, Co-founder, The Saal Leaf.
The Saal Leaf is traditionally used to keep food wrapped in it fresher and last longer. With this concept, they deliver their food orders wrapped in Saaf leaf. The company completely depends on social media for the orders and deliveries of food. The founders also encourage their customers to taste and experience traditional dishes. Binisha and Sapana have added elements to their service which reflect the cultural identity of the food they serve.
“When you start a company, we believe it’s more important to find ways to bolster it in the long run. That is one thing that many entrepreneurs, regardless of gender, fail to acknowledge.”
Sapna manages the operations and Binisha handles the marketing. Both the founders agree that innovation sustains a business. They say, “When you start a company, we believe it’s more important to find ways to bolster it in the long run. That is one thing that many entrepreneurs, regardless of gender, fail to acknowledge”.
Binisha finds the collaborative nature of women is an advantage for leadership postions. True entrepreneurship, according to both founders, is about remaining positive even in the face of adversity.
Haushala Gurung Thapa & Samanta Thapa
Co-founders, Haushala Creatives
In 2013, Vishnu Maya, a house help of the two sisters: Haushala Gurung Thapa and Samanta Thapa, was diagnosed with breast cancer. Vishnu Maya approached Haushala seeking extra hours of work and economic support for her treatment. Haushala knew that this would require more than just a small handout of money. Vishnu Maya was good at knitting and crochet and the two sisters decided to use her skills to find her an income source. They exhibited the finished products and Vishnu Maya had a solution at hand.
Haushala Creatives continued making handcrafts and became a social enterprise in 2013. Vishnu Maya passed away in 2015, but her life paved the way for others to continue finding an income source.
Haushala Creatives is now creating a range of hand crafted products working as a women’s cooperative to build social and economic independence for the women engaged here. It focuses on handcrafted products as an expansion of creativity, sustainability and community.
“Promoting women entrepreneurship should not be just another form of tokenism, but an opportunity for women to really develop themselves.”
They are also strong proponents of sustainable fashion.
Haushala firmly believes that promoting women entrepreneurship should not be just another form of tokenism, but an opportunity for women to really develop themselves. Haushala means encouragement and Samanta means equality, the two sisters believe that every woman must prove their path to their entrepreneurial journey at their own pace.
Haushala and Samanta are sisters and partners at work. Haushala is an advocate for disadvantaged children and runs a progressive boarding school for the past 12 years under her NGO, Children & Youth First. Samanta carries a mission to empower domestic helpers and secure their rights through Project Redefined.
Alpaza Rajbhandari &Anuza Rajbhandari
Co-founders, Ekadesma
Alpaza Rajbhandari and Anuza Rajbhandari fused their expertise in fashion designing and business management to create Ekadesma in 2011. Ekadesma was inspired by the art of telling stories through craft using traditional and natural resources to build an ethical and environmentally friendly venture. Advocating for ethical fashion, they use natural fabrics as cotton, hemp cotton and bamboo cotton and silk and create artsy and original designs of clothes. The principle of Ekadesma is to create an ageless and sustainable design.
Sharing their lockdown experience, the sisters feel that pandemic taught them to be more effective and cognizant. The pandemic allowed them to focus more strongly on the local markets and envision alternate strategies as exports were hard hit.
“There are ample opportunities for women entrepreneurs in Nepal itself, it just requires women to seek and seize the opportunities.”
Ekadesma vouches to create employment opportunities for the unskilled by providing them guidance and training in clothes production. They are immensely proud when they see the women working with them changing their lifestyle and flourishing financially. Alpaza and Anuza are creative and determined entrepreneurs who wish to be seen as role models for future entrepreneurs.
“There are ample opportunities for women entrepreneurs in Nepal itself, it just requires women to seek and seize the opportunities,” says Alpaza. The sisters believe that women need to figure their passion first and devote their time and heart to it. The sisters emphasises that no matter how progressive we have become as a society, motherhood is still a gendered role with women having to balance work and home. “Whenever your child gets sick at school, the first call goes to the mother, not the father,” says Alpaza.
Rewati Gurung
Founder, Kokroma
When Rewati Gurung attended the University of Helsinki Summer School in Finland, she came to know that the Finnish government provides a baby care package to the newborns which is loaded with child care essentials known as ‘Baby Box’. As a mother herself, she was fascinated by this effort. After years of research on handicraft, child and maternity care, and social entrepreneurship in Nepal, Rewati Gurung established Kokroma in 2019 and marked her foray into entrepreneurship.
‘Kokro’ is the Nepali name for a traditional baby cot. ‘Kokroma’ means inside the cot and is inspired by the Finnish Baby Box. Kokroma also manufactures infant clothing which is handcrafted and sustainable, and seeks to revive traditional childcare practices.
“For women to grow in business, society needs to educate men about gender equality and women empowerment.”
As an entrepreneur who has struggled to create her success, Rewati states, “Men get multiple chances but women get only one chance to prove themselves”. But she says that should not deter women from venturing into business. She says, “When a woman decides to step out of her household and take on work, it’s difficult initially but as she preserves, things fall into place.”
Rewati feels that patriarchy obstructs female entrepreneurship in Nepal. “For women to grow in business, society needs to educate men about gender equality and women empowerment”. She mentions ‘generosity’ and ‘resourcefulness’ as the hallmark traits of a woman entrepreneur.
SitaAdhikari
Co-founder, Kalpavriksha
Kalpavriksha is a wish fulfilling tree. Sita Adhikari was conscious of the fact that wishes come true if one resolves with passion, vision and hard work. Twenty years ago, Sita Adhikari began her journey to impact and change the life of women in rural Nepal. She grabbed every opportunity she found – often even creating them – to propel her mission of fighting gender inequality, poverty and environmental degradation.
She has built a library for the marginalised, founded a cooperative, is the co founder of the Pollinate Group which is an award-winning empowerment model that has trained hundreds of women in India and Nepal to become entrepreneurs. Kalpavriksha is the implementing partner of Pollinate Group for this model in Nepal. Kalpavriksha provides the skills essential for women to become entrepreneurs. They offer women the opportunity to start their venture by providing them life improving energy efficient products. Women sell these products in their communities that are often the most neglected.
Sita calls these women ‘Suryamukhis’, which means sunflowers. She explains, “Women working in Kalpavriksha are the agents who are building the pathway of women as energy entrepreneurs”. Sita has change hundreds of women entrepreneurs who sell energy efficient household products in their communities and beyond. She believes that clean and sustainable energy access is critical to empowering women in society.
“The conversation must change from just making women literate to making them digital literate to meet the opportunities and challenges of the changing world.”
“A woman is the ideal person to tell you why you need to make the switch from traditional techniques to modern technologies. Because women are the ones who have to bear the hardships of using traditional firewood for cooking; who better than her to tell you the benefits of induction cooking,” says Sita.
Sita advocates for creating a separate ecosystem for entrepreneurship as she believes skill development alone is not the solution to empower women entrepreneurs. “The conversation must change from just making women literate to making them digital literate to meet the opportunities and challenges of the changing world,” she opines.
She further emphasises that the government – at the very minimum – must create a plan that identifies pocket areas in which to create entrepreneurs and laboured skill forces based on the availability of resources.
Anju Shrestha
Founder, Three Eyes Cottage
A girl’s age for marriage is determined by her family’s socioeconomic background, traditions and customs and education. The average age of girls getting married in Nepal is 17 years, for uneducated females it is even lower. 37% of girls in Nepal marry before the age of 18, and 10% are still married by the age of 15.
At the age of 17, Anju Shrestha got married and settled with her husband in Chitwan. Anju’s husband was working in the hospitality industry and always dreamt of owning his own business. Anju fostered these dreams. Eighteen years ago, together they started a restaurant. Today Three Eye Cottage is a popular eatery specialising in Newari cuisine that is frequented by all age groups. The special touch comes from Anju’s cooking.
“Anju represents the face of a majority of Nepali women who struggle to balance work and home without complaint, smiling and bringing hope to the family.”
Anju represents the face of a majority of Nepali women who struggle to balance work and home without complaint, smiling and bringing hope to the family. The day starts at 5 am and the restaurant remains open until 9 pm every day of the week. The couple has seen their share of challenges often having to take loans to tide over bad times.
In the coming years, Anju aims to open three restaurants, one for each one of her sons. While Anju’s food is celebrated and enjoyed by the locals, Anju is determined to realise her goals.
Deepa Gurung
Founder, Green City Lalipap Udhyog
With her husband overseas and young children to raise, Deepa Gurung was struggling with finances. After her failed attempt at poultry farming, Deepa found work at a lollipop manufacturing business. After absorbing the art of making this confectionery, she took a loan of Rs. five lakhs and decided to set up her own lollipop business and established Green City Lalipap Udhyog in 2012.
Deepa started the lollipop industry with the aim of self sufficiency and to provide employment opportunities to women like herself who were having a hard time making money. Today she provides employment to 41 people of which 39 are females, most of them from disadvantaged backgrounds. Even her husband has returned and now helps with the venture. Made from Khuwa, their lollipops are famous and a popular gift to carry back from Eastern Nepal.
“You cannot be defeated and lose hope when you face losses, nor should you become arrogant when you are in profit.”
Success did not come easy to Deepa. It required her to work harder and not give up in the face of challenges. It also meant that she had proved her mettle in a patriarchal society. Today, she assures that the stereotypes of patriarchy do not prevail in her industry. She clarifies, “In my factory, women are doing jobs that men cannot do. It is hard work cooking the confectionery, but the women do it well”.
“My team is hard working and always willing to put in extra hours for which they are also paid overtime. Some of them earn much more than their spouses,” says Deepa with a glint of satisfaction.
Deepa chooses to see the brighter side of things and feels there are millions of possibilities for entrepreneurship in Nepal. However, she thinks that women must be courageous and determined to seize these opportunities. “You cannot be defeated and lose hope when you face losses, nor should you become arrogant when you are in profit,” opines Deepa.
Devi Dahal & Dhan Maya Thapa
Co-founders, Shri Satasi Mahila Mauri Palan Cooperative
Devi Dahal worked as a house help and Dhan Maya Thapa as a tailor before they decided to get into the beekeeping profession. Today, both are successful entrepreneurs who have also created an additional workforce of 2500 women entrepreneurs in the beekeeping business.
Neither of them had any formal schooling. But they did not miss the chance of undergoing vocational training in beekeeping when the opportunity arose.
“We have overcome many challenges and indignities to reach where we are. Today we are seen as role models.”
With sheer hard work and determination, they turned their beekeeping venture into a profitable business. In 2003, they established the Shri Satasi Mahila Mauri Palan Cooperative in Dudhe, Jhapa. Devi also works as an individual farmer and produces 6500 kgs of honey annually with a profit of Rs 3.5 million. “I was a very timid person with no confidence in myself. Becoming an entrepreneur was inconceivable in my mind but now that I am a successful woman entrepreneur, there can be no greater happiness,” says Devi.
A woman in our society is questioned for her abilities not just by society but by her own family. The socio cultural biases are so strong that many women tend to give up on their dreams and aspirations. Yet, both women not only overcame these challenges but are today considered role models of what a woman can achieve if she dares to step outside the confines of societal prejudice.
“Yesterday we did not have the confidence to handle a hundred rupees. Today we deal in lakhs and millions.”
Dhan Maya says, “People thought it was a mistake for women to step out of their homes to work as they would be neglecting the family. But not only did we become successful at work, we also managed our homes and families well”. Devi adds, “We have overcome many challenges and indignities to reach where we are. Today we are seen as role models”.
Bee-keeping has made both the women financially independent. Dhan Maya says, “Yesterday we did not have the confidence to handle a hundred rupees. Today we deal in lakhs and millions”. Both women are passionate about fostering the entrepreneurship ecosystem for other women. They offer free trainings as well as financial support to women who are willing to get into the beekeeping business.
Anushka Shrestha
Co-founder, Makkusé
Anushka Shrestha has traversed from the world of glamour to entrepreneurship with great style and effort in a short period of time. She established Makkusé in 2019, a venture that was born out of the need to bring greater value to a product that has its roots in strong Nepali identity, a brand that seeks to take traditional Nepali sweets and put it on the international culinary map.
Makkusé is a word in Newari language that roughly translates to something delicious. Makkusé offers five products – traditional pustakari, rosewater and pistachio gundpak, mocha gundpak, chocolate gundpak fudge cookies, and oats, gundpak and pumpkin seed cookies. All these products play on the theme of the traditional past, the playful present and the innovative future.
“While the process of creation is central to her work, self belief is what she feels drives her entrepreneurial journey.”
Problem solving and persistence are two traits that are inherent to an entrepreneur; Anushka has an abundance of both. Her business was born during the pandemic which meant she had to persist through many odds. While the process of creation is central to her work, self belief is what she feels drives her entrepreneurial journey.
