Joseph Murmu, 43 years is a residence of Jahada Rural Municipality-3 Morang and the only breadwinner in his family where are his mother, a wife, and 2 children. Joseph worked overseas for 9 years and came back to Nepal with empty hands. After returning from Malaysia, it was a big burden to him to feed his family by generating working in the agricultural field daily wage labor. The COVID-19 pandemic took that earning as well and put him and his family at greater risk.
At the same time, BICWS has was announcing for an opportunity for the Start and Improve your Business training, targeting the people like Joseph in his area. Knowing all the details, Joseph showed his interest and gave the application. He was able to addend all 5 days training and understood what the root cause of poverty and how people can overcome it with the help of small business. “Through the training, I realized how I can maximize the income,” says Joseph. “I started to engage my wife in income-generating activity so make money together and fulfill the household needs together,” says Joseph.
He also came up with an idea to start a small mobile food stall in the community and sells food in school and market. Her wife and mother liked the idea and took a loan from the cooperative that was provided by BIC. After getting a 75 thousand seed loan from BICWS, they started a mobile snacks shop. Whereas he purchased an electric rickshaw for the earning.
“Now our Chatpate (food stall) has been very famous in our area,” says Parbati Marandi, wife of Joseph. Parbati sells the snacks in community schools and marketplace that opens once a week. “We are making a profit of 500-700 per day,” says Parbati happily. They also started saving the money in local cooperatives where they can get interest in their saving.
My son and daughter-in-law are earning good money and feeding good food for us” said Salome, a 70-year-old mother of Joseph. She expressed her gratitude to BICWS for providing opportunities for economic development.
The residence of the southern Morang is Mandal, Santha, Rajbansi and others marginalized group. Most people of this area depend on substantial agriculture. Agriculture is seasonal, and in the off-season, they remain at home as there are no industries and other work opportunities which is pushing them into deep poverty.
Knowing this situation, BIC took initiative to provide an opportunity to work and grow. BICWS has provided the “Start and Improve Your Business Training” for the 23 marginalized families, especially those that returned from outside Nepal due to the COVID-19 pandemic and provided an opportunity to become self-sustainable.
Joseph’s mother preparing onion for the food stall 
Parbati preparing things at home 
Jagan receiving certificate of 5 days training
