Livelihood Fellowship: Subash Thapa

      Subash thapa  is one of the livelihood fellowship students who was selected Post Graduate diploma in disaster and Livelihood recovery program initiated by Tata institute of social science, TISS in association with Women Development Advocacy Center.

       Subash Thapa, is an undergrad student of Business administration from Lincoln College. He has worked as coordinator in Welcome to my yard foundation. Welcome to my yard is an organization that has been involved in inspiring and enabling, helping young street children get back on their feet. They have been encouraging and helping them in educational needs. And having worked in such an organization, he has developed a keen interest in working in social work background. He is specially interested in social entrepreneurship which would help country and community develop through business.

        
         One may not realize how important students in this background are. And not just for our country but worldwide. As pointed out by Liz Heimann, constant change in domestic and international environment has led to lots of natural disaster just last year among which includes massive earthquake in Nepal. And there are people providing charity and basic needs to the victims, there are not a lot of people who would actually go to the field to help. Passionate youths like Subash is a good example of people who are serious about helping others.  In a short write up interview, he shared with us how he is doing there, and he plans to do when he comes back.     

How did you come to pursue this course?

Though I come from a business background, I always had a interest in contributing to the society. I disliked how our country was running with disparity and discrimination. Street community peoples have been suffering a lot, especially since post-earthquake. So, Welcome to my yard has always been a way for me to work with street community peoples for their social, educational upbringing. 
         And being from Gorkha, one of the major places of earthquake, I saw the desolation that remained after the disaster. So, i could not help but notice the need for capable social workers in Gorkha. I want to uplift the social and economic status of Gorkha and my country. And when i heard about this course, I immediately felt the that I had to join it. 

How important is social work, especially with the recent earthquake and crisis. How important is it to you?

Well, Social workers are needed worldwide. we may not realize but social work is in great demand and not just because we had an earthquake. But because of other reasons like migration, climate change, natural disasters and much more. And being a social worker means not just working in these areas. It is a very flexible job. You could switch environment from government agency or offer counseling as private practitioner. Social worker play important role in hospitals, clinics and schools. And as a social worker you will face lots of challenges. And while it may be stressful, it also provides opportunity to make a difference and prompt changes. So, it’s a very important job and is needed in lots of sectors.
      To me it is specially very important. I come from business background and I envision myself being in a social business that brings change in society through business. Social business i think is an effective way for social and economic uplifting. I really would like to have a correct sense of social work before getting to business. So, personally social work is of great importance to me.  

How has the earthquake affected the livelihood of different individuals/groups in your community?

Gorkha was at the epicenter for the 2015 earthquake. This took a large toll on lives as well properties and industry. After the earthquake the livelihood of the people has been stripped away. When last I was visiting water access was a huge issue, with many people struggling to access safe and clean water. Most of resources have been stopped and people que up for several hours for a single jar of water. Because of the location of the epicenter of the earthquake, damage to houses has caused huge displacement of people as these houses are unsafe to live in and have not been repaired or rebuilt. Many people still live in tents and are essentially homeless. Farmers are not getting a proper place to collect their harvested crops. The cattle are still spending their nights under temporary roof. Many of the natural water resources have been dried up. The roads have been damaged which has made their life more difficult as the import-export of goods from those places have been slowed down. Many people are showing signs of trauma and experiencing mental health problems.

How severe was the impact?

NEPAL Earthquake 2015 affected the livelihoods of over 2.28 million households and 8 million people in 31 districts, with total damage and loss to livelihoods of NPR 28.4 billion (USD 284 million)The earthquake has pushed an additional 700,000 people below the poverty line Over 5 million workers have been affected, with about 150 million work days lost, 69% of which are in the agriculture sector About 135,200 tons of foodstuff, 16,399 large livestock, 36,819 small livestock, and 460,762 poultry animals have been lost More than 3.5 million people are food insecure, and some 180,000 people engaged in tourism are extremely vulnerable

The agriculture sector suffered total damage and loss of NPR 25.5 billion (USD 255 million), with maximum losses (86%) in Nepal’s mountains and hills The average value of per capita disaster effect is highest in the mountains (NPR 219,503/USD 2,195) and the lowest in Inner Terai (NPR 50,813/USD 508), with an average of NPR 130,115 (USD 1,301) in the 14 most affected districts The per capita disaster effect is positively correlated with poverty (0.46), indicating that less developed and poor communities, many of which are in mountain areas, endured a larger portion of disaster impacts Poor women and disadvantaged groups suffered more in terms of death, person years of life lost, injury, displacement, and impacts on other livelihood assets (Reference: www.icimod.org/resource/18890)

+Bnay Shrestha - Business Student, Music Enthusiast

This Blog post is as part of collaboration as View Your Choice,an outreach partner of WDAC

Off the Swivel Chair

Taking a break from the desk and chair, and entering the field, for a change. The field gives you fresh smell, inspires you and helps you strengthen your horizon, beyond the four walls of your office space and beyond the virtuality of the internet.

After merely a couple of weeks into a Shinghadurbarian research task and I had already felt like a Shinghadurbarian. Placed in a moderately facilitated spacious room, from 10 to 5, trying to create some magic formula for the whole country, but, distant from the reality of the soggy field, inside the walls of “Singhadurbar”.

I was not comfortable. I had to see the land being ploughed, feel the soil and inhale the air in the woods.

Begnas Coffee Farm, Lekhnath, Kaski:

The view of Begnas Taal from the Begnas Coffee Farm/Photographer: Sujan Adhikari

Consultation with some industry experts on the best business practices at the local level led me to Pachhvaiyaa, a couple of kilometres to the east of Pokhara.
Mr. Arjun Lamsal, the owner of the Begnas Coffee Farm, was engaged in agro business for many years.

The traditional method of subsistence farming that was going on for generations did not yield much economic reward for the family.
“I knew that I had to change my traditional mindset if I am to become a professional in this field”, said Mr. Lamsal, “I decided to have commercial orientation in cultivating Coffee- a realm in which I had some basic knowledge back then.”

He began coffee production at the small plot of land at this home. The fresh cherries of coffee from his garden would be sent to pulping centres in nearby town. And that was it.
In order to reap maximum benefits from coffee cultivation, he knew that he had to move forward in the value chain. But his scale of production was too low.

Mr. Lamsal, then, led the integration of the whole community in the coffee supply chain. He helped his fellow community members, right from planting the coffee to plucking fresh cherries after a couple of years.
“The cultivation of coffee by the whole community increased the supply of coffee cherries, which helped us move forward in the value chain”, Mr Lamsal says.

In the process of empowering the community, Mr. Lamsal empowered his family members as well. His wife and son currently manage the various aspect of the business operation, while Mr. Lamsal is more engaged in external affairs. I was pleasantly surprised to learn and see the leading role played by Mrs. Lamsal in managing the affairs of the firm. It is not often that we get to see women leading businesses, and that too in rural Nepal. Lamsal family is a perfect example of changing times in Nepal.

With the support of various government and non-governmental agencies, they were able to set up a pulping centre at their firm.
They have grown a lot since; from fresh cherries to dry parchment, green beans and finally, roasted bean, they do all the major work involved in the coffee supply chain at their own firm. They’re trying to make Begnas Coffee farm a mini resort. That would provide visitors an opportunity to learn about the other side their favourite hot drink.

The view of calm Begnas, over the coffee shrubs, seen through the window and, weather permitting, the sight of the majestic Himalayas, the mini resort would be an oasis of serenity to the people from a bustling city. Add the hospitality of the Lamsal family to that, “the mini-resort would be a mega hit” is hardly an overstatement.

On my way back to Pokhara that evening, I could not stop thinking about the wonders that Lamsal family had achieved. An enterprise entirely profit-oriented which has not only helped the family earn profits but also has had a large impact the whole community!

Income of the Lamsal family has gone up, and so has the income of their community members, engagement of women in entrepreneurship and leadership, poverty reduction, gender empowerment, equality – add your own labels to the story. The Lamsal family are an enterprise producing wonders in Nepal. I wonder what the situation will be if more Arjun Lamsals come up and more Begnas Coffee Farms are able to reach their actual business potential!

Later that day, over the evening tea I met a couple of journalists in Pokhara. I shared my thoughts on the power of entrepreneurship, to bring equality in the society and to bring progress. Sensing my eagerness to see the wonders in entrepreneurship, the journalist friends referred me to another community-based farm in Baglung. Some excellent works were being initiated in the district, with a potential to bring massive progress in the whole community.

I couldn’t wait to meet them. I made arrangements to travel to Baglung the very next day. As I went to sleep, I had a sense of comfort in my mind, something that I would not have experienced had I limited myself to the swivel chair at my office.
Nepal is changing and towards good.

((Hopefully) To be continued…)

Author: Sujan Adhikari is a Daayitwa Summer Fellow 2016 working with the Trade and Export Promotion Center, Ministry of Commerce.

View Your Choice is an outreach partner for Daayitwa.

Social Innovation Exchange

          Social entrepreneurship is a fast growing movement going on today world-wide. Social entrepreneurship simply means using business practices for the greater good of the society. And founder Director of Women Development Advocacy Center, Mr. Nanda Kishor Mandal  knows it pretty well. He is also the conference coordinator of 2016 International conference on social entrepreneurship event that happened on june 30 – july 1. The event was organized to bring academicians, investors, entrepreneurs and students into a single platform to discuss about the growing need of social entrepreneurship in Nepal.

          Social innovation, similarly, is an event for sharing innovative ideas and solutions to neglected social problems. This time it’s not about networking and talking but actually creating practical solutions for the good of the society. Mr. Nanda Kishor Mandal has been working for entrepreneurship development in Nepal from grassroots level, conducting programs and events.

            An event such as this is very necessary, especially for Nepal. Nepal has faced quite a lot in past two years and has faced lots of economic downfalls. People who were already in difficult position faced major infrastructural crisis when Nepal faced fuel crisis. Not just in Nepal but throughout the globe it has played major roles. In the United Kingdom, initiatives such as Big Society have been designed to find and scale up the best social innovations. And in Japan, social innovation are rapidly taking root in the rebuilding efforts following the 2011 tsunami and nuclear disaster, which left immeasurable destruction on the country’s physical, cultural, and socio-political landscape. Africa similarly has taken huge leaps in social and economic growth  in last 10 years through social innovations (note: to know more, read the article "path to a new Africa" in ssir.org). Amazingly, it is considered one of the fastest growing continents after Asia. Nepal, in the same way, needs to go through change for economic uplift through social innovation exchange.

             However, I know most people would consider this to be an event for small minority of people and does not mean much for the society. Whether or not they are something for a small minority of people, they are prompted by motivations that most people can personally relate to: to be an active member of society, to take part in social activities, to spend time with like-minded people, to reduce the environmental impact of one’s life, to care for others, and - in the case of downshifting - to have a better work-life balance.

              Lastly, social innovation exchange is a great podium for young students who are smart, driven and motivated for creating change. But that being said, it does not mean it is not for like-minded but lost and curious persons. But I do feel that everyone in the society wants to be more than just consumers. Everyone wants to be appreciated as a person, feel pride and dignity in what they do and this is something that cannot be bought in the market place. Social innovation exchange is such a platform where you are appreciated and have a chance to be part of something bigger that contributes to the society. With this, we, general public here have a chance to address the social problems and suggest possible solutions that can act as a framework for the better change tomorrow.

              Personally, I am definitely going to attend this program. And I can’t help but suggest that to those who have ideas and want to make change. The program is going to be held in Pokhara for a whole week starting august 21. 

For any details and queries you can contact  wdacnpl@gmail.com 

+Bnay Shrestha  - Music enthusiast, blogger, Business student