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A Tale of Three Entrepreneurs: Highlights from Nepal

Fish, cosmetics, gifts—seemingly no market is left untapped in the growing network of entrepreneurs in Nepal.   

Higher Ground, a PW partner in Kathmandu, offers loans to small business owners through their Entrepreneurial Development project, giving local individuals the resources they need to launch their business or enable their existing business to grow. The following are three of the ten entrepreneurs they have resourced. 

Sapana

Sapana's warm and welcoming personality sets the tone for her work, and when it comes to accessories and gifts, Psalm’s Collection has created a name for itself by providing quality service for almost 10 years.

However, in recent years, similar businesses have grown rapidly and the competition has given Sapana new challenges in maintaining her business.   

These challenges impact Sapana and her family, but also other members of the community. Since launching her business, Sapana had contributed a percentage of the income to a local scholarship fund, but needed to stop those contributions when Psalm’s Collection began to struggle. 

Because of the loan, she and her husband are planning to not only expand their storefront and give it a fresh new look, but also open branches in other locations and continue investing in the life of their community. 

Sapana in her gift shop
Sapana in her gift shop

Nantu

Nantu is a passionate agriculturist who has made farming her lifestyle.  

She has decades of experience in soap making, commercial pickle making, and commercial farming, and in her mid-fifties, Nantu built up the courage to explore a new entrepreneurial journey with a vision to create more employment opportunities for women in her community. Since 2016, she and her husband have been producing seasonal vegetables and poultry products.  

Now they are planning to start a fishery after years of market research and training.  So far, they have been able to employ one couple, a number they plan to grow as their business expands. 

Nantu at work
Nantu at work

Deepak

Deepak came to Kathmandu to study theology. He is now in bi-vocational ministry—assisting and traveling with the pastor at his church and running a small business.  

Deepak and his family own a small cosmetics shop. His vision behind opening this shop was to build good relationships with the people in his community, create jobs, and share the gospel.  

The resources from Higher Ground enable him to expand his shop according to customer demand and offer more employment opportunities to his neighbors.  

Each of these entrepreneurs has learned to think creatively, research carefully, and network compellingly as they endeavor to grow their businesses and invest in the flourishing of their communities.

Their small businesses play an important role in the development of Nepal’s employment infrastructure, and the life of the Partners Worldwide network in the South Asia Region. PW is committed to walk alongside Higher Ground, helping them support their clients with training materials and other resources as they strengthen and grow their businesses going forward. 

 

 

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