Young woman at work in the capital city

The young women described below are working in different fields and face various personal and work challenges. Nevertheless, they are independent, are setting examples in the society, and are braving their situations to stand on their own feet.[break]

BIJU LAMICHANNE, 27, married, carpenter

It is somewhat a different story for Biju who works at the factory for Bira Furniture at Patan Industrial Estate in Lalitpur.

The furniture factory is located at the corner of the Industrial Estate and the place is dusty with pieces of wood and furniture lying all over the place. There are many women like Biju who are focused in their work.

“We basically sand the wood with sandpaper, polish the furniture and do other sorts of furniture related works at the factory. We have to work all day in the dust,” explains she.

Due to insufficiency and to support her family financially, Biju started working at the factory seven years ago.

“Through my work, I’ve been able to sustain my family. But I wish I earned more so life would be easier,” says Biju.

But being hopeful, she adds, “In future, I want to become supervisor at the factory so I can raise the standard of my lifestyle. Then I would never have to worry about the next meal and about educating my children.”

GOMA PAHARI, 24, single, security guard

She has to stand for nine hours straight everyday for seven days a week. Working as a security guard at the Nepal Investment Bank, Pulchowk, since the last nine months, her work is undeniably strenuous and it demands a lot of patience.

Originally from Kavre, she has been living in the capital for the last four years. “I’m the only breadwinner of the family, so I’m working to sustain our lives. I started working early and have suffered a lot in life. I’ve done various low paying jobs before and have even worked as a laborer for constructing houses,” says Pahari.

While balancing her challenging job and her responsibilities at home, Pahari is also obliged to shun her social life as she doesn’t get holidays at all.

“Also, just because being a lady guard, I have often felt the discrimination as people sometimes behave in a demeaning way with me. There are instances when they pay no heed to what I have to say as a guard just because I’m a woman.”

But bearing the daunting hardships, she still exhibits positive attitudes. “Though people think that it’s a man’s job to be a security guard, I think that I’m also a human being and so have the right to pursue any kind of job. As long as I’m healthy, I’ll never stay unemployed.”

MIRA ROKA, 27, married, cleaner

Mira has been working as a cleaner at Civil Mall since the last three months. She has been doing this job for a long time and she doesn’t see herself doing anything else rather than this.

Before working at the mall, she had worked as a cleaner at a hospital and this has been her way of life ever since she can remember. She comments that a job of a cleaner is often ignored as people hardly notice the contributions from them.

“There are people who think that doing such a low-paying job affects their self-esteem but I’m not hesitant to do this work. I feel good that I’m making some financial contributions to my family,” says Roka.

She, however, feels that if she had studied, she could have ventured into other fields. So she finds no other option than doing what she does.

“I work eight hours everyday. I mop floors and basically clean the whole place. The work requires a lot of energy,” says Roka.

She, however, laments that it is difficult to run the house with the meager salary. “I wish that the amount we get paid was as equal as the efforts that we have to put in to our work.”

BHAGWATI MAHAT, 24, single, housemaid\cooperative agent

She started working at the age of 14 as a housemaid to financially support her family. Bhagwati Mahat, now, 24, living in New Road, is proud of the fact that though she never had any formal education, she is self-reliant as she is earning her own living in a burgeoning and competitive city like Kathmandu.

It’s been a year since she’s also been working as a money collector for Kailash Cooperatives in Kupondole. Mahat started with a salary of Rs 1,000 per month and has also been supporting her family back in Rautahat.

Mahat is of the opinion that a capable person can surpass any kind of obstacles in life. Balancing two jobs, nevertheless, is tough for her. “I’m living with the house owners and I help around the house with the usual chores the whole day. Then in the evening, from 3to 5pm, I visit different shops to collect money for the office.”

The only thing Mahat says she regrets in life is about how she couldn’t complete her education due to family issues. “Our financial condition was poor, so I got to study only upto grade six. Though I was reluctant, I had to quit.”

She raises the question that people are just being biased when she often hears them say that she is not doing a substantial job. “I think all work needs recognition. If we’re good enough, we can excel in any field. There’s no job good or bad. Unless we break that stereotype notion, our society isn’t going to change.”

Mahat is one among many such young women in the capital who are independent and working hard to make ends meet. There are some who are doing it to utilize their free time, or for pocket money, and also to reduce the financial burden at home.

NAINA CHETTRI, 24, single, waitress

She is swift in catering to the needs of the customers who are at the café. From preparing coffee to serving the same to the customers, Naina Chettri, 24, does it all at the Organic Mantra Fair Chakra Caf fine in Basantpur as a waitress.

Chettri has been working at the place since the last three years and she works eight hours a day. She always wears a smile and makes the customers feel at ease. You can really tell that she knows what she’s doing and loves it as well.

“This café is a part of me as I’ve been working here for a long time. Since it’s a small café, it’s really easier to deal with everything. The owners are there but I basically have been managing the whole place and I really love what I do.”

She puts in a lot of time at the café, which is why Chettri was unable to focus on her studies. “I couldn’t complete my Bachelor’s level due to work as it’s really difficult to manage work and studies at the same time. I’ve learnt that you can’t put your heart and mind into two things.”

Her commitment and enthusiasm for work is what made Chettri choose work over studies. She also doesn’t regret for not completing her studies in time.

As for now, Chettri doesn’t plan to do anything else except work as a waitress. “I’m just going with the flow. Let’s see where time takes me. But I really want to keep working as a waitress as I believe that this is my forte.”

NISHI SHARMA, 19, single, salesgirl

It’s hard not to notice the vivacious and confident Nishi Sharma, 19, who has been working as a salesgirl at a store in Civil Mall, Sundhara, since a year. This is her first job, which she started right after her +2 exams to stay occupied and earn some pocket money.

Sharma’s original hometown is Patna, India, and has been living in the capital for 13 years. “I get all sorts of reactions and comments. At times, it even feels awkward when I think of how my friends would perceive about the job that I’m doing.”

But she thinks that all of that is overshadowed by the satisfaction she gets by earning on her own. Sharma is also pursuing a diploma course in interior designing and is also a student of BBS first year at the same time.

“It’s challenging to deal with different kinds of customers. At the same time, through such interaction, I also learn a lot which is helping me to be an extrovert.”

She remembers the instances when she really wanted to buy a product from the store but could not afford it. “Sometimes it’s really tempting but on what I earn, I really can’t splurge and waste all my money.”

A girl of strong conviction, Sharma believes that to reach a higher level, we all need to start from scratch. “The job of a salesgirl is often looked down as people think that it’s not a career which can be pursued. But I think educated people like us should set the example of how we should be able to work anywhere if it’s helping us to sustain our lives.”