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On July 9, government spokesperson Yubaraj Khatiwada had announced the Cabinet decision to resume the services of local public vehicles, including taxies, by adhering to health and safety protocols. According to new rules, apart from the driver, only two passengers and a child below the age of five, if from the same family, are to be allowed in the taxi. The same provision applies now that the odd-even number system is gone with the lifting of the Covid-19 lockdown.  

Following the July 9 announcement, taxi services resumed. With most public busses still out of operation, the taxi drivers should have benefitted, but that was not the case. Taxis are still short of passengers.

Fasta Bahadur Magar, 34, from Bhaktapur who started his taxi service a couple days after the Cabinet decision, is despondent. “Before, I used to get 4-5 trips a day but now it is one or two trips,” he explains. “Many people prefer take to foot if their destination is within 30-40 minutes walking distance”.

Mohan Shrestha, 42, from Maitidevi, another taxi driver, had been waiting for six hours for his first passenger when APEX caught up with him. Shrestha does not expect things to drastically improve so long as the airport is not back in full operation and hotels restaurants don’t reopen.

Similarly, Rinjing Sherpa, 34, a taxi driver from Boudha, states, “Now, I am earning Rs 600-700 a day.  Deducting petrol, maintenance, and owner’s share, I earn Rs 200 a day. How can I run my household on such a meager income?”

For his part, says New Buspark’s Dipak Bhattarai, 33, “Neither can we charge according to our will, nor do we get passengers. Things are difficult.” On the first day after the end of the nationwide lockdown, Bhattarai had made two trips till 2:30 pm, which was “a great improvement from the previous days yet hardly back to normal.”

As regards health and safety measures, all four taxi drivers keep hand sanitizer in their vehicles. They also claim to only allow passengers who are wearing masks, and request them to use sanitizer before entering their taxi. “When someone, in a rare case, comes without a mask I ask him/her to buy a medical mask, otherwise I refuse to go,” adds Shrestha. 

They are also asking the government to revise fares. The old rates are outdated, they complain.

Both Sherpa and Magar say the taxi owners have been supportive. They have waived off the daily fixed charges drivers owe the owners. Whatever is left is shared on a 50-50 basis.

In the case of the drivers who own their taxis, loan installments are a headache. “Resumption of taxi services has given banks and house owners an excuse to collect their dues from us,” says Shrestha. He was unaware of the recent Nepal Rastra Bank monetary policy that plans on easing loan payments for those hit by Covid-19. When informed about the policy, he replied, “Our government is quick with plans, but always fails in implementation.”

Thousands of taxi drivers make—there are around 11,000 taxies in Kathmandu valley—depend on daily wages to earn their livelihood. Most of them are struggling to make their ends meet.

We have all heard about blood and organ donations. But donate hair? Yep, whether you have heard about it or not, you can donate your hair right here in Nepal.

Earlier, cut hair that accumulated in salons and parlors in Kathmandu were disposed off as waste. This was until Koshish Nepal, an NGO, joined hands with Mayas Beauty Parlor to collect hair from willing donors and turn them into wigs for those who have lost hair for medical various reasons. “Koshish Nepal makes wigs for cancer patients or those suffering from hair loss for other medical reasons,” says Sujina Silpakar, the NGO’s president. The organization, established a year and half ago, is first-of-its-kind.

Lalitpur’s Manisha Dulal, 26 had donated her hair in December 2019 before going to Australia. “The concept was still very new back then. It was by pure chance that I found about Koshish online and decided to donate my hair.”

 Another donor Anjita Pathak, 25, from Chitwan also donated her hair for the first time in August 2019. “I was wanted to donate but was struggling to find the right channel before a friend suggested Koshish Nepal,” she says, adding that she plans to donate again.

Namrata Pradhan, 25, also from Chitwan, has a similar story. She also donated her hair to Koshish Nepal through Mayas Beauty Parlor a year ago. “I have witnessed hair loss in cancer patients many times. I thought the least I could do for them is give them my hair,” she says. 

Mayas Beauty Parlor and Koshish Nepal had also co-organized a hair donation campaign in 2019. “As far as I know, we’re the first and only salon facilitating hair donation in Nepal,” says Gita Giri of Mayas Beauty Parlor. According to Giri, Koshish Nepal has a team of doctors and nurses who oversee the health of potential hair recipients and determine if they are ready for the wigs.

Giri says Nepali women from as far afield as the US and Australia have been in contact, expressing their interest in hair donation. “The response has been overwhelming. Now even men can donate their hair,” she adds. The donors also get certificates.

“It’s a win-win: We do not charge for hair-cut and the needy patients get hair for free,” Giri says. 

It’s not an easy process though. Hair from around 15-20 donors is needed just to make a single wig. Altogether, it takes 3-4 months to prepare. Six or seven people had been donating their hair on each event before the Covid-19 outbreak put a stop to it.

As the concept of hair donation is still new, people have many misconceptions about the process, Giri explains. Most people do not know about it and even when someone wants to donate, they are skeptical about whether their donation will reach the intended beneficiary.

“I initially had my doubts, but then Koshish Nepal was a credible organization. They even gave me a certificate,” Pathak, the donor, adds. Other donors also express their satisfaction and laud the transparency in the process.

To maintain such transparency, videos and photos of the donated hair are regularly posted on social media and the donors are informed. Lack of funding is the main crutch for the charity work. “There is a high demand of hair from cancer patients but with our limited funding and resources, we’re struggling to meet the demand,” she says.

Ludo, the modern version of the classic Indian strategy board game Pachisi, these days comes in many funky mobile avatars. As such, it is quite popular among the youths (When was it not, really?). Every day, countless invitations are sent out on Facebook to join and play Ludo Club. This scribe, for instance, gets invited to the Ludo Club several times a day.

Perhaps no popular tea stall or eatery in Nepal is without a small group of young people huddled together to play Ludo over a mobile phone. It’s handy, too: You don’t need a physical board, or money, or any other special arrangement—only your trusted phone.

Until a few years ago, Ludo was considered a largely family board-game or a pastime for close friends. You also needed a physical board.

Sanat Kumar Regmi, 30, from Kathmandu, reminisces how it was playing Ludo on a paperboard. “Playing Ludo on an actual board had a certain appeal. Gathering of friends for Ludo felt like special occasion.” However, for him, playing Ludo on the mobile phone is also a good way to beat lockdown boredom. “It is an easy way to keep myself entertained when I am alone.”

Although the feeling of excitement is different, playing Ludo through Facebook as an instant game is no less entertaining for Regmi. Players can chat with each other and play at the same time, he says. In addition, they can be in-call with other players through messenger while they play. And as it is on Facebook, anyone around the world can play with you.

If you are conscious of your phone’s storage, Facebook Ludo is nothing to worry about either. It is tiny compared to other games and with a good internet doesn’t take more than a mouse click’s time to load. Since Facebook launched Ludo Club in 2016; at any given time, it now has 18 million active players.

Achyut Nepal, 24, from Hetauda, says he plays Ludo through Facebook everyday. “Especially, when I play with my friends or relatives abroad, it feels like a reunion. I become so happy to connect with them,” he says. He has also installed Ludo Neo-Classic from Google Play. “Though the offline game is not as interesting as online playing, I, as a Ludo lover, can go for 2-3 games in a day against my phone.”

Reshma Bisunke, 18, from Dhading, claims Ludo Neo-Classic is light in size in both online and app versions. “Unlike Free Fire and PUBG, it consumes far less internet data,” she explains.

Facebook Ludo is also simple, and the rules are easy. When played on mobile phone, you just need to tap your screen. There is no fear of catching the dreaded coronavirus from someone else, nor do you need a high IQ. Perhaps these are the reasons the game is so popular among people of all age groups.

But Facebook’s recent removal of the Games tab from the Facebook messenger app is a little annoying for some. Now, you can invite friends to play only through the Facebook app. “Yes, it’s a little irksome. But since we can do it via the Facebook app, it’s not a big deal as well.”

And you can always play offline by yourself or with friends through downloaded apps.

A popular Nepali app

Ludo Neo-Classic, an app developed and published by Jeevan Shrestha in 2015, has already crossed 25 million downloads in Google Play, with an overall rating of 4.1. It is the first Nepali app to reach that milestone, leaving other popular Nepali apps like e-Sewa and Hamro Patro far behind. There are hundreds of other Ludo apps in the digital stores, and they too have significant user bases in Nepal. This speaks of the growing popularity of Ludo as a mobile game in the country.

“At first, it was mostly people from India and Pakistan who downloaded the app. But later Nepali people got quite interested too,” says Shrestha. “Downloads from Nepal is increasing by the day.”

Ludo Neo-Classic is also customized for online playing, but it’s not available for all users at the moment. Enthused by its popularity, Shrestha is working to make it available for all those who want to play online.

Since 1934 the national School Leaving Certificate (SLC) examination has been considered the most important educational milestone in the life of a Nepali. Passing the SLC exam opened the gate for civil service and higher education. In 2017, the government changed the name of SLC to SEE (Secondary Education Examinations) and replaced the marking system with the grade system.

For the first time in the illustrious history of this exam, the 2020 version of it had to be canceled due to the Covid-19 crisis. The plan is now to evaluate students based on their performance in other exams conducted throughout the academic calendar. But this provision has also confused many students. APEX caught up with some students who were scheduled to appear for SEE 2020 to solicit their views on the cancelation and the prospect of getting certificates without clearing the exam.

Health is wealth

Sadikshya Ghimire

Canceling the Grade 10 SEE and promoting students to grade 11 without it is a good decision. We couldn’t risk our lives by going to the exam center. As we were taught, health is wealth. We now hope the way they are going to mark us is sorted as soon as possible.

A+ hopes dashed

Anurag Sahani

Canceling SEE is not a good idea. It’s worse for me. I was hoping to get A+ with hard work. But if we are to be evaluated based on previous tests and internal exams, I will get only ‘A’. I am mighty upset. 

Precious time saved

Sujan KC

There was a genuine fear of the spread of Covid-19. Had the government not acted so quickly, precious time of the students would have been wasted. For me, it was a good decision to cancel the nationwide SEE and evaluate students based on the already-conducted school exams. I also advise the government to start Grade XI at the earliest possible date.

Stuck with old grade

Kushal Shrestha

SEE was my last hope to improve my GPA. Since one month ahead of the scheduled exam, I was studying hard and revising the whole course. So the cancellation of the SEE didn’t exactly thrill me.

Responsible thing to do

Prabha Poudel

Canceling SEE was the best possible decision amid the ongoing crisis. If Covid-19 virus had infected someone during the exam, who would take responsibility? And delaying the decision would have made matters worse for students. We have sat in many exams during our school life. Our hard work can be evaluated on that basis.

Hard work wasted

Sinoj Ranapal

It is not good. I was not as serious in preparing for internal tests and exams as I was for the SEE. I was actually studying really hard. I am also a bit skeptical about the transparency of grading. It is likely that only the students close to the teachers will get good grades in internal assessment. 

Made peace with it

Prabin Giri

I think the government did the right thing. One can only imagine what would have happened if one or more exam centers had been infected. Health is more important than studies. Though my tests and internal exams were not that satisfactory, I am nonetheless happy with the cancellation.

Topper bias

Pranjal Siwakoti

I strongly disagree with the government decision. For class-toppers who had studied well for internal exams, this is perhaps okay. But I am not satisfied with its impact on average students who had a very high expectation from the SEE.

Tirtha Raj Awasthi, a 37-year-old pharmacist from Pokhara, has donated blood sixty-one times till date. He derives immense satisfaction from the knowledge that his blood could potentially save one or more lives. 

Awasthi donated blood for the first time back in 2003 at a community event in Asan, Kathmandu. A couple of years later, his cousin died from blood cancer while undergoing treatment. During his cousin’s treatment, Awasthi had ensured that he got enough blood of the required B-positive group. Awasthi’s involvement in arranging blood for his dying cousin gave him a mission in life. “From that time, I committed myself to donating and arranging blood for needy patients,” he says. 

Associated with the Nepal Voluntary Blood Donors’ Society, he is a well-known donor. Awasthi encourages all healthy people to donate blood to ensure its smooth supply. He remembers when even the most abundant blood group (B-positive) was once in short supply. “I used to appeal to people to donate blood through hand-written pamphlets that I would stick on hotels, shops, and local buses,” he recalls. 

Awasthi cycles to different parts of the country to promote blood donation. 

Suresh Manandhar, 22, from Bhaktapur, has donated blood seven times through an organization called BloodPal, a community of volunteers that connects blood donors to emergency recipients. 

“I am now eagerly waiting for my eighth donation,” Manandhar says. He shares how he was fearful during his first donation. “I felt nervous that time at the Bhaktapur blood bank. But my fear evaporated as soon as I realized what my help meant for the needy family.”

Kapil Dev Bhatta, 31, from Kathmandu, has already donated blood thirteen times. Whenever he gets a call for donation or sees a blood requirement post on social media, he rushes to donate. 

Since his first donation in 2011, he has accumulated both ‘good and bad experiences’. He thinks it is wonderful to be able to save someone’s life. Yet he also feels sad whenever he is deemed unfit for donation, which has happened a few times. 

“I was sent away thrice because of my low blood pressure. Usually, my blood pressure is average or a bit lower than average. Whatever the case, I am determined to donate blood, and will continue to do so,” he says. 

Awasthi, Manandhar, and Bhatta are among the many active blood volunteers in Nepal. They feel happy people are beginning to understand the importance of blood donation, and that the number of donors is rising. 

For healthy adults, experts suggest donating blood every three months. Donating blood not only saves lives; it is also good for the donor’s health. Prior to the donation, potential donors are checked for the right pulse, blood pressure, hemoglobin level, as well as for various kinds of Hepatitis, and HIV. “It is thus a good way to know the health status of your body,” Bhatta says.

Challenges galore

Although there is growing enthusiasm about donating blood, there are challenges as well. “People hesitate to donate when they see that our donation camps and blood banks are not properly organized,” Bhatta says. “People are also often doubtful about whether the blood they give will be put to good use.”

There is also this assumption that anyone with the same blood group can donate and receive blood, which is not true. People also keenly post and share ‘blood wanted’ items on social media without giving much information. “Just mentioning the blood group is not enough. The kind of donor varies according to what is needed: whole blood, PRP, platelets, or other things,” adds Awasthi. He says the more information people give, the easier it is to find the right match. 

The stock in the Nepal Red Cross Society blood bank sometimes goes unused as people first hit social media these days. “As soon as they know blood is required, the kin of patients start posting on social media asking for potential donors to come forward. Little do they realize the bank may already have the required blood,” adds Manandhar. 

Moreover, in many cases, some fees are levied against the pre-donation tests. There is also no uniformity in the fees. “The business motive evident in what should be life-saving charity is most unfortunate,” says Awasthi. 

The lockdown has added to the difficulties. There is the fear of contracting the dreaded coronavirus. Ram Subedi from Kathmandu, who is just 20, says he is eagerly waiting to donate blood for the first time—but only when the pandemic dies down. According to Manandhar, mobile camps are difficult to organize, and absence of vehicles is yet another problem for emergency donors.

Despite the lockdown, organizations like Nepal Voluntary Blood Donors’ Society and BloodPal have continued to organize donation programs by following social distancing and other safety norms. “Many of us are working to ensure a smooth supply of blood for patients in these difficult times. We realize it is a matter of life and death for many,” observes Awasthi.

It started in 2011 as a Facebook page posting information about Nepal banda (general strike called by political parties and enforced by their vandals), load-shedding, and a few jokes. Over the years, the page would evolve into a behemoth with over 1.8 million followers—in addition to having over 700,000 Instagram followers. Routine of Nepal Banda, abbreviated RONB, is these days a popular and celebrated Facebook page for news and information.

“I usually wait for Routine of Nepal Banda to confirm news or information. When I see it posting, it is kind of ‘confirmed’ for me,” says Sudip Poudel, 27, an accountant from Kathmandu. Paudel is among the many youths who reckon RONB is a trustworthy source of information.

Nerajan KC, 21, an IT student from Kathmandu, says RONB is quite an addiction for him. “I scroll the page at least three times a day until my thirst for news, facts, photography, and other useful content is satisfied for the day.”

Likewise, RONB is a reliable source for Mishree Thapa from Chitwan who has just reached 20. “It spreads correct news, not rumors,” she says.

Victor Paudel, 26, the page admin, was pursuing a college bridge course in Kathmandu after school when he started the page. “Besides our hard work, the unique page name is also behind its popularity,” says Paudel.

The page practices citizen journalism, sourcing news and information from people from every part of Nepal, and is run by a team of volunteers spread across the country.

RONB is a reliable source of information for Nepalis at home and abroad. “It is unlike traditional sources for news and information. It is also a good platform to promote and foster hidden Nepali talents in both national and international arena,” says Madan Raj Sigdel, 24, who is currently in Sydney, Australia. 

There is a two-way communication with the visitors. As per admin Paudel, “Through thousands of comments, reacts, share, and hundreds of messages, we are 24/7 connected to our readers, followers, and the general public. They are our reporters, evaluators, promoters—everything really.”

This two-way communication has helped RONB understand people’s likes and dislikes. Sometimes mistakes are corrected when someone point them out in the comments, according to Paudel.

The page does not rush to break news. If it is a little slow, that probably means it is trying to verify information. “Unless something is urgent, we don’t worry about being late. But we don’t want to give wrong information,” says Paudel. The RONB team tries to verify info through various means, including local authorities, residents, and other news sources.

Another noteworthy feature of the page is the use of short (6-7 line) paragraph posts and a simple language along with related photos. Some posts are in Roman Nepali, which many Nepalis use for texting. Even when it uses English, the language is simple enough for nearly everyone to understand.

The page claims to be engaging 3.5 million people a month. “The responses are motivating. People request us to post more often and with more detail. They want more and we are trying to constantly update ourselves,” adds Paudel.

The page also encourages photography talent and promotes Nepal’s tourism in this way. Bishal Humagain, a freelancer travel/landscape photographer from Lalitpur, says the page has proven to be a great platform for him to showcase his skills, right since the start of his career.

Maybe due to its wide following, RONB contents become viral in no time. Encouraged by its success, the RONB has now registered as a media company, and is planning a full-fledged news portal. The team is developing an app too.

Currently, the page survives on advertisements from movies, events, and private businesses. “We have multiple teams looking after different things. Our success depends on teamwork,” adds Paudel. 

He considers the infancy of social media and poor internet bandwidth as major problems for Nepali online media.

As it is not an official media portal, RONB is also facing some difficulties, for instance in its inability to access political content. It is hard to cover the field as a Facebook page, Paudel says.

The new news portal should take care of that, and RONB’s growth and popularity could further grow. 

Have saleable skills? Want to be a self-employed? Or are you looking for a particular household service? You may then want to create an account with SeWahh. This one-of-its-kind Nepali platform brings service providers and seekers together for a variety of everyday household needs. This is unlike the e-commerce platforms in Nepal that have mostly focused on selling products.

SeWahh calls itself a ‘full-service digital marketplace for personalized local services’ to households and businesses across Nepal. Here you will find services ranging from home cleaning and on-site fridge repair to home salon to personal fitness training.

The portal, started a year ago by Subidha Sewa Group, has been providing recruiting, outsourcing, facility management, and personalized local services, for the past 16 years.

 What’s on offer?

Some essential indoor services include: plumbing, computer repair and maintenance, electrician, microwave repair, washing machine repair, and A/C repair. There are unique offerings like astrology and bridal make-up as well. Under home cleaning, there is deep kitchen cleaning, Nepali carpet cleaning, and whole apartment cleaning.

“SeWahh professionals use only tested and verified chemicals,” claims Ajay Raj Joshi, CEO. 

“We specialize in repairing and maintenance services. Perhaps due to our 30-day post-service guarantee and insurance, our client base is increasing,” Joshi says. “We also aim to create jobs.”

The guarantee means, if a client feels the service is below par, they will get a free 30-day service. And if items are damaged due to mishandling, there is insurance cover of up to Rs 20,000. 

With the start of the lockdown, SeWahh started different kinds of online classes and trainings as well, including academic tuitions for school and college students, art and painting classes, music lessons, and yoga and gym sessions.

Bidhata Upreti, a dental surgeon by profession, is happy with the music class she has been taking through SeWahh. “The classes are interactive and helpful,” she says on the SeWahh Facebook page. 

These classes offer one-on-one sessions, barring home tuitions where a group may have up to four students. Students from class 1-12 and A-levels can enroll for these home tuition classes. “It is for the students who need extra training besides their regular school or college classes,” adds Joshi.

SeWahh conducts interactive parent-teacher meets. These half-hour once-a-month meets help both parents and teachers know about the student’s progress and needs, claims Joshi. Moreover, there are separate evaluations for each student.

How it works

SeWahh runs a website and a Facebook page. Clients can visit the website, select the service, register, login, and purchase by choosing time and date. After confirming with the clients, SeWahh employees contact registered service professionals nearby. After completion of the job, they contact the clients again to ensure satisfactory job completion. Those with no Internet access may call and place an order. 

For online classes and training, students and trainees choose the time and courses, as well as from the available teachers or trainers. Multiple platforms are used for online classes, as per the convenience of students and teachers, with Zoom and Google Meet the most popular ones. 

 Interested professionals create an account with SeWahh and go through a selection process before being hired. “We only hire professionals with a minimum 2-3 year experience,” Joshi says. The company has a group of consultants to test the qualifications of job aspirants. This helps maintain service quality and to cut down on flaws, Joshi adds.  The professionals also get skill development training from time to time. 

Clients can pay through eSewa or bank transfer. Or they may pay the service provider directly with cash upon the completion of the task. SeWahh charges a certain amount from the professionals as per a prior agreement for using the platform.  

After encouraging response from its clients, SeWahh is planning to add home massage and saloon for males.

The lockdown has prompted many to turn to online services. But e-commerce is still nascent in Nepal, and the road ahead unclear. Many areas of Nepal are still devoid of reliable Internet. Nor is the government supporting e-commerce. “It has no plan to help us,” Joshi rues.

Growing boredom

Sukharaj KC, 27, chef

Economically, I have not faced many problems as I am still getting half my salary. The main problem is mental. Negative thoughts constantly disturb my mind. Sometimes, I get very anxious. I am in the hospitality industry, and am unsure when it will resume. As I am someone who loves to hang out, growing boredom is a big concern.

Feeling cooped up

Sudip Shrestha, 25, karate trainer

Even though I have no problem procuring essential stuff, I am having great difficulty with my training. I have to teach and learn moves virtually, at the same time. In addition to karate, I teach Shotokan too. The space in my house is small, and I can’t move around much to be able to execute all my moves properly. And it is of no wonder that the internet connection is problematic.

Lonely and broke

Sachin Acharya, 22, teacher

As I am a teacher, I used to be surrounded by students nearly all the time. Now, to be confined inside a home all the time has made me rather lonely. I have supported my family with whatever I earn. But because of the lockdown I could not get my salary on time. Nor is farming easy, which I am thinking of as a possible alternative.

Hard to make children understand

Laxmi Subedi, 56, social worker

I run an orphanage. Lockdown has disturbed our lives, not in one but many ways. I fear about my children. The lockdown has hampered their studies and they have become addicted to gadgets. The unavailability of healthy and nutritious diet for them is another problem. I find it difficult to make them understand the situation and to keep them calm.  

Wasting precious time

Sushmita Shiwakoti, 23, student

For a student, nothing matters more than their studies and career. The shutting down of my college due to the lockdown causes me great distress. I realize that I am wasting my previous study time. I also miss my friends.

Job only half-done

Kapil Dev Bhatta, 31, insurance company employee

Though the office has been closed for long, I do not face great economic hardship. I had saved some money. What I miss is not meeting my friends. The difficulty of getting daily essentials is another headache. Important office jobs are pending, even though we are working from home. We haven’t been able to provide full service to our clients, and that upsets me every day. 

Stuck in wrong country

Bandana Magar, 25, nail technician

It has been four months since I came to Nepal from the US. Now, the lockdown has delayed my return. I am feeling stressed because if the delay stretches for over six months, re-entry will be difficult. I have been supporting my family economically, but now that is not possible as I am stuck here. I am worried my dreams may be dashed.

Far too much screen-time

Dipesh Dhakal, 20, IT student

Attending online classes has been hard during the lockdown. Feedbacks were limited, so I am unsure whether I learned properly. Being continuously on to the laptop has brought headaches and eyestrain. Moreover, I miss the classroom atmosphere.