As part of the assessment team, I traveled to all 7 provinces of Nepal, covering 33 districts in total, with most of our visits being to rural areas in the Terai and Hilly regions. As someone who was born and raised in Kathmandu, this journey gave me a much wider perspective on what life is like in different parts of the country. I had the chance to see firsthand how people and communities live in these areas.
Reflecting on my journey of researching innovative micro-enterprises in Nepal has given me some key insights into how these businesses can contribute to sustainable development of rural communities and provide a solution to youth migration. Through interviews with the entrepreneurs associated with Buildup Nepal, I learned about their stories, challenges, and aspirations, which helped me understand the potential of micro-enterprises to create opportunities for young people in rural areas and keep them from having to migrate in search of work. Youth migration There is a trend among young people in rural Nepal to leave their villages and seek employment abroad, particularly in Gulf countries. In many villages, it is almost expected for a young person to go abroad to work. One of the main reasons we found is the lack of consistent work opportunities in the villages. On the bright side, many of the rural entrepreneurs we interviewed were migrant returnees with a strong desire to do something in their own communities. The money they earned working abroad has been invested in ventures that provide reliable employment opportunities for young people in the village. One example of this is a 19-year-old individual in Dumre, Udaypur district, who earns around NRs. 1200 per day working with CSEB micro-enterprise. He is satisfied with this work and feels that the earnings he is making are well worth the hard work he puts in. By being paid on a per brick basis, he has been able to maximize his earnings. Yet, as we walked through the villages, it was clear that there was a concerning trend of young people leaving to work abroad rather than staying in their own communities. In some villages, the streets were quiet, with only a handful of young people compared to the overall population. The limited number of young people was striking, and it was hard not to feel a sense of sadness as we imagined the struggles of the aging population left behind. Digital transformation On the brighter side, I observed that the digital economy holds great potential, particularly in rural areas. One of the most interesting findings of our study was the level of digital penetration even in remote parts of the country. When we asked entrepreneurs how they first heard about Buildup Nepal, the most common answer was that they heard it through YouTube or Facebook, where the organization has posted a number of informative videos. Even in a rural village in Siraha, we found that entrepreneurs were using the internet to find new ideas and opportunities. The widespread availability of internet access and smartphones, even in the most remote areas of Nepal, is only set to increase in coming years. This can be a game-changer for people living in these areas, giving them greater access to information and more opportunities to succeed. It is a sign that Nepal is well-positioned to take advantage of the digital economy and that people in rural areas are ready and willing to embrace new technologies. The fact that so many entrepreneurs were able to learn about CSEB bricks through the internet is a testament to the power of technology to connect people and create new opportunities. There is a huge potential waiting to be unlocked in rural Nepal, and better access to the internet and smartphones could be the key to unlocking it. Adopting the Buildup Nepal approach As I walked through the streets of Dadeldhura, I couldn't shake the image of a young mother struggling to make ends meet with her young child. Wearing worn-out clothes and carrying an infant on her back, she embodied the struggles and hardships faced by so many in rural Nepal. Despite the odds stacked against her, she persevered with determination in her eyes. It's moments like these that make me realize the importance of providing people with opportunities to make a living and improve their circumstances. Interviewing the Rawal family in Kanchanpur was a highlight of my trip to Nepal. Despite coming from an unprivileged socio-economic background, this close-knit family is making a real difference in their community through their micro-enterprise. With a total of six people working in the business, including both men and women, they're showing that women can play a vital role in rural economic development. What was most striking was the sense of enjoyment and unity that the Rawals brought to their work. They were all working together with determination and a shared goal, and it was inspiring to see it all. Meeting the Rawal family gave me hope for the future of rural Nepal and the potential for young people like the young mother I saw on the streets of Dadeldhura to create a better life for themselves and their families. It is evident that the Buildup Nepal model of providing a blueprint for an innovative yet feasible idea like CSEB bricks for rural entrepreneurs is working. Furthermore, digital penetration has allowed even remote areas of Nepal to gain awareness regarding the existence of such opportunities. Therefore, to address the issue of youth migration in villages, we need to create more micro-enterprises that can provide employment opportunities for young people in their own villages. This is a long-term problem that will require a concerted effort to solve, but the Buildup Nepal model has shown promise and can be further developed to help create an ecosystem where young people are eager to work in their own villages. Particularly in the field of agriculture, subsistence farming remains a reality for many people in rural areas, and addressing this issue will require a focus on improving efficiency and productivity in agriculture. Adopting approaches like the Buildup Nepal model, which has shown success in empowering rural entrepreneurs and creating jobs at the micro level, can help create a thriving rural entrepreneurship culture across Nepal. By providing training, guidance, and support for innovative & feasible ideas, we can help unlock the innovativeness and potential of rural entrepreneurs and create new opportunities for growth and development. Conclusion The Buildup Nepal model has had a significant impact in rural Nepal, with each enterprise building an average of 15 houses annually and creating around 10 jobs. This not only provides employment and housing for the local community, but also helps to reduce carbon emissions by saving 70 tons of CO2 annually. With this model spreading to more than 300 villages across Nepal, the impact quickly accumulates. By empowering rural entrepreneurs and providing them with the tools and support they need to succeed, we can help to create a thriving culture of rural entrepreneurship that can contribute to the overall development and prosperity of Nepal. More innovative ideas at the micro-enterprise level which can be replicated across multiple villages, holds great power in unlocking the future for rural Nepal. Buildup Nepal has proven this roadmap to be both feasible and actionable. Overall, my research trip has given me a deeper understanding and appreciation of the people and communities of rural Nepal. It wasn't just the construction of beautiful homes that left a lasting impression on me. It was the smiles on the faces of the people I met, the sense of unity that echoed through each village, and the pride they took in their work. These were the real highlights of my trip, and they left me with a renewed sense of hope and optimism for the future of rural Nepal. The author is currently working as a Data Analyst at Upaya
