Women's Bank Part 2: Radhika's Story

The reception in the village of Ghushel had been emotional and heartfelt, and we had learned a great deal about the work of the Women's Bank in rural Nepal . We had the opportunity to hear more about loans that support women's entrepreneurship, and we were thirsty to hear more about what doing business here really looks like? We would soon find out.

We hiked for a quarter of a mile following our guide through the hilly fields, waving to curious onlookers as we passed. We were on our way to meet a woman who had received a loan from Naisten Bank for her business. When we arrived, about 30 buffalo were revealed from behind the heavy barn door - a large herd by the scale of the farms in the area. After a quick greeting to the buffaloes and cute calves, we headed to the home of Radhika, who runs the farm.

In addition to Radhika, her mother-in-law, who lives with Radhika and helps with the maintenance of the farm, was there to meet us. The mother-in-law was a cheerful and lively woman who was wildly excited about our visit. As we discussed her experiences at the cooperative, Radhika's face shone with joy and pride at her own achievements.

Radhika told how she had taken a loan and bought only two buffaloes to begin with. He explained that animals are expensive and taking care of them requires hard work. He sold milk every day to get enough money for food for his family, to start paying back the loan and to be able to invest a little back into his business. Later, Radhika started raising buffaloes due to which the milk production increased and she was also able to sell a few animals at a good profit. In a few years, his business, which started with two buffaloes, had grown into a successful farm that now employs two people from outside the family. When we asked how it feels to be able to offer work to others, the smile on Radhika's face said it all.

The journey continued, and throughout the day we met more women who have taken loans to start a farm, make jewelry or for other projects. We saw how hardworking and persistent these women really are, because the loan amount is only enough for a small start. However, the sense of ownership and empowerment brought by entrepreneurship and independence has awakened something in the women that has made them turn that small beginning into something much bigger.

On our bumpy ride back to Kathmandu, we talked non-stop about how much of an impact these women who are successful in their own communities and are changing cultural paradigms had made on us. We felt great pride in being able to participate in the work done by Naisten Bank. We hope that our customers share the same feeling when purchasing our products and being the end consumers who ultimately make our mission possible.