Nabin Khadka: Once unemployed now an employer

Twenty-six-year-old Nabin Khadka, a resident of Dhudhe VDC in Jhapa district, comes from a large family of 8 members. With limited land it owned and absence of other income-generating opportunities in the village, the family, literally, had difficulty in making the two ends meet.

In 2014, Khadka came to know about the Sahara Savings & Credit Cooperative and its activities implemented under the Fund’s (UNCDF) Clean Start United Nations Capital Development project. He borrowed Rs 10,000 from Sahara as a loan to start poultry farming. By 2016, he had repaid the loan as his small farm had brought him revenue. Taking part in an orientation programme under the project has broadened Khadka’s knowledge about solar energy and how it could directly help one earn income. Then, he decided to scale up his business and again approached Sahara, this time for a loan of Rs 0.3 million, which is was 30 times larger than his initial credit, which implies his growing confidence. With the loan approved and sanctioned by Sahara, he installed a 40Wp solar system for lighting purpose, as well as for feeding chicks at night. He is now running a poultry business in 5 kattha land with 40Wp solar-powered facilities. His total assets are estimated at Rs 2.5 million. Learning by doing, Khadka has also successfully established his poultry farm as a local collection centre for poultry products from other farms located in the vicinity. At present, his supply of poultry products fully caters to the demands of nearby villages in his own district and even in Ilam district. Currently, his annual turnover is around Rs 0.6 million. Ironically, once unemployed himself, he now employs five youth of his village who were once frustrated and had plans to migrate to the Middle East or Malaysia.

Khadka said that SHS had greatly helped in improving poultry business. Regular supply of electricity for lighting purpose had decreased chicken deaths, while saving the cost of poultry business. He also shared about his plan to expand his business and increase farming during winter too by installing a solar heating system. He has set an example to the whole community that one can improve one’s livelihood and even provide employment and income-earning opportunities to others by hard work, dedication, as well as access to finance and support services. Khadka said that Winrock’s support for SHS has contributed to expand poultry business, which would otherwise not have been not possible at all.