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Success Stories

1. A story of Sita and Hanuman

This is not the story of Sita and Hanuman from Hindu Mythological epic Ramayan. Siat was born as third child of Mewalal Kanu and Gulaichi Kanu in Butwal, western part of Nepal in 1977. Her farther, a general mechanic by profession was fond of playing cards and gambling. After the death of her father in 1992, her mother faced a great difficulty to feed them. Sita, along with her mother started to sell fresh fruits in Butwal Buspark. She was literate enough to handle her small business. She was married with Hanuman Kanu in 1995 at the age of 25. She was married in big family with 5 sister- in- laws and 1 brother in law. After giving birth to 4 sons and 1 daughter, she got laparoscopy operation. Her mother could give small ring and a pair of clothes to Hanuman as dowry.

She remembers her mother in law's death in 2001 as most grieved day in life and taking her husband away from liquor in 2008 as the most joyful day in life. After selling the land in Butwal, they received Rs. 800,000 which was enough to payback the loans of Rs. 500,000, and the rest amount is spent by her husband and brother in law. They felt very difficult to live in Butwal and they moved to Bhairahawa with few cooking utensils, few bundles of firewood and six mouths to feed. When they came to Bhairahawa, people were hesitant to give them goods in credit. She was not able to feed her children taking rice and lentils in credit. After all, she was Sita, she strived to feed children. She got a job of Rs. 3000/month in local biscuit factory and Hanuman got a job of Rs 5000/month in flour mill. She had leave the job as she was in 8 months pregnancy. Then she started to pack tobacco in home and she could earn Rs 60/70 per day. Then she dropped this business in the 9th month of pregnancy. After giving birth to the first child, she started selling biscuits and other tiffin items in front of local school from the 12th day of delivery. She gave birth to three children and in the year 2001, her mother in law left the world keeping her a drunkard husband and debt of Rs 100,000. She felt shocked and very alone, her eyes gets wet even today. She continued with her business but was finding difficult due to shortage of capital to expand it. In 2003, a staff from Nirdhan Utthan Bank Ltd. visited her home and told her about getting loan from the bank without collateral. She was surprised, she could not believe it. She asked this matter with a village elder sister Urmila (later she was the centre chief). They formed group, took compulsory training and received membership of the bank and received Rs. 10 thousand as first loan for grocery shop, but she was not so successful, she paid installments hardly. In the second time, again she took loan of Rs. 15,000 and she managed business and bank installments. Later, in the third term she took loan of Rs. 25,000 and added some items like tea, cold drinks in her shop and it gave good return. She could earn enough profit and added refrigerator, gas stove, colour television. Later she took loan of Rs. 40,000 and earned profit paid installments regularly. Currently, she is using loan of Rs. 60,000 and she has added a piece of land, she managed expenses for her in-laws marriage. Now, her husband is working in local flour mill, she is running shop. Her children are studying in private school and pays monthly Rs. 1800 as their fees. She is always busy in her shop. Daily turnover is Rs. 4000 and earns net profit Rs.600 per day. In earlier days, she used to have difficulty in managing food now they take meat, fruits frequently. She is happy for the success she could gain. She keeps promises to work with NUBL.

2. How a microloan changed life
This is a real story of Raj Kumari Tharu who lives in Bhagalpur VDC ward No 1 Manmateriya village in western part of Nepal. Raj Kumari Tharu was born as 5th child in a family, where her father was a bonded labour (HALI). She was married to Indra Kumar Chaudhary at the age of sixteen. Raj Kumari Chaudhary can hardly write her name but can run business easily. She has turned all sorrows, grieves into joys.

As she was born in family of bonded labour, her childhood went by working in field, feeding cattle, doing domestic works in house of landlord (MALIK). After her marriage, her mother- in- law died immediately, her brother-in- law was suffering from serious disease. The small piece of land, that they had was used in hospitalization of her in-laws. Later after the death of father- in-law, she was separated from the family taking just few kilos of rice. Her husband went to Kathmandu, Narayangadh to manage livelihood, he learned tailoring, but could not get regular customer. He used to teach Karate to students in local school, but it could work well. He decided to go to Delhi, India as general worker. But at the same time, a staff from NUBL while visiting the village entered into their home and asked them to form group, get loan from the bank and do business as you like. It was very amazing.

It took about 20 days to Raj Kumari to pass the compulsory test. She took first loan of Rs. 8000 and her husband bought a rickshaw with the money in 1998. He pulled rickshaw in Butwal bazaar and daily earning was good. With this earning she paid the bank loan and managed household expenses. They also changed the roof of the house from thatched roof to zinc sheets. While pulling rickshaw in Butwal, he came to know about business and local suppliers. They were slowly interested to have own business. So in year 2001, they took a loan of Rs. 20,000 and started business in village. During the days, there were no other shops in the village, he earned good profit and they added colour television, CDMA telephone, etc. Later they took 40,0000 Rupees from the bank as loan and their shop was running smoothly. They added small piece of land, refrigerator and even a second hand motorcycle.

Now she has cold drinks and other variety items in her shop, they are busy in their shop. Her three children are studying well in school. Her husband, once a rickshaw puller, now supplies goods to villagers by riding motorbike, she herself being a daughter of bonded labour used to work in landlord's house, now she is busy in her shop. She gives credit for her success to small loan that she received without collateral from NUBL.