I am an entrepreneur
Jun Maya, a 20-year-old young woman from Bardiya has started her micro-enterprise of making handicrafts from waste and locally available materials.
I’m Jun Maya, a 20-year-old woman from Bardiya, and I’ve always dreamt of becoming independent and self-reliant. My dream turned into reality and now I am an entrepreneur starting my micro-enterprise of making handicrafts from waste and locally available materials.
I’m so happy to start my own business and earn for myself. It feels great to contribute to my family and build something from the skills I’ve learned.
“I’m so happy to start my own business and earn for myself. It feels great to contribute to my family and build something from the skills I’ve learned.”
Jun Maya
Joining skill training
I come from a farming family, and although I studied up to grade 12, financial constraints meant I had to stop my education early. My family’s main income comes from agriculture, and we live on a small piece of land. I help my parents with farming, but I’ve always wanted to do something more that could help me support my family and give me a sense of purpose.
After I had to stop my education due to financial difficulties, I spent most of my time focusing on household chores and helping my family with farming. While doing these tasks, I always felt that I wanted to do more – something that was my own. I didn’t want to just rely on my family’s income; I wanted to contribute in a meaningful way.
At first, the terms and ideas in the training were hard for me to understand. I had never heard words like “business plan” or “profit and loss” before. I felt a bit confused, but I didn’t give up. When I shared my struggles with the instructors, they listened carefully and explained things in simpler ways that made more sense to me.
For example, when they explained how to calculate profits, I thought about it like the way I used to help my parents with farming. If we sell our crops, we have to remember the costs of seeds, water, and work before we can see the money we earn. So, the idea of calculating profit made sense to me when I thought about it in terms of farming.
The same happened when we learned how to create a business plan. I compared it to planning for a day of work at home—first deciding what needs to be done, then making sure I have everything ready before starting. I realised running a business is like managing my daily tasks at home—organising, preparing, and keeping track of things.
Starting my business
Learning how to make handicrafts was another important part of the training. I had never tried making things like pen holders, bags, or hats before, but the instructors taught us step by step. At first, I found it difficult to follow the process, but as we went along, I began to relate it to tasks I already do at home, like sewing or organising things for the household. Once I understood the materials, like thakal (type of plant) and bamboo, I started to see how they could be used in the same way we use local resources for other things.
By relating these ideas to what I already knew, I was able to learn faster and understand the value of what I was being taught. Now I can apply these skills not just to my handicraft business, but also to manage my daily life better.
Thanks to the support from the Green Economy project, I was able to learn how to make handicrafts and even start my own small business. Now I understand how to manage my earnings and plan my work. I’m proud of what I’ve learned, and I’m excited to see how this skill will help me provide for my family in the future. After completing a 30-day training course, I received essential tools like a hand-sewing machine, scissors, paint, glue, and fabric.
I chose handicraft making because it’s in high demand in my village, a popular tourist area. I thought that with raw materials like bamboo, corn husks, waste materials like plastic, wrappers, and thakal readily available in my community, I could easily start a business. I felt excited to turn these simple materials into beautiful products.
When I first decided to start my handicraft business, I knew I needed a small space at home where I could focus on my work. I didn’t have much, but I made the best use of the little space available in my room. I cleared a corner and set up a small table where I could do the sewing and other work.
I kept all my materials like the sewing machine, scissors, measuring tape, and the thakal, bamboo, and other supplies neatly arranged so I could easily reach them. I also made sure the space was well-lit and comfortable, as I wanted to spend hours working there without feeling cramped or distracted.
At first, it was just a simple setup, but now it feels like my little workshop. I’m proud of it because it’s a space I’ve created myself, and it gives me the freedom to work whenever I want. It feels great to have a designated area to build something I can call my own and know that I’m contributing to my family in a meaningful way.
With these, I was able to start making pen holders, hats, handbags, and side bags. Within my first month, I earned NPR. 2,500 by selling my products, and I used the money to contribute to my family’s expenses. My parents were so happy and proud of me for helping out. The project team also promoted my products to offices like Plan International Nepal. Last April, I received an order of around 20 pieces of side bags from them. They purchased my products. In December, again I got more orders for handbags and pen holders. My products with my name were showcased during the Regional Leadership Team meeting organised by Plan International Nepal in Kathmandu. All my products are sold out and I am paid as per the price I had placed on it. This not only encouraged me but also gave me hope that I could scale up my business in my village and send it to international as well.
About the project
The Green Economy project, supported by Plan International Nepal in partnership with Banke UNESCO Club, aims to empower young women like me by giving us the skills and knowledge to become self-reliant entrepreneurs. The project focuses on promoting environmentally-friendly businesses and supports women in starting their own ventures. Through training in life skills, micro-entrepreneurship, environmental conservation, and sustainable practices, the project helps us become leaders in our communities, bringing about positive changes for both the economy and the environment.
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