Resilient through experiences: Unlocking the entrepreneurial prowess of Nepal’s left-behind women

In rural Nepal, remittances provide a lifeline for households. From school fees to medical expenses and household sustenance, everything is reliant on the remittances women receive from their partners/spouses/sons working abroad. Yet, behind every remittance received is a mother, daughter, wife or sister who carries the burden of managing it all herself, in the absence of the male partner. Seeing them as unsung economic stewardesses is not far from reality; a quarter of Nepal’s GDP is from the remittance inflows. But what if these remittances were more than just for managing daily life? What if they offered more than just survival, but opportunities for a future for these women? What if a part of them were used as startup capital?

Across provinces, thousands of rural women cope with the emotional and economic pressures of being left behind. Uncertain futures, waiting for remittances to arrive and meeting increasing costs of living are what these women grapple with every day, every month. But what if they could turn this difficult set of circumstances into real economic agency? After all, their experiences of living in resource constraints and a real sense of uncertainty are not dissimilar to the entrepreneurial experience. They are resilient, they are hardened by their circumstances, but with training and structured support, they can turn into entrepreneurs, not just passive recipients of remittances.