Til Maya Bhujel’s Newfound Zest For Life

Til Maya Bhujel (38) used to live in the unnecessary shame of being a widow in a Nepalese village. In 2010, her husband lost his life through electrocution as he was working as an electrician. They did not have kids, and the loss of her life partner was harrowing for her. She lost her motivation to live life and even abandoned her farm work, which was her main source of income. She thought there was no way out of her misery until she found a little glimmer of hope that life is worth living through tailoring.

She started her tailoring business in a small rented space in Pokhara where she lived alone. During the pandemic, she underwent what most business owners struggled with: rising costs, logistical limitations, and dwindling customer base. She found it difficult to keep a steady income stream, especially with the economy of a poor country like Nepal.

Til Maya Bhujel sitting in her shop at Pokhara

When she heard about the My Business-My Freedom Microfinance Program (MBMF), she immediately wanted to become a part of a women’s group. She joined and got her first loan of NPR 50,000 (USD 373) and used it to work on her business. She successfully repaid her loan after a year before getting a second loan of NPR 60,000 (USD 447). Right now, Til Maya is on track in paying her loans through installments.

Til Maya’s story is not only a story of improving one’s financial standing, but it is also a story of a person acquiring the courage to see beauty in life a second time. It was a way to show her that there are more wonderful things in life, and that her women’s group is a community that has her back when she needs help.

We could never imagine the grief that she experienced, but the least that our program could do was give people a chance to improve their lives, or in her case—bring back her zest for it.

Another view of Til Maya’s store

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