Pursuit of career in Nepal

“नेपालमा बसेर काम छैन, बाहिर जाने त्यहीं बस्ने हो”

How many youngsters do you hear saying this phrase these days? Quite a lot I bet. I, myself, have a few friends who believe there is nothing worth living for in Nepal anymore. Sure the remittance it is bringing in to our country is great, but is that a sustainable approach???

Every time I hear people point out Nepal as some doomed land, I am stuck with a series of thoughts “How will Nepal ever develop if every one of us just keeps leaving as soon as we reach 18? Who will educate the younger generation? Who will look after the elder generation when they grow incapable of taking care of themselves? Is running away to a foreign land and whisking away our parents along with us the only option for a better individual future? What about the future of this nation as a whole?” With these constant ponderings, I ventured to look for opportunities in Nepal for our youth and I am glad to say, I found many.

Whether its food industry, tech industry, textile, or digital, you will find something you can do to earn your living while being surrounded by your own people, culture and traditions, and your own country “Nepal”. Especially with the millennial and Generation Z growing up, gone are the days of saving all your money in a “tijoree”, we live with a simple motto “Work hard, Party harder”. Simply put, although we believe in savings, we also don’t hesitate from spending money on things we want. So, what are the opportunities in Nepal? I found and listed a few of them below:

Food:

For people today, food is not just a basic staple to survive life. Food tasting has become a recreational activity, and every hang-out involves lots and lots of FOOD. Internet is finally entering the food world of Nepal and people are coming up with interesting ideas like selling cakes, and food online (UG cakes, Meals on Wheels ktm). With the cost of establishing an actual physical shop cut down, it has become easier to start up business. This is not to say physical shops are not doing well, with the right combination of marketing and food bloggers, you can get thousands of customers visiting your place.

Stationery and Décor:

Room decors and stationery may seem like an uneven combination, but the consumers in major cities of Nepal sure seem to love it. From Bhav’s Nepal made notebook and Studio Sarcastic’s popular series themed goodies to WhiteSoul Decor's customized cushions, bookshelves and Pinches Artcore’s cups and phone cases, people are absorbing the idea of customized goodies.

Textile industry:

Clothing is probably the most booming industry in Nepal. Local brands like KTM city and Gold Star have upped their market game and have become a common name for casual wears. With more people embracing “Go Local” vibes, enterprise like Butta, Shibori and Danfe Works are thriving in the market. From customized t-shirts to formal and ethnic wears, one can find everything sold by a Nepalese Brand.

Entertainment:

There was a time when Nepalese couldn’t see any future by pursuing music or acting career. But, recent years has shown a dramatic change in the entertainment sector, especially through popular internet platform YouTube. Groups like Arbitrary, Paradygm TV and Storytellers, Storyyellers have changed the success story for not only musicians but also dancers, actors, comedians and many more.

Social Entrepreneurship:

While some people are having a hard time believing there is something worth living for in Nepal, there are some who are not only working for themselves, but also for the betterment of less fortunate people. Organizations like Haushala Creative, and Anthropose are on their path to develop sustainable business model for helping women, children and elder people.

With so many examples, I think it’s safe to say, Nepal is a land of abundant opportunities, if only one knows where to look. It is okay to go abroad and stay there for a while, learn from them, get inspirations from them, but the end-stop of your journey must be our own country Nepal where you can apply all your learning, inspiration and even innovation that you have gained from around the world.

Just from scrolling down my Instagram feed, I was able to find so many inspiring entrepreneurs working in Nepal and creating job opportunities. It is unimaginable how many more there probably are in all of Nepal working in our own homeland and taking this country one step ahead in its path of development. So, at the end, I would like to leave readers with a message, “It is you who makes your pursuit of career in Nepal a boon or a curse”.