Finance graduate Manju Bhusal of Shankar Nagar in Tilottama Municipality-2, Rupandehi was working as an accounts officer in a private company till eight years ago.

She wanted to become an entrepreneur, so she quit her job, took out a bank loan and set up a food manufacturing company with an investment of Rs1.5 million.

Bhusal’s Nava Durga Food Industry makes dry chow mein, soft chow mein, and chicken, vegetable and frozen momos. The firm's products are sold in several cities in Lumbini, Gandaki and Bagmati provinces.

Nava Durga Food Industry is now a Rs30 million company and employs 25 people.

“I preferred an entrepreneurial journey over a job,” said Bhusal. “There have been challenges, but the business has been profitable so far.”

According to Bhusal, a steep rise in the price of flour and government delay in fixing the minimum support price has affected business.

Last year, Bhusal was honoured as the best woman entrepreneur by Tilottama Municipality, and received a Rs100,000 cash prize.

She believes more women want to become entrepreneurs. “With consistent effort and enthusiasm, women can become successful business persons,” she says.

Bhusal, who is also secretary of the Rupandehi Chamber of Industries, is not the only woman entrepreneur in Rupandehi who has achieved success.

Basanti Khatri of Butwal has been selling pickles for 30 years. Sales come to 6 to 9 tonnes monthly, and her monthly turnover exceeds Rs1.2 million.

Khatri she has overcome many hurdles in her entrepreneurial journey.

“In the initial years, I used to wrap my pickles in tree leaves,” said Khatri.

Her company, Basanti Pickle Products located at Shivanagar, Butwal now employs 28 persons. Basanti makes 52 varieties of pickles, among which 25 varieties are fast sellers.

“Many Nepalis going abroad take our products as a souvenir,” said the 72-year-old entrepreneur, adding that she can still work 18 hours a day making pickles. “My daughters help me in the business.”

Ram Prasad Gyawali, chief of the Cottage and Small Industries Office in Rupandehi, said that the increasing number of women entrepreneurs reflects the progressive mentality of the family and society.

“This has helped women explore the world beyond societal boundaries,” Gyawali said.

Jamuna Subedi has been running Saurya Garment Factory at Belbas in Butwal Sub-Metropolitan City-13 for the past five years.

During that period, the firm's capital swelled from Rs1.2 million to Rs7 million. The factory currently employs 11 workers.

Surya Garments also manufactured personal protective equipment (PPE) for the provincial government during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The factory's products are mostly sold in the markets of Butwal, Bhairahawa, Kapilvastu and Chitwan.

“Business has been good,” said Subedi. “There is good demand for our products in the market.” Difficulty in procuring raw materials from India, and lack of skilled manpower are major problems, she says.

More women are getting involved in pickle making, manufacturing, handicraft, beauty parlour, garment factories, hotels and restaurants, among others, in Rupandehi.

Gyanu KC of Butwal launched a leaf plate manufacturing factory a year ago to make use of the leaves of the Sal tree.

KC invested Rs2.5 million to set up the factory last year. It provides employment to 40 women in Butwal Sub-Metropolitan City-11. Demand for leaf plates has been growing lately.

“I set up the factory to bring rural women closer to an income source,” said KC, who is also an active CPN-UML politician in the area.

The factory has no trouble obtaining raw materials as they usually collect fallen leaves in the forest. A leaf plate sells for Rs2 to Rs5 depending on the size. The products have a long shelf life, so storing them for extended periods is not a problem.

“Leaf plates are in high demand during religious rituals and in hotels and restaurants,” said KC.

The entrepreneurs who launched their companies with their own money have been expanding by taking loans.

Fishery, poultry farming, animal husbandry, beekeeping, boutique and beauty parlour are also popular enterprises.

Anupama Shrestha has been running SAAZ Boutique for a decade. The boutique, which currently employs eight people, opened with an investment of Rs300,000 at Amarpath in Butwal.

“Demand for boutique dresses has been on the rise,” said Shrestha. “We sell in the domestic as well as international markets.” The Covid-19 pandemic became the most challenging period for her business, according to Shrestha.

Rachana Panta runs a flower nursery at Kalikanagar in Butwal. Panta sells flowers and fancy flower pots. She used to operate Saurav Raise Tour and Travels Company which owned a fleet of a dozen buses before the Covid-19 pandemic.

Panta has also set up the Entrepreneurial Women’s Association to unify and inspire aspiring entrepreneurs.

“Entrepreneurship empowers women and contributes to reducing gender-based violence,” said Panta, who is the Lumbini province chair of the Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents (NATTA).

According to the statistics of the Cottage and Small Industries Office, Rupandehi, 17,453 firms had been registered in the district as of mid-January. Among them, 6,863 are owned by women. The office registers companies with a capital investment of up to Rs50 million.

The trade fairs and exhibitions regularly organised by various organisations in the district have provided exposure to local women entrepreneurs.

The Confederation of Nepalese Industry has been helping women entrepreneurs with company establishment, operation, investment, marketing and technology transfer, according to Ajaj Aalam, chairman of the Lumbini Chapter of the confederation.

“We need to bring more government support and facilitation to continue the programme,” said Aalam.

Lack of marketing skills among aspiring women entrepreneurs has been one of the major obstacles to success, observers say.

“All three tiers of government must launch training programmes targeting women entrepreneurs,” said Madhav Prasad Poudel, chairman of the Rupandehi Chamber of Industries. “Obtaining the seed fund and government facilitated loans must be simplified for them.”

Chief Minister Lila Giri of Lumbini province says they are planning to launch a special programme to attract skilled manpower and help women entrepreneurs.