Finding Sense of Purpose through Work
Gujri Devi Ban is from Aurahi Rural Municipality, Dhanusha, in Nepal’s Madhesh Province. She has been a part of the temporary employment program under the Youth Employment Transformation Initiative (YETI) Project since 2021. She is currently employed in construction and maintenance of the gardens around the Aurahi Rural Municipality offices.
Gujri shares that she and her daughter-in-law veiled their heads and confined themselves to household chores for a long time except for occasional agricultural works. “In our community in the southern plains of Nepal, married women are traditionally expected to stay at home, do household works and not interact with people outside, especially men,” says Gujri.
Gujri’s husband and two sons used to work as laborers in construction sites. However, it could never provide a steady income to sustain the family of six.
They earned most of their income during harvest seasons until the opportunities became scarce with the growing use of machines for harvesting and processing crops by landowners. In her search for a work, Gujri learnt about the temporary employment program under YETI.
When she consulted her family, they tried to discourage her from joining. Regardless of the disapproval, she applied and got selected. As she started to earn money, the financial situation and overall atmosphere of the family improved.
She has also helped many other women from her community to apply for this program for the coming year. “This program has provided me a source of income and a sense of purpose,” adds Gujri.
