Nepal’s women entrepreneurs rebuild after deadly floods

In Nepal’s Nuwakot, Rasuwa, and Dhading districts, women entrepreneurs are working to rebuild their businesses after devastating flash floods killed over 1,450 people and left more than 5,700 missing in late August.

Januka Mijar lost her 22-year-old madal (folk musical instrument) workshop and over Rs1 million in goods when the Trishuli river surged, destroying her shop in a matter of minutes.

Like many others, she is determined to resume work to support her family despite the complete loss of her livelihood. Pemba Dechhen Tamang, seven months pregnant, lost her eatery and her husband is among the missing after the floods swept through her village. She hopes the government will help her secure housing and education for her children so she can reopen her business.

Many women face difficulties accessing support, as current relief programs prioritize homeowners who lost permanent structures, leaving renters and small business owners like them without assistance. Over 2,000 small businesses were directly affected by the disaster, with losses estimated at Rs458.43 million in Dhading district alone. Entrepreneurs are registering their losses with local authorities, seeking assistance to restart their lives.

Prakriti Mainali of Shakti Milan Nepal advocates for recognizing these women as entrepreneurs needing investment, not just as relief recipients, and for umbrella organizations to amplify their needs to the government. The Bagmati provincial government plans to focus on reviving small entrepreneurship after completing immediate rescue and relief efforts.