A returned migrant forced back to Nepal due to the COVID-19 crisis, Sabitra Kumari Tharu, is now free from remorse and the excruciating pain of not being able to provide for her family. The pandemic lockdown compelled her to quit her job in India and return to Banke, District of Nepal. But thanks to USAID’s support, she works as an agri-machinery service provider and makes a decent income.

Initially, with support from the Cereal Systems Initiative for South Asia (CSISA), she prepared a business strategy and got finance to purchase a power tiller, which simplified agricultural operations. As of May 2022, she has served 35 households in her neighborhood. She says that the power tiller has not only saved her time and energy but has also enabled her to earn more money. She has no plans to travel overseas anymore.

The USAID/CSISA Nepal COVID-19 Response and Resilience Activity assists returning migrant workers in establishing new businesses, creating sustainable lives and providing a variety of new services to farmers in local communities.

Authors: Shradha Bhatta (iDE Nepal) and Manisha Shrestha (International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT)-Nepal).