After protests by young people against corruption and unemployment led to the downfall of Nepal’s parliament and resulted in numerous casualties, individuals like Santosh Sunar from rural areas such as Pharping can relate to the national unrest due to their own challenges.
Santosh, a 31-year-old unemployed individual, is actively searching for work but dreads the thought of finding a job as it would likely mean further separation from his family. He anticipates having to leave his daughter in the care of his mother, especially since his wife is already working abroad.
“There are limited opportunities even after acquiring education,” lamented Santosh, a resident of the rural settlement near Kathmandu.
His situation is not unique. The World Bank reports that a significant 82 percent of Nepal’s workforce operates in informal sectors, and one out of every five Nepalis aged 15 to 24 is unemployed.
Given the bleak prospects at home, where the GDP per capita stands at a mere $1,447, numerous Nepalis are seeking opportunities abroad. Remittances now contribute to a third of the GDP, making Nepal the fourth-highest recipient of remittances globally. In Pharping, nearly half of the households have relatives working overseas.
Santosh’s 22-year-old wife, Amrita, works as a waitress in Dubai. “We miss each other greatly,” shared Santosh, who has previously worked in Bengaluru, India.
“It’s challenging to be away from my wife, and the thought of potentially leaving my mother and young daughter behind for work makes it even tougher,” he expressed. “But what choice do we have?”
Last year, over 839,000 Nepalis left the country of 30 million to seek employment abroad, as per official government records.
Maiya Sunar, 48, Santosh’s mother, envisions a future where young individuals won’t have to make the difficult choice between sustenance and family.
Similarly, Kamala Sunar, 40, faces the reality of living without her children nearby. Her 24-year-old daughter, Diksha, works as a housekeeper in Dubai, while her elder daughter, Rakshya, 27, a single mother, contemplates following her sister’s path and leaving her daughter behind for work opportunities.
Rakshya shared, “My sister has cautioned me about the challenges of long hours and harsh living conditions abroad, but what kind of life can I provide my daughter here? There is little opportunity. If I work hard for a few years and save for her education, perhaps my daughter will have a brighter future.”
Shyam Bahadur Khatri, 69, an elected village official, expressed concerns about Nepal turning into a region of elderly villages reliant solely on subsistence farming.
“There may not even be young individuals left to perform funeral rites,” he warned about the future implications of the current trends.