Business as Usual...

It has been quite a unique experience starting and running a business in Nepal smoothly. Daily, things happen that effect the production and delivery of Global Daughter handicrafts. It could be the personal health of one of the women (or their children), it could be a security situation in the country, it could be a religious festival (and there are plenty!), it could be a fuel shortage or a vehicle strike. So, while we try to conduct a western-style business, we always have to plan for the "unexpected" and not assume that things will flow as we like. It is the reason we wanted to start the GD project in Nepal, but the exact reason that makes it so frustrating. We think some of the hurdles that come up from time to time are so unique to Nepal, we thought we would share them with you, the customer, so you can appreciate your GD products in a whole new light!

Doing business in Nepal means...


Petrol lines
Not being able to get your goods from the Terai Region (Indian border) because there is no petroleum in the country.


Main highway
Having to walk 10 miles to meet producers because of transportation strikes (no vehicles on the road) in Kathmandu.


Urmila
The 70 year old artisan that makes your necklaces will get dysentery and be in the hospital for a month. (She is now recovering at home.)


Tea Garden in Dhankutta
The tea garden you work with in the mountains will be forceably shut down by the communist party labour unions, halting production on your tea items.


Lokta paper drying process
If there is no sun, the handmade paper used to make journals, albums, etc. will not dry, therefore, monsoon season will be a nightmare for production .


"The Mover"
This guy gets your product from the apartment to the airport....


Erika in the Rickshaw
Having to hire rickshaws for the desperately hot 4 hour ride from Janakpur to Bardibas because there is a national strike due to the elections. Poor driver. I have never seen so much sweat on a human being. Quite the ride from village to village, though. I don't think the people had every seen two foreign women in rickshaws travelling the length of the highway. Talk about integrating into a culture.


Jatra festival
If their is a religious festival in the city or the village, it trumps all work, even if there is a deadline. Forget about it.


India/Nepal border
The Koshi River flood that has devastated Nepal and India this monsoon season, will wipe out the highway that leads from your copper producers in the village to Kathmandu, crippling the supply of all goods to and from. This was such a tragic situation for the people scattered throughout these villages. Now they are homeless, hungry, and facing water-borne diseases daily. With the highway underwater and closed, there is no way to or from the areas that were hit, leaving people literally stranded.

However, it also means..


School in Janakpur (no building, just outside seating)
You get to spend time with the artisan's children at school.



Machupachare Peak, Pokhara
You get views like this on "business trips."



Kamala (Bead Goddess)
You might run into the woman that makes your bangle bracelets at the bead bazaar


Palistha Paper Workshop
You get to know the women behind the products. You get to hear their stories, forge friendships and see the difference fair trade can make.


Cotton wheel, Bardibas
You get to personally see your goods made from start to finish, by hand, by women, and with care.