Gyan Kumari’s Difficult Road to Success

SINDHULI: Gyan Kumari Sunuwar was born as the eldest daughter of Chakra Bahadur Magar (father) and Sanimaya Magar (mother), who comes from a poor family background in Dudhauli Municipality, Ward 8, Sindhuli district. At a young age after completing primary education, Sunuwar got married and went to Udaypur district.

Due to family financial problems and poverty, Deepakraj Sunuwar, husband of Gyan Kumari, went abroad for job leaving his family, with the big dream of keeping his family happy. However, life of Sunuwar and her two children turned worst and their dream of a ‘happy life’ faded away after Deepakraj lost his life in the foreign land. Sunuwar lost her love while the two children became orphans.

But Sunuwar did not give up hopes. She started working as a peon in a private boarding school to ensure proper education to her children and their upbringing. Her monthly salary was Rs 3,000. However, to run a household and educate children with Rs 3000 per month is rarely easy.

Thus, she thought of doing a business. But that too was not easy amidst social taboos for ‘single woman’ who is poor. Sunuwar was much disappointed.

“You wish, the god will fulfill,” says Sunuwar. At times when she was passing through hard times of life, she heard about ‘Jiwan Bikas Microfinance’ which provides collateral-free loans.

She acquired Rs 20,000 loan from the microfinance initially and started a retail shop. She gradually increased her business through additional loans and investing incomes. Today, she runs a grocery store which has Rs 700,000 of investment.

She says that the income from the business has easily covered expenses of the entire family as well as the education expenses of two daughters in class 9 and 10, respectively. “I earn around Rs 35,000 per month,” she says.

She has been deducting the expenses from the income and depositing the remaining amount in her savings account in the microfinance company for the higher education of her daughters in the future. Her daily life has become simple and easy.

“I never imagined that I would reach to this situation. Today, I am moving forward for the bright future of my daughters through the help and support of the microfinance. If you are diligent and hardworking, you can definitely achieve success one day. I suggest that you should be hardworking and independent to change the standard of living,” Sunuwar says.