An Inspiring Journey: Bibek Hajam's Story from Susta Nawalparasi
I come from a humble background, where we couldn’t afford to dream big. After my sister’s marriage, our family was burdened with a massive loan. My only wish was to clear the debt and start a small business in our village.
Bibek, a 22-year-old from Mahalbari, Susta Village Municipality Ward No. 5 in Nawalparasi District, Nepal, is the youngest child in his family, following two older sisters. His mother is a homemaker, and his father works as a barber. The wedding of their eldest daughter left the family in significant debt, which forced Bibek and his middle sister to discontinue their education due to financial hardship. To help support the family, his mother began working in the village.
In an effort to contribute, Bibek started learning barbering from his father at his grandparents’ house. He spent four months honing his skills. During this time, he came to know about a 15-day skill enhancement program being offered in his village under the Disaster Resilience Youth and Women Entrepreneurship initiative, organized by SAHAMATI and LWR. The program focused on improving skills in beauty services, including barbering, and Bibek eagerly enrolled.
After completing the training, Bibek opened his own business—Handsome Parlour—in August 2023, in a nearby marketplace. To get started, he borrowed money from his neighbor and grandparents. On his first day, he earned NPR 1,230. Since there were no other salons in the vicinity, his business quickly grew. Within a month, he had earned NPR 22,000, leading to an annual income of at least NPR 264,000 (USD 2,112). With this income, he managed to pay off the debt from his sister’s wedding and repaid the loans to his grandparents and neighbors.
Today, Bibek has invested in a full set of tools and equipment for his salon and employs a young worker. He has also set up a small wooden salon for his father at home.
“I am truly grateful for the program that helped me develop my skills. Today, I am self-employed, run my own shop, and I’m very happy with my work. My family is also proud of what I’ve achieved. In the future, I hope to expand my business and increase my income,” Bibek reflects with pride.
