Grooming her business in Nepal: Beautician-turned entrepreneur
Date:
In the historical town of Banepa, Nepal, 35-year-old Sulochana Timalsina runs a little shop, half of which is a grocery store and the other half a beauty parlour. The two units share a single space with different purposes for her clients, but one single purpose for this young entrepreneur – empowerment.
“Five years down the line, I hope to turn this place into a full-fledged beauty parlour. With houses mushrooming in this area, I am positive that my business will flourish,” she says, sharing a secret. “I am aware that I can seek investment any minute now, but I won’t. I want to save up and open a parlour with my own money – a 100 per cent-personal investment.”
Timalsina currently earns a monthly income of NPR 16,000 (USD 140) from her business and is able to save 5,000 rupees (USD 44) per month.
Also, as president of a local business association for beauticians in Kavrepalanchok District, she says it is very important for women not to depend on their husband’s income. She says there are many opportunities for women out there: one just has to be prepared to grab them and use them to one’s advantage for financial freedom and growth.
Timalsina has been running a parlour and a store side-by-side for a few years now, but says her life took a turn after she participated in the 12-day Gender-Responsive Entrepreneurship Development training implemented by Vocational and Skills Development Training, UN Women’s implementing partner.
“The programme opened my eyes,” says Timalsina. “It not only taught me the importance of entrepreneurship, but it also shined light on how a business can be sustained with discipline and how it can flourish with ownership, leadership and focus.”
Read the full story on UN Women's regional website for Asia and the Pacific.