Nepal Now

Talking to Prakash Gurung made me realize that not all migrant workers from Nepal are leaving the country out of necessity. When I interviewed him last year the 26-year-old told me about his failed migration attempts – as both a student and a migrant worker – but I got the sense that he had options in-country as well; he just preferred the idea of leaving. I think there are many people in similar circumstances — they could find a job here at home, but believe that abroad they might be able to save more money, live in better conditions, or have more promising future prospects, for themselves and/or their family. One year later Prakash has shelved his migration plans. In their place he has chosen an unusual path—learning classical guitar. A guitar player since his teenage years, Prakash says that playing classical requires much more discipline than playing and singing rock songs, including hours of daily practice. He's found a teacher to guide him on that journey. As you'll hear, Prakash is now talking about finding satisfaction and inner peace on his musical quest. This is a huge turnaround from the half-hearted pledges he was making when we talked in 2024, and a pleasant surprise to me. Want more of these interviews? Sign up to be a supporter wherever you're listening by clicking on the Support the Show link.Tell us how we're doing, or just say hiSupport the showYou can subscribe to Nepal Now for as little as $3 a month. Your support will help to defray the costs of making the show. And you'll also get a shout-out in a future episode. You can also show your love by sending this episode to someone who you think might be interested or by sharing it on social media:LinkedInInstagram BlueSkyFacebook Sign up to our newsletterMusic by audionautix.com.Thank you to PEI in Bakhundole and Himal Media in Patan Dhoka for the use of their studios. Nepal Now is produced and hosted by Marty Logan.

Gyanu Adhikari is co-founder of The Record, the online news portal that published from 2014 to 2024. With 10 years' experience running a media outlet that not only innovated in its content – offering long reads, history series, and podcasts, for example – but also experimented with funding—using a subscriber model—Gyanu has lots to share about media in Nepal. But surprisingly, he was most eager to talk about the state of the country—and more optimistic than most people I speak to about the future of Nepal. This episode was first published in 2024. I'm re-posting an episode today for the first time, mainly because I'll be out of town this week and couldn't finish a new one fast enough. I chose to feature my chat with Gyanu because it's one of the most popular I've published since 2020 and also because it's evergreen, since it deals with the media and the future, two subjects that many of us never tire speculating about. I reached out to Gyanu a couple of days ago to ask if he wanted to add anything to his thoughts three years later. He told me, quote, “I still believe we are on a good path provided we can keep the constitution and rule of law — a secular federal republic will take us far. To speed up the progress, Nepal should be inspired by China and Scandinavian countries' green transition. Democratizing the energy industry, for example, with feed-in tariffs, and replacing dirty with clean energy in every domain. That'd allow us to leapfrog ahead instead of merely play catchup with developed countries. We are also still badly under-investing in human capital, including in the arts.”Tell us how we're doing, or just say hiSupport the showYou can subscribe to Nepal Now for as little as $3 a month. Your support will help to defray the costs of making the show. And you'll also get a shout-out in a future episode. You can also show your love by sending this episode to someone who you think might be interested or by sharing it on social media:LinkedInInstagram BlueSkyFacebook Sign up to our newsletterMusic by audionautix.com.Thank you to PEI in Bakhundole and Himal Media in Patan Dhoka for the use of their studios. Nepal Now is produced and hosted by Marty Logan.

If I told you about a 30-year study that has already resulted in 261 research publications, you'd be impressed right?And if I added that the study is based in Chitwan, and co-led by a Nepali, Prof. Dirgha Ghimire? I think you'd be even more enthusiastic. At least I was when I learned about the Chitwan Valley Family Study just a month ago. I'm not sure how I missed it over the past two decades that I've lived here but I'm a firm believer in the adage ‘better late than never'. Before we get to today's episode, did you know that we now have an e-newsletter? If you're curious about what we're working on for future shows, the latest news about migration and Nepal, or you want to share feedback and ideas, I encourage you to sign up now. Researchers at the Chitwan Valley study, based at the University of Michigan in the US, have been contacting members of the same 152 communities for the past three decades to collect key details of their lives: births, deaths, how they're aging, how their children are growing and much, much more. Especially key for our purposes is what happens to them—and their family members—when they migrate. ResourcesChitwan Valley Family StudyTell us how we're doing, or just say hiSupport the showYou can subscribe to Nepal Now for as little as $3 a month. Your support will help to defray the costs of making the show. And you'll also get a shout-out in a future episode. You can also show your love by sending this episode to someone who you think might be interested or by sharing it on social media:LinkedInInstagram BlueSkyFacebook Sign up to our newsletterMusic by audionautix.com.Thank you to PEI in Bankhundole and Himal Media in Patan Dhoka for the use of their studios. Nepal Now is produced and hosted by Marty Logan.

I've said it to you listeners more than once: it seems that almost every young person I've met in Nepal in the last couple years was planning to go overseas, or knows someone who's doing so. Now I have proof, kind of. Yesterday I spoke to a researcher whose team surveyed a high school graduating class. 40% of the students said they want to go study abroad after graduation; another 40% said they hope to go work overseas. That's 80% — a huge number, but I'm not surprised. So when I meet someone in their 20s who graduated high school in Nepal, then did a bachelor's degree, and then a master's degree, and is now working in this country, I get curious. Today's guest, Paribesh Bidari, tells me that the youngest people he's working with in his various offices are in their 40s. And while he's juggling many gigs to advance his career, he's also making it a point to motivate his juniors to stay in Nepal.Tell us how we're doing, or just say hiSupport the showYou can subscribe to Nepal Now for as little as $3 a month. Your support will help to defray the costs of making the show. And you'll also get a shout-out in a future episode. You can also show your love by sending this episode to someone who you think might be interested or by sharing it on social media:LinkedInInstagram BlueSkyFacebookMusic by audionautix.com.Thank you to PEI in Bankhundole and Himal Media in Patan Dhoka for the use of their studio. Nepal Now is produced and hosted by Marty Logan.

Tell us how we're doing, or just say hiJust like coffee shops, it seems that education consultancies are multiplying faster than rabbits in Kathmandu. I've always wondered why prospective students spend tens or even hundreds of thousands of rupees to have someone fill out their overseas college and university applications for them. After all, if they've made it to Grade 12 or beyond, surely they must be able to do it themselves. So I was very happy to have nursing expert Radha Adhikari on the show to explain some of the reasons why it's not quite as simple as I thought. I think you'll agree that her information and insights are fascinating.Also, I am happy, and proud, to announce that Nepal Now is 100 episodes old! Thank you to everyone who's listened since 2020. That's when I started the show as a way to broaden the conversation about ‘development' and Nepal, and to share more of the kinds of interviews that I was already doing, instead of having them reduced to just a couple of paragraphs in an article.For those of you still listening, I have just one request: Feedback please! I know you're out there, but I really want to know what you're thinking. Love the show – fantastic; hate it – not so good, but tell me anyway. Even better if you have suggestions. It's extremely easy to get in touch. Send a text by clicking on the link at the top of the notes to this episode, or message us on social media. We're @nepalnowpod.Questions or comments: email me at nepalnowpod(at)gmail.com. Support the showYou can subscribe to Nepal Now for as little as $3 a month. Your support will help to defray the costs of making the show. And you'll also get a shout-out in a future episode. You can also show your love by sending this episode to someone who you think might be interested or by sharing it on social media:LinkedInInstagram BlueSkyFacebookMusic by audionautix.com.Thank you to PEI in Bankhundole and Himal Media in Patan Dhoka for the use of their studio. Nepal Now is produced and hosted by Marty Logan.

Tell us how we're doing, or just say hiIt's been more than a dozen years since Maya Sherpa returned from working in Kuwait. Today she devotes herself to helping other returned female migrant workers readjust to life in Nepal. One reason why she's so committed to that work is because of the violent reaction she faced, not as a migrant in Kuwait but after she returned to her community in Nepal. My three takeaways from today's conversation are: Women continue to be stigmatized as 'fallen' or immoral, and accused of sexual misconduct when they migrate to work; Surprisingly, there is a class aspect to this – those women who can afford to migrate to Europe and America are seen to have fallen less morally than women like Maya who go to traditional labour destinations like Malaysia and Persian Gulf countries; Governments in Nepal prepare great policies and plans, but deliver few of them.This is episode 99! We want your ideas about how we should mark #100. Text us at the link in the show notes or message us on social. We're (at)nepalnowpod.We have a newsletter! Check out the first issue and subscribe for the next ones. These episodes are linked to Maya's story—check them out: Women migrant workers: Lift the ban and get positiveNepal unprepared to reintegrate women migrant workersSupport the showYou can subscribe to Nepal Now for as little as $3 a month. Your support will help to defray the costs of making the show. And you'll also get a shout-out in a future episode. You can also show your love by sending this episode to someone who you think might be interested or sharing it on social media:LinkedInInstagram BlueSkyFacebookMusic by audionautix.com.Thank you to Himal Media in Patan Dhoka for the use of their studio. Nepal Now is produced and hosted by Marty Logan.

Tell us how we're doing, or just say hiHi everyone. I have to admit that I had a pretty good idea of what this episode was going to be about, how it was going to unfold, as they say.  I was talking to the father of three daughters, grown daughters, all living overseas, and I thought that he and his wife were planning to go live with them in the US, but I was wrong. You're gonna have to listen to find out exactly how I was wrong, but I will say that it was one of the most enjoyable interviews I've done in a long time.  I spent just over an hour with Rajendra, but I think we hit it off pretty quickly and got into some pretty personal areas quite fast and had a lot of fun, some laughs, and I think he also enjoyed it.  I'm really curious to hear what you think. So let me know. I want to give a shout out to S.U.,  I only have their initials, who posted online about Nepal Now:  they are "fascinating and insightful interviews and discussions that share so much about lived experience in Nepal. I am listening while on a trip in Nepal." Thank you very much for that review, which S.U. posted in May, 2024. I feel bad that I only found it recently.  If you're interested in supporting the show, but, can't do it financially at the moment, one of the next best things you can do is leave us a review. It  might help introduce a newcomer to the show and turn them into a listener, which would be great.Support the showI want to give a huge shout-out to Prem Awasthi. He was the first guest of Nepal Now in 2024 when we shifted our focus to migration, and was also the first listener to subscribe to the show. You can subscribe for as little as $3 a month. Your support will help to defray the costs of making the show. And you'll also get a shout-out in a future episode. You can also show your love by sending this episode to someone who you think might be interested or sharing it on social media:LinkedInInstagram BlueSkyFacebookMusic by audionautix.com.Thank you to Himal Media in Patan Dhoka for the use of their studio. Nepal Now is produced and hosted by Marty Logan.

Send us a textKhakendra Khatri paid 7 lakh or 700,000 Nepali rupees (about 5,000 USD) for a job in Russia, but soon after arriving he realized that he was being sent to the front line of the Russia-Ukraine war. Desperate, he bribed a commander, and then escaped by walking through a forest overnight with a group of other trafficked Nepalis. Needing work to feed her children, Sushma found a recruiter to send her to join her aunt working in Kuwait but got sick and returned to Nepal after three months. The recruiter's calls began soon after she returned, demanding that she pay him more than 3 lakh. Both Khakendra and Sushma filed reports with police, and they, and their families, are now deep in debt. Welcome to Nepal Now: On the Move. My name is Marty Logan. This is the podcast that talks to some of the hundreds of thousands of people migrating from — and sometimes to — this small country surrounded by global giants China and India. Months later we reach out again to find out if reality in their new, temporary, home is meeting expectations. Occasionally we call in an expert to try and better understand all of this movement. The stories of Khakendra and Sushma, which you might remember from earlier episodes, make the idea of ‘fee-free' migration sound like a dream. But it's not. Today we're speaking with Upasana Khadka, a migration expert who is working on both no-cost and low-cost migration, which do both actually happen. This chat opened my eyes to how labour migration from Nepal is intertwined with global events, such as criticism of forced labour in countries including Malaysia. Upasana, who founded Migration Lab in Kathmandu, also highlights what is becoming a theme in this podcast: the positive aspects of migration.   Thanks again to Upasana Khadka for coming on the show. You wouldn't have guessed it, but this is the first time she has overcome her nerves to speak on a podcast, so I feel honored that she chose Nepal Now. I want to give another shout-out, to Prem Awasthi. He was the first guest of Nepal Now in 2024 when we shifted our focus to migration, and was also the first listener to subscribe to the show. If you're curious about subscribing, click on the Support the Show link under Resources in the show notes, wherever you're listening to this. There you can choose from various amounts of monthly support starting at three dollars.  The money will go first to paying our costs for hosting and editing the show. ResourcesTricked into going to Russia, Khakendra fled before reaching the front linesThree months in Kuwait: The story of migrant worker SushmaDiaspora DiariesOther Upasana Khadka articles in Nepali TimesMigration LabSupport the showSend us feedback and ideas. We'll respond to every message:LinkedInInstagramFacebookVoicemailMusic by audionautix.com.Thank you to Himal Media in Patan Dhoka for the use of their studio.

What do you think? Send us a textHi everyone. Today we're speaking with Tanka Dhakal, a journalist who's currently doing a Master's degree in the US. He'll tell us about how the targeting of migrants in that country affected a city council meeting he was reporting on. But what I think is even more interesting is Tanka's personal reaction to that meeting. But before we get to that, I want to let you know that you can now support Nepal Now with a monthly subscription. This is totally voluntary, but if you want to do it the cost starts at 3 US dollars a month, up to $10. You choose the amount. The money will help defray my costs for making the show. For now, you can subscribe only by credit card, which I know isn't possible for everyone – if you really want to support us and don't have a credit card let me know and we can work out a mobile money transfer. Depending on where you're listening to this, you might see a link in the episode notes called Support the Show, under the resources heading. Click on that. Otherwise, go to nepalnowpod.buzzsprout.com, then click on Subscribe to see your options. Welcome to Nepal Now: On the Move. My name is Marty Logan. This is the podcast that talks to some of the hundreds of thousands of people migrating from — and sometimes to — this small country surrounded by global giants China and India. Months later we try to reach out again to find out if reality in their new, temporary, home is meeting expectations. Occasionally we call in an expert to try and better understand all of this movement. Back to today's episode. You've probably heard about the list of 1,300-plus names of undocumented Nepalis who are supposed to be deported from the US. I heard a rumour last week that about 100 have already been returned, but there's been no confirmation. I think what Tanka's account makes clear is that you don't need to be undocumented to be living in fear in the US today. A couple of notes before we start: Tanka mentions that Nepalis have paid 50 lakh to 70 lakh to travel to the US illegally. That's roughly $36,000 - $50,000. I've heard of people paying even more. He also talks about university students with DACA status. Known also as ‘dreamers', those are undocumented people who entered the US as minors. ResourcesArticle - US to deport 1,365 NepalisSupport the showSend us feedback and ideas. We'll respond to every message:LinkedInInstagramFacebookVoicemailMusic by audionautix.com.Thank you to Himal Media in Patan Dhoka for the use of their studio.

What do you think? Send us a textHi everyone. I'm sorry for the delay in releasing this episode. In a minute, we'll get to this week's chat about how female migrant workers are treated after they return to Nepal, but first I want to share some personal news. My stepfather passed away in December, which changed everything. Like many of us he was a migrant. Born on a farm 90 years ago in northwestern Ontario, the centre of Canada, when he was a young man he moved 2,500 km away to Vancouver on the Pacific Ocean. Soon after he moved even further, across what was then Georgia Strait, now the Salish Sea, to Vancouver Island, where my family lived. After he retired, my wife and I, then living in central Canada, encouraged him to visit his hometown. But insisting that he was afraid to fly, he always said no. He also refused to make the trip by train or car. I think maybe he had just become too much of a homebody at that point, preferring to spend his time caring for his yard and small house in a small city. I dedicate this episode to my stepfather, Joe.  This week we're talking with Sunita Mainali, Executive Director of WOREC, an NGO that works on a broad range of women's issues. As I said, we're talking mainly about what happens to female migrant workers after they return from working abroad. As you'll hear, I just assumed that the focus would, and should, be on finding work for these women in Nepal. But I learned quickly that without social reintegration there can be no economic reintegration. One note: Sunita mentions the GCM. That is the Global Coordination Mechanism, an international treaty on migration developed by the United Nations.ResourcesWOREC websiteSend us feedback and ideas. We'll respond to every message:LinkedInInstagramFacebookVoicemailMusic by audionautix.com.Thank you to Himal Media in Patan Dhoka for the use of their studio.

What do you think? Send us a textHi everyone. Today we're replaying our most popular episode of the year. Like every migration story, it is a unique one. Prem Awasthi moved to Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, almost exactly one year ago to start a new job with the United Nations. We talked with him just hours before his plane left Kathmandu, to hear his expectations of this new stage in his life, and the life of his family.Welcome to Nepal Now: On the Move. My name is Marty Logan. This is the podcast that talks to some of the hundreds of thousands of people migrating from — and sometimes to — this small country surrounded by global giants China and India. Months later we reach out again to find out if reality in their new, temporary, home is meeting expectations. Occasionally we call in an expert to try and better understand all of this movement. Not only did we talk with Prem Awasthi before he left Nepal, we caught up with him six months later to see how his new life compared to what he imagined before leaving. What struck me most about our second conversation was his feeling that already his roots to his homeland were getting shallower. Thank you to everyone who listened in 2024. Focusing solely on one issue – migration – was something new for Nepal Now, so I hope you enjoyed that approach. Whether you did, or didn't, you can send a comment or an idea for a future episode by clicking on the link at the top of these show notes. Message Nepal Now on social – we're @nepalnowpod on Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook. You can also email me at nepalnowpod(at)gmail.com. I'll talk to you next time. ResourcesFollow-up episode with Prem AwasthiUpdated trailer explaining why we do this showSend us feedback and ideas. We'll respond to every message:LinkedInInstagramFacebookVoicemailMusic by audionautix.com.Thank you to Himal Media in Patan Dhoka for the use of their studio.

What do you think? Send us a textPragati Nepali is just 19 but already she has been married, migrated to work in neighbouring India, and then moved to Nepal's capital Kathmandu for other opportunities. That's where friends told her about a job in a garment factory in Jordan. When we talked last week she estimated that she might be finished her paperwork and winging toward the Middle Eastern country by mid-December. Jordan is one of very few Middle Eastern countries to which the Government of Nepal allows women to migrate for work. That's because of past incidents of violence against women migrant workers in the region's countries. We talked about this ban earlier this year in our chat with expert Sadikshya Bhattarai. The flow of migrant workers from Nepal to Jordan has never been  huge, peaking at just over 2,700 in 2016-2017 and then falling to just 621 in 2022-23. Regardless, tens of thousands of women have made the trip to other countries in the region illegally, often being trafficked through India. We spoke with one such woman, Sushma, earlier this year. Pragati says an aunt working in Jordan encouraged her to apply for a job in the factory, which reportedly makes clothing for Nike and other brands. Pragati has already set out a path after she completes her three-year contract in Jordan: she will return to her home district, Mugu, and start a design business. ResourcesNepal labour agreement with Jordan, 2017Flow of migrant workers from Asia to JordanPrevious episode — Women migrant workers from Nepal: Lift the ban and get positiveSend us feedback and ideas. We'll respond to every message:LinkedInInstagramFacebookVoicemailMusic by audionautix.com.Thank you to Himal Media in Patan Dhoka for the use of their studio.

What do you think? Send us a textToday we're catching up with Aayush Pokharel, a graduate student in Canada who we first talked to in May. This year, the government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has severely cut the number of temporary residents it allows into the country, including international students. It also chopped the number of temporary work permits for grad students like Aayush, which are usually followed by a chance to apply for PR — permanent residency. Many temporary residents in Canada now worry that their PR dream is disappearing.While Canada's new rules have led to a spike in students applying for asylum, or refugee protection, Aayush says he's not worried that he won't qualify for PR – he just wants to get a job where he can use his education. Otherwise, what was the point of leaving Nepal? ResourcesOur first interview with Aayush PokharelRecent update from The Globe and MailGrowing number of students claiming asylumSend us feedback and ideas. We'll respond to every message:LinkedInInstagramFacebookVoicemailMusic by audionautix.com.Thank you to Himal Media in Patan Dhoka for the use of their studio.

What do you think? Send us a textOf all the reasons I've heard for Nepalis migrating to work abroad, this one was the most shocking: to fight for the Russian Army in its invasion of Ukraine. The news first reached the mainstream media in mid-2023 but long before that, photos of young Nepali men posing in Russian Army uniforms had been circulating online. For the unemployed, or under-employed, Russia quickly became the newest, fastest way to earn foreign currency, topped up in some cases with the promise of an appealing foreign passport. But soon after, news of growing numbers of battlefield deaths began making headlines, and calls grew for the Nepal Government to intervene. It did ask the Russian government to prevent recruitment, which seems to have happened in recent months, according to reports. But the government says 40 Nepalis are confirmed to have died fighting for Russia and an even larger number of corpses are undergoing DNA tests. Today's guest, Khakendra Khatri, was planning to go work in South Korea when he was approached by a Nepali recruiter in Dang district. At first he wasn't interested but the man persisted for more than a month to sell him the dream. Finally, Khatri agreed that the conditions offered were worth his recruiter's fee of 7 lakhs (700,000 rupees or 5,200 USD) to buy a spot. He was promised a 5-lakh monthly salary, permanent residency in Russia after 1 year, and the chance to procure a visa in a western country. Khatri was told that he would be cooking for the soldiers, behind the front lines, but when he got closer to the battlefield he saw that wasn't accurate—he had been designated as a fighter. The Nepali man  quickly started negotiating a way out. A quick note before we start: SLC means school leaving certificate, or a grade 10 diploma. You'll notice that the sound quality isn't at its usual level in this episode. That's because we were missing some equipment in the studio so we had to go to Plan B to produce this one. Apologies for that. ResourcesArticle about Khakendra Khatri, Centre for Investigative Journalism Nepal40 deaths confirmed of Nepalis fighting in Russian Army – Kathmandu Post articleSend us feedback and ideas. We'll respond to every message:LinkedInInstagramFacebookVoicemailMusic by audionautix.com.Thank you to Himal Media in Patan Dhoka for the use of their studio.

What do you think? Send us a textYou might know Nepal as home to the world's highest peak, Mount Everest, as the place where the Buddha was born, or as the location of many sites sacred to the world's Hindus. This country is also a geopolitical hotspot, encircled by the world's giants—China and India—eying one another warily over the Himalayan range. I'm Marty Logan. As a Canadian journalist who's lived here going on 13 years, what astonishes me about Nepal is the ever rising number of people leaving the country to find work, or to study. About 70,000 a month are flying out for jobs overseas, mostly to Malaysia and Persian Gulf countries, South Korea and Japan. Do the math and that's more than 800,000 a year, from a country of 29 million people. Of course most come back, after 2, 3 or more years abroad. Some of them stay home but many leave again as soon as they scope out a new opportunity. For decades huge numbers of the poorest Nepalis have been walking across the open border to India to work. The practice is so ingrained that these workers aren't even counted—they could number 500,000 or a few million. 300 students a day are getting written permission to migrate so they can study abroad, at last count. Many don't return after graduating. They settle in their new country and become non-resident Nepalis.What happens to these people who shift their lives abroad in order to improve the lives of those they leave behind? Many—but not all—workers send money home regularly, providing a steady income, something elusive in Nepal. Some even save. But what about family relationships when loved ones live apart year after year? Of husbands and wives, migrant parents and their children, migrant children and their aging parents left alone in Nepal? Although it's changing fast, most Nepalis still live in multigenerational joint families rather than nuclear ones, where children are expected to care for their elders as once they were cared for.  What's happening to this country, from which nearly every young person I meet wants to flee as fast as possible while, ironically, Nepal's allure as a global tourism hotspot continues growing. In one way Nepal benefits massively—remittances from abroad now make up about a quarter of its gross domestic product. But villages are emptying and fewer farmers remain to grow the food the country needs. Of course, migration from poorer to wealthier countries is a global trend, so you can hear echoes in Nepal of other peoples' journeys, but Nepalis' experiences are unique to them. On this show we talk to the people leaving—and sometimes returning to—this country. If possible we check in with them after they've settled in their new homes, to learn if the reality matches their expectations. Occasionally we talk to officials or experts to better understand why so many Nepalis are on the move. We post new episodes every two weeks. Like, follow or subscribe now so you don't miss the next one. Send us feedback and ideas. We'll respond to every message:LinkedInInstagramFacebookVoicemailMusic by audionautix.com.Thank you to Himal Media in Patan Dhoka for the use of their studio.

What do you think? Send us a textNurses. I don't know about you but when I think of people migrating for better opportunities one of the first groups that comes to mind is nurses. Not only in Nepal: I know that this is a huge issue for Caribbean countries and I read recently that in Nigeria, midwives too are being recruited to work in countries of the north.Back in Nepal, over a third of nurses have sought documents that would permit them to practise overseas, I read in one media report. I met Sudipa Poudel about 1 ½ years ago in Chitwan, a district in south-central Nepal. She was working as a school nurse and I believe she mentioned then that she might be going to work abroad soon. So when I caught up with her last month I wasn't that surprised to hear that she was on her way to Canada. The big question was ‘why'? You'll have to keep listening to hear her answer, but for now I'll say that Sudipa has already come a long way since she became a nurse a decade ago.  Please listen now to my chat with Sudipa Poudel, recorded at Himal Media at Patan Dhoka. Her words are interpreted by Heema Rai. ResourcesNigerian midwives being recruited along with nurses — articleOne-third of Nepali nurses consider moving — articlePrime Minister Oli appeals to youth to return home - article Send us feedback and ideas. We'll respond to every message:LinkedInInstagramFacebookVoicemailMusic by audionautix.com.Thank you to Himal Media in Patan Dhoka for the use of their studio.

What do you think? Send us a textToday we're doing something different. We're devoting this episode to last weekend's huge rain, the flooding and other disasters it spawned, and the climate migrants who will emerge from these incidents. And here I'd like to give my condolences to the family and friends of the more than 200 people confirmed killed in the devastation. I know: last week I guaranteed we would share the episode about the nurse migrating to Canada but I thought the topic of climate migration — which I've been wanting to discuss for a while — was just too timely to postpone. This episode also has a different format. I have two guests: Sagar Shrestha, Director of the Disaster Management Department at the Nepal Red Cross Society and Manjeet Dhakal, Head of the LDC Support Team and Director, at the South Asia office of Climate Analytics. I recorded this very quickly so the first chat with Sagar, which we did Sunday night, lacks the usual introduction and goodbye, and the quality is not quite up to our usual standard. I recorded with Manjeet on Monday evening. He was in Baku, capital of Azerbaijan, so the line wasn't crystal clear either. One note: Unfortunately, since Monday the number of confirmed deaths has risen to 209, as I'm recording on Tuesday, and dozens more people are still missingSend us feedback and ideas. We'll respond to every message:LinkedInInstagramFacebookVoicemailMusic by audionautix.com.Thank you to Himal Media in Patan Dhoka for the use of their studio.

What do you think? Send us a textThis is a very short episode, basically to say that we are behind schedule so this week's episode is delayed until next week. We think that it will be worth the wait, as we'll be talking to one of many nurses from Nepal who are leaving the country for better opportunities abroad. In fact, this is not a trend only in Nepal; nurses throughout the global South are moving North for what they see as better working and living conditions. Please watch for the new episode to drop in your feed next week. Send us feedback and ideas. We'll respond to every message:LinkedInInstagramFacebookVoicemailMusic by audionautix.com.Thank you to Himal Media in Patan Dhoka for the use of their studio.

Send us a textFrom Kathmandu to Kabul is not really that far in this era of daily intercontinental flights. And today's guest Prem Awasthi is also fortunate in that he gets to make the return trip home at least every six weeks. But still, he already feels that less than a year after migrating to work abroad, his roots in his homeland are somehow shallower. If you missed it, Prem was the first ever guest of the show after we relaunched earlier this year to focus solely on migration and Nepal. In that chat, he told us about his early life in Doti district, in Nepal's Far West region. When he spoke you could hear his deep attachment to that place, so I wonder—for him, does living and working in Kabul not only mean being away from his country, but does it also signify one more step away from his deepest roots, in his home village?In our latest chat, which we recorded at Himal Media in Patan Dhoka, we also discuss if Prem has become comfortable in his new, less visible role, on a much larger team, that he's taken on in Afghanistan. His tasks there are much different than during the nearly two decades that he worked on the frontlines of humanitarian assistance for the UN in Nepal. Finally, Prem has some thoughts for others who might be contemplating a similar move. Send us feedback and ideas. We'll respond to every message:LinkedInInstagramFacebookVoicemailMusic by audionautix.com.Thank you to the Association of Community Radio Broadcasters of Nepal and Himal Media for use of their studios.

Send us a Text Message.Today's episode is not a migration story; you could even call it a non-migration story. I'm chatting with someone successful enough in her field that you could easily imagine her skills being in demand in many other countries, and that she could leave Nepal if she wished. But of course she hasn't. Like many Nepalis, Dr Rojina Shilpakar went to Bangladesh to study medicine, then returned to Nepal. Searching for a niche, she found it quite fast at Sushma Koirala Memorial Hospital, performing surgery on survivors of burns. Today she is deputy medical director at the hospital, a trainer of burns surgery at the regional level, and an advocate for training of health personnel working outside Kathmandu, so that burn survivors who arrive in the capital have a better chance of survival. As much as I enjoyed this conversation, I hesitate to draw any lessons from Rojina's story that might apply to Nepal more broadly. The experiences she's lived and the decisions she made are unique to her. What I do know from our chat, is that she has been able to find a job in Nepal that challenges her and that she is devoted to. I wish that more people will find themselves in such a situation. Thank you as always to Himal Media for welcoming me into their studio for this recording. And a warning: there are some graphic descriptions of surgery in this episode. Please take care while listening. ResourcesSushma Koirala Memorial Hospital, Facebook pageInterburns networkSend us feedback and ideas. We'll respond to every message:LinkedInInstagramFacebookVoicemailMusic by audionautix.com.Thank you to the Association of Community Radio Broadcasters of Nepal and Himal Media for use of their studios.

Send us a Text Message.Up until now I've been recording most of these episodes speaking into a half-empty clothes cupboard. It's sounded surprisingly good, at least to me, but from next week I will have a slightly more professional setup: a dedicated — though tiny — space, basic soundproofing on the walls, and a new mic. I hope we'll be able to hear the difference.In migration news this week, I came across an article featuring data on students going overseas to study in the past year. I must admit that my western bias shows when I say that I didn't even imagine the country that was the #1 destination — Japan. Why Japan? Thanks to a engaging documentary by Dipesh Kharel, The Japanese Dream: Nepali students in Japan, I learned that there are many reasons. First, visa requirements are  easier for Japan than for some other countries. Once there, students can work part-time — a set number of hours a week — which is also key. By the way, according to the documentary, there were 45,000 Nepali students in the country in 2023. This compares to 5,000 Nepalis in total in Japan in 2005. A fun fact that I learned: there are 600 Nepali restaurants in Tokyo alone.Dipesh follows a handful of students, from when they're studying Japanese in Nepal and planning to migrate, to their arrival in Japan and in later years, juggling responsibilities of work and family. I like that he doesn't paint a fake, rosy portrait, but shows some of their hard times also. There's a particularly poignant scene when he's interviewing the father of Rajkumar, who's now in Japan. The father tells him that the day his son learned that he got his visa he had the equivalent of $18. Six days later he had raised $15,000 so his son could migrate. "I can't pay this back," he told his son, meaning the burden was now shifted to the young man. ResourcesNepali students' destinationsDocumentary about Nepali students in Japan, by Dipesh KharelSend us feedback and ideas. We'll respond to every message:LinkedInInstagramFacebookVoicemailMusic by audionautix.com.Thank you to the Association of Community Radio Broadcasters of Nepal and Himal Media for use of their studios.

Send us a Text Message.Mistreatment of migrant workers, especially those forced to work in hot, dangerous conditions, created huge headlines in the run-up to the Qatar World Cup in 2022, thanks in part to the work of today's guest—journalist Pramod Acharya. Pramod's subsequent reporting also made the news globally. Also done in collaboration with journalists around the world, it spotlighted the conditions faced by Nepalis and others working in Amazon warehouses in Saudi Arabia, and led to Amazon changing some of its work practices. For that reporting, Pramod and his colleagues have received numerous nominations and awards, including—for the Amazon work—the Excellence in International Reporting award from the Asian American Journalists Association and the Human Rights Press Award, from Human Rights Watch and others. Today he'll tell us how and where he got his start in journalism, how migration from Nepal has changed in the decade since he started investigating it, and the role that the media might play in making positive change.  ResourcesOne of Pramod's reports on the Qatar World CupA report from Pramod on Amazon warehousesCentre for Investigative Journalism, Nepal Send us feedback and ideas. We'll respond to every message:LinkedInInstagramFacebookVoicemailMusic by audionautix.com.Thank you to the Association of Community Radio Broadcasters of Nepal and Himal Media for use of their studios.

Send us a Text Message.Last week the show reached 80 episodes. It's not a significant number, except that it brings us closer to what will be a milestone—100 episodes. I figure we'll reach that at around the end of the year, and will definitely want to mark it somehow. Maybe with T-shirts, other 'merch', or a Best Of episode? How about an online party? If you have any ideas to celebrate, send them along using the text message link at the top left of these notes. In migration news this week, Republica newspaper reported that the government had put 'on hold' 548 manpower agencies. These are the companies that arrange jobs for migrant workers going abroad, and which are constantly being accused of over charging and otherwise trying to take advantage of workers. 548 is a huge figure, given that the total number of agencies is said to be about 850 - 870, but based on the accusations that fly around about deceitful agencies, it's not all that surprising. The big question for me is: will these companies soon be let off the hook or will they actually be punished somehow?This week's other news that I noted is an argument that the 'brain drain' of educated students should actually be considered a 'brain circulation'. The authors suggest that eventually the students give back a huge amount to their home countries, via remittances and other means. I would like to see more statistics behind these claims, but it's certainly an interesting theory. Next week we'll be speaking with Nepali journalist Pramod Acharya. His reporting about Nepalis working in Persian Gulf countries, especially those building stadiums for the World Cup in Qatar and others working in Amazon warehouses in Saudi Arabia, has earned him many awards and high praise. Let us know what you thought of this week's episode, on social media, via email or text message. ResourcesManpower agencies suspendedBrain drain or brain circulation?Send us feedback and ideas. We'll respond to every message:LinkedInInstagramFacebookVoicemailMusic by audionautix.com.Thank you to the Association of Community Radio Broadcasters of Nepal and Himal Media for use of their studios.

Send us a Text Message.It's amazing what you can find when curiosity is your guide.I was on a reporting trip in Taplejung district in northeast Nepal, bordering Tibet and India. I had an extra day so I thought I'd look for a school that provides meals to its students. It's a topic I've been following for the past couple of years. I asked a guy I met at the hotel if he knew of a school principal in town— it turned out that he was the head of the committee of a local school. He took me to see the noon meal being served, then gave me a tour of the entire school area. I was shocked to see a new building that might have been imported from Europe. With a light-coloured exterior of sharp angles, inside it featured huge windows, tall ceilings, a super wide, wooden staircase, and — perhaps most pleasantly surprising to me — a coffee bar. The astonishing looking building in Taplejung, on the grounds of Bhanu Jana Secondary School, is the IT Academy. It's been running for the past couple of years and includes a studio, where we recorded this episode, with Head Teacher Kishor Kumar Rai. The main aim of the Academy is to train recent graduates with online skills so that they can work from Taplejung instead of joining the tens of thousands of young people migrating from Nepal every month. The IT Academy was built with support from the Human Practice Foundation, a non-profit from Denmark,So far the Academy has graduated 61 young people. 14 of them are employed online as digital creators for companies in places including Denmark, Singapore and South Korea. Those are small numbers, I know, but you have to start somewhere and it does seem that the management team has a growth plan. By the way, the donor that Kishor Rai mentions is Mr Waldemar Schmidt. Learn more about the IT Academy in our conversation now. ResourcesIT AcademyBhanu Jana Secondary School (Facebook)Send us feedback and ideas. We'll respond to every message:LinkedInInstagramFacebookVoicemailMusic by audionautix.com.Thank you to the Association of Community Radio Broadcasters of Nepal and Himal Media for use of their studios.

Send us a Text Message.I want to start this week with a shout out to Tanka, who shared our 3 latest episodes on LinkedIn, including his favourite. His top choice was our chat with Raj and Sunita, who met, online, while working in Gulf countries, got married in Nepal and are now living here again, at least temporarily. Although they're now pregnant, they appear destined to be a migration family, as Raj is now trying to get a work visa for South Korea.Do you have a favourite episode of the show? If so, why not let us know via LinkedIn or other social channels. You can also text the show by clicking the link above. If you're in the US or Canada it's free, it costs 6 rupees from Nepal, and outside of these areas normal charges would apply.This week's news about migration includes the Government of Nepal recruiting 500 men and women to work in Israel as assistants in long-term care centres. There have been some online protests about the government working with Israel because of its ongoing attack on Gaza, but I don't expect that will affect applicationsComing up next week we'll be speaking with award-winning journalist Pramod Acharya, who reports about migration, including human rights abuses, of Nepali and other workers, during the building of World Cup facilities in Qatar. He also worked with other media to uncover abusive practices in Amazon warehouses in Saudi Arabia. News linksRecruiting Nepali workers for IsraelYour brain on audio podcastsSend us feedback and ideas. We'll respond to every message:LinkedInInstagramFacebookVoicemailMusic by audionautix.com.Thank you to the Association of Community Radio Broadcasters of Nepal and Himal Media for use of their studios.

Send us a Text Message.If you've been listening to this show since we re-launched in March to focus only on migration, I think, like me, you would have started to see that there is no one type of migration story. Yes, there are two large groups of migrants — people going abroad to work and others going to study. But within those are a vast number of sub-groups, for example, people going to work because they cannot imagine any other way to earn money (and then within that group are the people who walk across the border to India because they can't afford the cost of flying to work in another foreign country). Among those who can afford an air ticket, are Nepalis who can access enough cash only to make it to a Persian Gulf country, not Europe, and so on. I think you get my point. Today's guest, Prakash Gurung, has tried to migrate both to study and to work. And he's certainly not alone in doing that. But from what I understand after our chat, and re-listening as I was editing it this week, he might belong to another sub-group: people who could earn enough money to get by in the capital Kathmandu if they found a job, but who think they could do better working overseas, even if it means doing the same work. When we talked a few months ago at the Himal Media studio in Patan Dhoka, Prakash told me that since he finished ‘plus-2' – what might be called grades 11 and 12 in other countries – he has tried to get a study visa for the US and when that failed, working visas for Croatia and the Netherlands. None of those came through either, and he was working as a driver for the ride-sharing app Pathao when we met. Doing his plus-2, Prakash focused on hospitality so I mentioned the large number of 5-star hotels that are sprouting in Kathmandu. Prakash said he would definitely be willing to work in one of them, but even if he did manage to get a job, he would probably keep seeking an overseas opportunity, because the pay would be better. But then later in our chat he stated that before going abroad, Nepalis should try first to find an opportunity at home. I remember thinking that sounded contradictory, but on second thought it might simply be a reflection of how complicated a migration journey can be. Send us feedback and ideas. We'll respond to every message:LinkedInInstagramFacebookVoicemailMusic by audionautix.com.Thank you to the Association of Community Radio Broadcasters of Nepal and Himal Media for use of their studios.

Send us a Text Message.Thank you to listener Trilok for pointing out a typo that was on the Nepal Now webpage for almost 4 years, from episode #1. I'm embarrassed but grateful to his sharp eyes.  Please keep the feedback coming, via LinkedIn, as Trilok did, or at the other social channels listed below. You can also email: nepalnowpod(at)gmail.com, or text the show at the link at the top left. It's a US number so the usual messaging charges would apply. I don't think we have many listeners who use Google Podcasts but if you do, that option will soon be discontinued according to reports, so you'll need to find a new app. We're available on most of them — Apple Podcasts, Spotify, PocketCasts, Deezer, and many more — so don't forget to make the move. Recent news about migration and Nepal included a poignant report in Nepali Times that quoted family members of 12 migrants who ended up fighting for the Russian Army and died on the battlefield. This reflects the desperation people must feel to earn money to keep their families afloat. You can hear other news items in the audio, and check out the links below. Coming up next weekWe speak with Prakash Gurung, who keeps trying to move overseas but is yet to succeed. Why does he keep trying? Resources -       Remittances and farm households' income-       Nepali Times – migrants' deaths in Russia-       Nepali youth in Hong Kong Send us feedback and ideas. We'll respond to every message:LinkedInInstagramFacebookVoicemailMusic by audionautix.com.Thank you to the Association of Community Radio Broadcasters of Nepal and Himal Media for use of their studios.

Send us a Text Message.Today we're back with another personal story—two in fact: those of Raj and Sunita. I gotta admit, what I like about this story is the romance element, which is something we haven't heard from other guests so far. What they told us, when we recorded in the ACORAB studio in Chakupat, Patan, was that they were both working in Persian Gulf countries when a colleague suggested that they become Facebook friends. Sunita and Raj then chatted online for three years before finally meeting. You'll have to keep listening to get the full story, but it does include chocolate, flowers and a very large spoon. I'm having fun with this story, but I want to be clear about something—it's not a fairy tale. Yes, Sunita and Raj found one another in what would seem like unusual circumstances to many of us. But there are millions of labour migrants worldwide, so I'm sure that many, many couples come together, like Raj and Sunita, while working abroad. Meanwhile, they experience life as migrant workers — the shock of living in a foreign country, without their language, food  customs, and — especially — family, a family they might not get to see for years. They might face discrimination or mental, physical, and even sexual abuse, and there's a chance that somewhere along the way, someone will try to cheat them out of their hard-earned money. What I'm trying to say is that a migrant worker's life is difficult, one that few people would choose if they had options. But except in the most extreme, harsh circumstances, their lives are multifaceted, like all of ours, and include pain, joy and yes, romance. And I hope this episode reveals a more fully rounded portrait of two migrants' lives.  Send us feedback and ideas. We'll respond to every message:LinkedInInstagramFacebookVoicemailMusic by audionautix.com.Thank you to the Association of Community Radio Broadcasters of Nepal and Himal Media for use of their studios.

Send us a Text Message.Today we're taking a step back from the personal stories we've been hearing to get some perspective on migration and Nepal. Specifically, we're talking about women who leave the country to work, including why a ban on them migrating as domestic workers is not a good idea. We'll also hear – and this is the idea that jolted my brain during the interview – why we need to share positive news about women's migration. My guest today, in the Himal Media studio in Patan Dhoka, is Sadikshya Bhattarai, Research Coordinator at the Centre for the Study of Labour and Mobility, aka CESLAM, at Social Science Baha here in Kathmandu. During our chat, Sadikshya does a great job of sketching the history of women migrating for work until today. She then details how the ban on women working as domestics in Gulf countries has evolved, and why it should end. But this isn't a single-focus discussion—Sadikshya also notes the many initiatives that the three levels of government and their partners have taken to try and improve the system, but concludes that they're just not working as intended. ResourcesCentre for the Study of Labour and Mobility (CESLAM)Send us feedback and ideas. We'll respond to every message:LinkedInInstagramFacebookVoicemailMusic by audionautix.com.Thank you to the Association of Community Radio Broadcasters of Nepal and Himal Media for use of their studios.

Send us a Text Message.Hi everyone, this is Marty. I got a really interesting and positive email about our last interview with Soham, who first moved to the US when he was 17, a couple of decades ago, and he's been going back and forth ever since. The email was from Jennifer, and I want to read a few excerpts: "I learned so much as it's information which is not easily available. It also validated at a gut level what I thought was happening in Nepal. I appreciate the new perspectives Soham articulated, and which I hadn't considered that Nepal wouldn't have progressed on several areas today if migration hadn't happened.""I know it isn't clear cut, but essentially I had viewed migration as an unconscious contributor to the breakdown of the essence of what makes Nepal unique, vital, and such a role model in terms of family support, traditions, life outlook, etc."I agree absolutely: I think the Nepalese government should have reverse brain drain policies in place. I've never heard this stated publicly before, and I hope it gains momentum, as it's a very empowering perspective. I think this direction would reignite Nepalis own belief in their country."So, thank you very much, Jennifer. I'd love to be able to read more of this kind of feedback, positive or negative we don't discriminate. So, again, you can email me at nepalnowpod(at)gmail.com or you can send a text message using the link at the top of the show notes for every episode. It is a US number, so if you're not in the US or Canada, there will be some charges. Also this week, as usual, there's been lots of news about migration. I finally took a look at the World Migration Report 2024, and pulled out a couple of facts about Nepal. For example, Nepal is the number 10 country in terms of remittances or the money that migrants send back home, expressed as a percentage of GDP.  For Nepal, remittances make up 23 percent or almost one quarter of Nepal's gross domestic product. The number one country by the way is Tajikistan at 52 percent. Another piece of news I want to mention is in the Kathmandu Post. (I'll put links to these items in the notes to this show.} The news comes from Rukum West, a district in the Karnali region, and it quotes a guy named Subhas, who has spent 8. 6 million rupees in the last decade (about 64, 000 US dollars) trying to, himself or his son, get to the US through illegal channels. And this is a phenomenon that's been growing in recent years. In fact, one reason I switched Nepal Now podcast to focus solely on migration is I heard a story when I was in Rukum West, following the earthquake in Jajarkot late last year. I met a nurse, and she told us that her husband had left a year earlier to make his way to the US through illegal routes and had already spent one crore. One crore is 10 million Nepali rupees, so about 70, 000 dollars.. And that is just a huge amount of money. for people living in rural Nepal or anywhere in Nepal, where some people continue to live on sums as low as two dollars a day, for example. ResourcesKathmandu post article oSend us feedback and ideas. We'll respond to every message:LinkedInInstagramFacebookVoicemailMusic by audionautix.com.Thank you to the Association of Community Radio Broadcasters of Nepal and Himal Media for use of their studios.

Send us a Text Message.Today we're speaking with Soham Dhakal, who first travelled to the US when he was 17 and has been back and forth between the two countries so many times he considers himself a nomad. But before we get to Soham's story I want to correct something I said last week. Our new text messaging service is not limited: it's for everyone listening to the show, on any app. Sneak a quick look now to confirm: at the top of the description to this episode – and every episode –  you'll see the words ‘Send us a Text Message.' Click on it now to do just that, wherever you are, including Nepal. (I know because I tried it myself last week). Fyi, the number you're texting is in the US, so you'll have to pay the usual rates. Text us about anything you hear on Nepal Now, or to send us ideas for the show. OK, on with our story. As you'll hear me say, Soham was one of the first people I thought of when I decided to start this series of migration. I've known him for about 7 years and he's always been splitting his time between countries. I haven't been part of his life in the US but I know that when he's in Nepal he's also on the move: a very busy, sociable guy. Where some people might think of what they'll lose when they leave country A for country B, and vice-versa, I imagine Soham thinks about what he gets to add back into his life when he returns to each place. It's a cliché that being away from a place gives you more perspective on it, but Soham seems to have actually put that into practice, and offers interesting thoughts on how migration has coloured his own life, the relationship with his family, and Nepal itself, the country that he still considers home. Send us feedback and ideas. We'll respond to every message:LinkedInInstagramFacebookVoicemailMusic by audionautix.com.Thank you to the Association of Community Radio Broadcasters of Nepal and Himal Media for use of their studios.

Send us a Text Message.If you listen to the show on Buzzsprout, which happens to be the platform I use to host the podcast also, you can now send me a text message directly from the website. So what you do is, in the description of each episode, at the very top left, you'll see a link that says, send a text or send me a text. Click on that and your messaging app will open on your phone and you can write me a text message, which I think is pretty cool.  Also this week, uh, some news about migration. There was a really good article, depressing but good article, in The Guardian about the kafala system of labour that's used in the Gulf countries and some neighboring countries. And it's basically a way of employers to control their workforce. And particularly for our purposes, women who go there to work as domestic workers. And you might have listened to the episode we did last month with Sushma, who went to Kuwait and had to come back early after three months. So this is the type of system that is used to control workers like Sushma, who had a pretty tough time considering the short amount of time that she was there. She, at different times, was locked in rooms without a phone. She was deprived of food. She witnessed another worker being physically abused. This system is apparently being reformed in some countries, but it's happening too slowly. And this article in The Guardian is linked to an upcoming episode that we're going to have with an expert who's going to be talking about women migrant workers from Nepal going to the Gulf and other countries. So if you haven't yet subscribed or followed the show, you might want to do that right now so you don't miss that episode. Coming up in our next full interview next week, we're going to be speaking to Soham. Soham first migrated from Nepal to the U. S. when he was 17 to study, and in the last couple decades he's been going back and forth working at various jobs in the U. S. and Nepal also. Has many experiences that he talks about as well as unique opinions about migration personally and about its impact on Nepal as a whole. So stay tuned for that one. ResourcesThe Guardian article about the kafala system Article about migrants from Tanahun District disappearing in RussiaCESLAM website with newsletter sign-upSushma episodeSend us feedback and ideas. We'll respond to every message:LinkedInInstagramFacebookVoicemailMusic by audionautix.com.Thank you to the Association of Community Radio Broadcasters of Nepal and Himal Media for use of their studios.

Aayush Pokharel will soon be graduating from his diploma programme in Canada, and so his search for a full-time job has already started. He'll have three years to work in the country before leaving or applying for permanent residency. For now he says he wants to come back to Nepal. Aayush was one of more than 20,000 young Nepalis officially studying in Canada in 2023, according to one report. That's almost triple the 7,680 students in 2022, making Canada one of the most popular destinations for Nepali students. That is changing fast though: word had already got out about Canada's increasingly expensive housing and scarcity of jobs for students. Then late last year the government announced that it was more than doubling the financial requirement for international students. It has also cut the number of work permits that will be available to graduating students. And this week it announced it is limiting the number of hours that international students can work per week, off campus. Aayush says he won't be affected by any of the announced changes. He tells me that he went to Canada, really, to kickstart his career, and thinks he is still on track to do that. Studies are the easy part, he says, making ends meet otherwise is tough. It means, for example, trying to resist the temptations that would leave him financially bound to Canada, like having to make regular payments on a car loan, or a mortgage. After all, Aayush did promise his father that he'd return to Nepal after five years. A couple of notes before we start. First, if you're a student thinking of going to Canada please confirm any information that you hear in this conversation – it is opinion only, not verified fact. Second, you might have noticed that most of the interviews in this new season of the show were done in person, which is reflected in the great sound quality. This one was not — we recorded online – so it doesn't quite match that level, but I don't think you'll have any problems hearing us. Let me know if you do.Please listen now to my conversation with Aayush Pokharel.  ResourcesRising Nepal article on Nepali students in CanadaGovernment of Canada press release describing some recent changesSend us feedback and ideas. We'll respond to every message:LinkedInInstagramFacebookVoicemailMusic by audionautix.com.Thank you to the Association of Community Radio Broadcasters of Nepal and Himal Media for use of their studios.

Welcome to Nepal Now: Right Now, a weekly micro-episode where we share news about the show and what's happening in migration as it affects Nepal. First, I want to give a shout out to listener Sikhar for his persistence. He wrote and suggested a guest to me. And somehow I couldn't figure out how I could link that guest and their work with this, podcast on migration. And so I wrote back to him. He wrote back to me and very clearly spelled it out. And so I finally got it. So thank you very much again, Sikhar, for, um, for sticking with it and making me understand what you were suggesting. This week I'll be recording two interviews. The first will be with a migration expert. We'll be talking about women migrant workers. And in particular, we'll be discussing the Sushma case. You might remember Sushma, whose episode we aired a few weeks back. She went to Kuwait and had to come back early. Also this week, there's  a traveling government consultation that's happening, on the government's draft labor migration policy.  Hopefully some of the proposals that they present will make things better for migrant workers like Sushma. The second interview I'm doing this week is with a couple who are both applying to go work in South Korea. I met and talked to the husband when he had just finished his first exam. But they're both applying to go, which is quite unusual, I think. And what makes their story even more unique is that they met as migrant workers in Saudi Arabia before COVID. Also in the news this week and last, there have been protests by family members of migrants  who were recruited to go work in Russia and nearby countries and then taken into the Russian army. And a number of Nepalese now have died while serving in the Russian army and more are there trying to get back and have appealed to the government to help them come back. I even read a report this week that some of those recruits were let go from the army and then stuck in this kind of no man's land near the border with Ukraine and Russia, never made it out and have now been forced to go back into the army and continue serving. Also in the news this week, in Nepali Times, they're running a series on internal migration from the eastern hills down to the plains, a migration caused by drought and climate change, also. If you're interested, I'll put the links to these stories in the notes to this episode. ResourcesArticle on migrants stuck in RussiaNepali Times reporting on drought and internal migrationSend us feedback and ideas. We'll respond to every message:LinkedInInstagramFacebookVoicemailMusic by audionautix.com.Thank you to the Association of Community Radio Broadcasters of Nepal and Himal Media for use of their studios.

Hi everyone. I'm Marty Logan. Thank you for clicking on this episode of Nepal Now: On the Move, where we speak with some of the huge number of people leaving – and occasionally returning – to this country wedged between India and China. Bharat Adhikari is another former migrant worker who returned to live in Nepal, but his story could hardly be more different than Sushma's, who we heard from in a previous episode. I chatted recently with Bharat at the Himal Media studio in Patan Dhoka. After more than a decade working in the retail sector in the Persian Gulf countries of Oman and Dubai, Bharat and his family decided it was time to come home. He describes the aha! moment when he returned home from work one day and realized that his mother and daughter had almost everything that money could buy to make them happy living overseas – but not a community. Bharat broke the news to his boss in 2020, at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the man suggested he was crazy. But Bharat insisted that it was the best thing for his ageing mother and young daughter, and finally convinced him (although today he still gets offers from his former employer in Dubai to return). Aside from the decision to leave his successful career in exchange for society and culture in Nepal, what I find interesting about Bharat's story is that his first venture here failed. Well not exactly – he gave up on starting a new business when he realized that he would have to ingratiate himself with government officials. Bharat understood then that having worked only in Gulf countries, he needed to be operating within a disciplined system. Luckily he's now found it in his new job. Please listen now to my conversation with Bharat Adhikari. Send us feedback and ideas. We'll respond to every message:LinkedInInstagramFacebookVoicemailMusic by audionautix.com.Thank you to the Association of Community Radio Broadcasters of Nepal and Himal Media for use of their studios.

This is the first episode of our new micro-series: Nepal Now: Right Now. These pieces will fill the gap between regular full episodes of the show, which are published every two weeks. About 5 minutes long, they will be published on alternate weeks and will focus on past and upcoming episodes — including listener feedback — sharing news about migration and Nepal, and anything else relevant to Nepal Now.Let us know what you think of this new addition to the show, and about this first episode in particular. ResourcesArticle quoting Nepal's Prime Minister Dahal on youth migrationSend us feedback and ideas. We'll respond to every message:LinkedInInstagramFacebookVoicemailMusic by audionautix.com.Thank you to the Association of Community Radio Broadcasters of Nepal and Himal Media for use of their studios.

Hi everyone. I'm Marty Logan. Thank you for choosing to listen to Nepal Now: On the Move from the literally millions of podcasts available. This is our third episode since we shifted the show's focus to migration — to, from, and within Nepal. And, I gotta say: I'm biting my nails waiting for feedback from you listeners — especially long-time fans. Good, bad or indifferent, I want to hear it. Your responses are the best way for me to see how I might improve the show. So please take a minute to leave a comment on Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn, email me at nepalnowpod(at)gmail.com, or leave a review on Spotify or Apple podcasts. Today we're speaking with another returnee to Nepal, but one with a much different story than what we heard from baker/entrepreneur Aanchal last week. We're calling her Sushma, which is not her real name, because she has received threats from people who were involved in sending her to work in Kuwait. Sushma has filed a report with police, but nothing had come of it as of March 31st. The good news is that she is back home with her children, who she was very worried about, and taking medication. Sushma left her village in Nepal's Karnali region last November, and within a month was in Dubai, waiting to be taken to a job in Kuwait. She arrived there after a month but stayed only 3 months because she fell ill — but not before being threatened with harm if she didn't go back to work. She also saw another worker being hit by a house owner, had her phone taken away, and was told by employers in another house that she couldn't leave because “We bought you.”Back in Nepal, Sushma, who didn't attend school as a child and used to earn money in her village by manually breaking stones, is now saddled with a huge debt after her family mortgaged land to pay the agent for her ticket home. But given what she experienced in her brief stay in Kuwait, that seems far better than other possible outcomes.This is the first episode where I worked with an interpreter, Pranika Koyu, who was in the studio with Sushma and I. She did an amazing job, but occasionally you might hear that I left out a voice when I shouldn't have. That and any other editing errors are mine. A couple other notes: you'll hear us talk about lakhs of money: 1 lakh is 100,000 Nepali rupees, which is about $750. Sushma says sometimes that the agent demanded 3 lakhs, 50,000 rupees for her return; other times she says 3 lakhs 20,000. We settled on the last amount. Finally, near the end of our conversation I ask Sushma about something I had heard earlier in the day about her police case. I deliberately deleted the name of the person who told me, for the same security reasons.Just one more thing: I recently found out that there are two versions of the show on Apple Podcasts. I have no idea how that happened but it means I need to delete one. The choice is easy: one has all the episodes and one has fewer; one has quite a few subscribers – I like to think – and one has only about 20. So that second one I'm going to delete tomorrow. If you listen to the show on Apple Podcasts, just be aware of that. And if you notice something has changed, particularly if you can't listen to the show anymore, I suggest that you delete the show and then resubscribe or re-follow, however it works on Apple. If you have any problems beyond that, please let me know. ResourcesPourakhi NepalMusic by audionautix.com.Send us feedback and ideas. We'll respond to every message:LinkedInInstagramFacebookVoicemail

Hi everyone. I'm Marty Logan. Thank you for listening to Nepal Now: On the Move. Let me know what you think of this episode, and if you have ideas for future guests. My email is nepalnowpod@gmail.com. I've done about 10 interviews to date for the show and I can see that it's going to be much more difficult to find female guests than male ones, so please do send me tips about women who I might speak to. As a bit of a teaser, the people you're going to hear from in future episodes have, for example: Gone to study in CanadaMigrated to work in Kuwait but had to return early and is now taking legal action against the people who sent them thereVoluntarily left a rising career in Oman to return to Nepal to share the country's cultural values with their childWorked for some months in the US, then some months in Nepal, and continues to go back and forth regularly.The Covid-19 lockdown in New Delhi forced Aanchal Dutt to develop baking skills in order to satisfy her sweet tooth. Anxieties about her parents living hundreds of kilometres away in her hometown Surkhet, pushed her to give up life in the mega-city she had known from childhood to open a bakery in the small town once the restrictions had passed. Aanchal is one of a very small minority of Nepalis who are immigrating to the country instead of emigrating. But her/their story is important to hear if Nepal is to slow the now torrential flow of people leaving the country for what they hear are better opportunities abroad. Since I've been working on this revamped show, I'm quite sure that Aanchal is the only young Nepali I've met who hasn't wanted to migrate and has actually returned here. The Cake House is now thriving, as a family affair, which I'm happy to say I witnessed when I was in Surkhet. (Btw, if you need a recommendation, the favourite sweet is cheesecake). Aanchal has also fallen in love with an alternative school that practises an holistic approach to learning, and is teaching English there. She says she understands why young people are leaving the country, but passionately urges them to return to help build a better Nepal.Send us feedback and ideas. We'll respond to every message:InstagramLinkedInVoicemail

Hi everyone. Thanks for listening to this first episode of Nepal Now: On the Move. I know there are literally millions of podcasts out there competing for your listening time, so I appreciate that you chose this one.My name is Marty Logan. I'm a Canadian journalist who has lived in Nepal's capital Kathmandu on and off since 2005. You can reach me with feedback on anything you hear on Nepal Now or ideas for guests at nepalnowpod(at)gmail.com. If you're not familiar with the show, Nepal Now has been around for a while — I published more than 60 episodes from June 2020 to June 2023. And here we are again. Why am I back? you might be wondering. You can listen to the new trailer for a full explanation. The short answer is that I think I still have something to contribute to informing people — both Nepalis and foreigners — about this country and I think I've found a way to make it more engaging.To jump right in, today we're speaking with Prem Awasthi. Prem worked for the United Nations in Nepal for 18 years, dealing with the growing number of humanitarian emergencies in the country. In December 2023 he moved to Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan. I caught up with him just hours before his flight left Kathmandu. We talked about the many practicalities of going as well as why he was leaving, and if it's a good thing that so many people are migrating from Nepal. Send us feedback and ideas. We'll respond to every message:Instagram LinkedInVoicemail

Hi everyone. Welcome to Nepal Now, whose new title is Nepal Now: On the Move, for reasons I'll explain shortly. Thanks for choosing this show from among the more than 2 million podcasts now competing for your ears. I'm back! And since my last episode was titled Thank you and goodbye! I guess I should explain. But first, if you don't know me, my name is Marty Logan. I've been a journalist for more than 30 years, in my native Canada, Malaysia and Nepal, where my wife is from. We've lived here since 2016 and before that from 2005 to 2010, when I worked with the UN human rights office. Since 2016 I've been reporting regularly about health and human rights issues; I started Nepal Now in June 2020 and uploaded my last episode in June 2023.Actually, I've been thinking about reviving the show ever since recording that ‘final' episode. I even kept paying to host it all this time, although I wasn't uploading new episodes. I did that partly because I felt like I still had things to say. And also, I know that a small, but steadily growing, number of people were listening. That, I realized, is something special: that some people will devote time in their very full lives to pay attention to what I have to say. I also thought that with a new format I could share information in a more engaging way. After three decades as a journalist, I believe more strongly than ever that almost everyone wants to hear stories. They're happy learning something new but happiest if that content is presented in an engaging way – to put it simply, a story about people that has a narrative arc. So in this series I want to talk about migration — which is a mammoth issue in today's Nepal, with social, cultural, and political impacts that go beyond the economic ones we usually hear about — AND I want to make it more entertaining.And finally, honestly, I admit that I am happy performing. Hosting a podcast is a type of performance, and I enjoy asking questions and trying to make a connection with a guest in the short amount of time that we have together. Ideally this season I'll be speaking with people multiple times – as they prepare to leave Nepal (or in some cases return here) and then at least once after they've arrived.Of course, migration is nothing new for Nepal. Gurkha soldiers are one of the country's best known exports, and have been joining the UK and Indian armies, and other forces, since the early 19th century. But the scale of today's migration is awe-inspiring, and to many people, troubling. We will talk to the Nepalis making those trips, and others linked to the migration phenomenon, to try and make sense of this mass movementBy the way, we covered migration in the second episode of Nepal Now 1, if you want to check that out. The link will be in the show notes.I hope you like the new music and the logo. The tune was composed by Jason Shaw, whose website is audionautix.com. The logo is by Sweven Visuals. Finally, thank you to the Association of Community Radio Broadcasters of Nepal (ACORAB) and Himal Media for letting me record in their studiosIf what I've said interests you, listen now to the first full episode of Nepal Now: On the move. I'll be talking to you soon.ResourcesMusic by audionautix.com.Send us feedback and ideas. We'll respond to every message:Instagram LinkedInVoicemail

Hi everyone. Thanks for joining me for this new episode of Nepal Now. I'm Marty Logan. You might have noticed that this is an extra short episode. Frankly, that's because it will be the last one. After 3 years I'm saying goodbye. Why? Put simply, I don't have the energy to keep the show going any more. I didn't want to announce this at the end of the last full episode, because then I wouldn't have had the chance to say this: Thanks to all of you who are listening and to everyone who ‘tuned in' for one or more of the 64 episodes. I hope you took something away from the experience. I certainly did. I ‘met' a lot of people, most of them online, as you do in this globalized world in the era of Covid-19. I especially appreciate the chats I had with younger guests — which is most of them : -). I think their approach to life rubbed off on me a little, and that's a good thing. If I have one regret it's that I wish Nepal Now had been a little more entertaining, as opposed to informative. My journalism, mainly reporting on women and children's health and on human rights, often focuses on serious topics but, personally, I appreciate a good laugh. Looking back, I think that I should have included more of them in this work... Next time, I hope. A very big thank you to all of my guests, young and old, for sharing their time. I will single out the first guest, Nayantara Gurung Kakshapati, who very easily said yes to my invitation — and even loaned me an audio recorder afterwards. Special thanks to Lori, Shayne, Thom and Nicole, for encouraging me to keep going when I got discouraged way too early in this project. And to Suraya for helping me with social media, especially Instagram, where I was a total newbie. My biggest thank you goes to Niku, who was my advisor on all things Nepali, an insightful critic of my first drafts, and my biggest supporter. This might sound strange given that I'm ending Nepal Now, but I feel like doing this podcast helped to spark my creativity in recent years. I have always enjoyed audio as a medium for journalism and hope to continue using it in my future work. Till then, you can find me on social media and check out my latest work on my Linktree — I'm martydlogan. You will be able to listen to any episodes of the show that you've missed on your podcast app until mid-July. After that, they'll have a home on YouTube — look for @NepalNowPod.Speaking of chuckles, I want to leave you with an outtake from another podcast I've hosted — Strive, by IPS News. Bye for now. Stay in touch on:Instagram Twitter LinkedIn

Hi everyone. Thanks for joining me for this new episode of Nepal Now, the podcast where we highlight different ideas and actions to move the country forward. I'm Marty Logan. Thanks to those of you who filled out the poll on our last episode, about Jumli Marsi rice. It's available if you listen on Spotify, and I post a new poll and a question there with each episode. This poll was tricky: Do you think the growing trend of selling nutritious crops instead of consuming them is good for farm families? That contradiction was reflected in the poll's results, with most people choosing they ‘Didn't know' if it was a positive or negative development. If you're listening on Spotify look for the poll, and a separate question, that you can answer about this episode. No matter where you hear Nepal Now, you can always send me a comment, or question, to martylogancomms@gmail.com. OK, on with today's chat... I've noticed a huge difference in publicity around the topic of mental health since I returned to Nepal in 2016, compared to when I lived here from 2005 to 2010. The subject is highlighted in the news media more regularly, and certainly on social media. Also, there seem to be many more organizations offering mental health education or treatment, both to individuals and to organizations. For example, a couple years ago I interviewed someone from an NGO that is creating quiet spaces it calls ‘counselling rooms' in schools in some pilot districts. You can find the link to that episode in the notes to this show. Growing recognition of the importance of mental health might be one of the few positive results of recent disasters, like the 2014 earthquake and the Covid-19 pandemic, notes today's guest, consultant psychologist Sneha Agarwal Chaudhary. Still, it is alarming that the suicide rate in the country continues to rise steadily. Sneha and I also chat about a few popular perceptions / conceptions of mental health counselling, like the cost and confidentiality, then turn to discuss particular groups of people who make up the audience of this podcast. These include young people in general as well as those who leave Nepal temporarily to either work or study. I think the main takeaway from our conversation is: If you're concerned about your mental health, find someone you can talk to.  As today's conversation includes talk of suicide – please take special care while listening. ResourcesNepal National Suicide Prevention Helpline — Telephone 1166Previous episode on mental health – Training teens on mental healthNepal Now social linksFacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInThanks as always to Nikunja Nepal for advice and inspiration.Music: amaretto needs ice ... by urmymuse (c) copyright 2018 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial  (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/urmymuse/57996 Ft: Apoxode Support the showStay in touch on:Instagram Twitter LinkedIn

Hi everyone. Thank you for being here for this new episode of Nepal Now, the podcast where we highlight different ideas and actions to move the country forward. I'm Marty Logan. Here's something new — did you know you can listen to Nepal Now on your smart speaker? Just ask Siri, Alexa or whoever you're talking with to ‘play Nepal Now podcast' and you'll hear my voice. OK, on with this episode, one I really enjoyed because our initial discussion about why the Government of Nepal invested 13 years into improving a strain of rice – even if it is the famous jumli marsi red rice -  mophed into a broader chat about poor farmers growing crops for export instead of for personal consumption. As its name suggests, the rice is grown in Jumla, a district of the Karnali region in west Nepal, typically described as one of the country's most remote and poorest areas. I remember going there 17 years ago with the World Food Programme as it helicoptered in rice during an ‘emergency operation' because prolonged drought had withered crops. But things are slowly improving. For example, a major hospital, Karnali Academy of Health Sciences, is regularly praised for providing services, rather than for the lack of such, which is often the reason rural health facilities make headlines. Today's guest, senior scientist and molecular breeder Resham Babu Amagain of the Nepal Agricultural Research Council, tells us that he thinks the livelihoods of poor farmers are also improving, largely because they are now selling what they grow – to Nepal's middle class, eager to indulge in what they consider nutritious local food. (A 2018 photo of the current prime minister, and his predecessor, dining on jumli marsi helped to cement the rice's reputation). Before we play today's chat, a quick reminder that you can show your appreciation for the work that goes into making Nepal Now clicking on the white ‘support' button at the middle left of our homepage and making a contribution. If you have any questions or suggestions about this, or about the show in general — feedback on what you hear, an idea for an episode, or anything at all — you can write to me at martylogancomms@gmail.com.Please listen now to my chat with Resham Babu Amagain.ResourcesKathmandu Post story about the improved jumli marsiNepali Times article on jumli marsiNepal Agricultural Research CouncilNepal Now social linksFacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInThanks as always to Nikunja Nepal for advice and inspiration.Music: amaretto needs ice ... by urmymuse (c) copyright 2018 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial  (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/urmymuse/57996 Ft: Apoxode Stay in touch on:Instagram Twitter LinkedIn

Hi everyone. Thank you for being here for this new episode of Nepal Now, the podcast where we highlight different ideas and actions to move the country forward. I'm Marty Logan. A quick reminder that you can back the work that goes into creating this show, by clicking on the white ‘support' button at the middle left of our homepage and making a contribution. If you have any questions or suggestions about this, or about the show in general — feedback on what you hear, an idea for an episode, or anything at all — you can write to me at martylogancomms@gmail.com.If you're at least in your 20s you've probably heard of Tootle. It was the first ride-sharing app to operate in Nepal, starting in 2016. Today there is a multitude of competitors, from Pathao to InDriver, Bolt and more. In this episode, Tootle's founder, Sixit Bhatta, tells us that he's happy to see how the marketplace has developed since his project to track a bus on its route evolved into one of the country's earliest forays into the so-called sharing economy. And he adds that he's moving onto new things. Hint: They're about as far away from Kathmandu's traffic jams as he can get, both literally and figuratively. But you have to wonder how things might have turned out if the government hadn't delivered a ‘knockout blow' to his new, local business via a tax bill that today's ride-sharing ventures, backed by international resources, do not have to face. Sixit is surprisingly philosophical about this, preferring to focus on the ground that Tootle broke. That includes getting customers used to taking a lift from a motorcycle-riding stranger and — for the drivers — losing the ‘shame' of accepting money for their work.I think you'll be surprised at his answer when I ask Sixit for one piece of advice he would give to entrepreneurs just starting out... I was.Please listen now to my chat with Sixit Bhatta. Resources Book mentioned by Sixit – Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenanceTootle Facebook page (not updated)Nepal Now social linksFacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInThanks as always to Nikunja Nepal for advice and inspiration.Music: amaretto needs ice ... by urmymuse (c) copyright 2018 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial  (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/urmymuse/57996 Ft: Apoxode Stay in touch on:Instagram Twitter LinkedIn

Hi everyone. Thank you for being here for this new episode of Nepal Now, the podcast where we highlight different ideas and ways of moving the country forward. I'm Marty Logan, a journalist and communicator from Canada who's lived in Nepal for 11 years.Before we get into today's chat, a follow-up from our recent episode about the satire-writing Ass of Nepali Times newspaper. You've probably heard about ChatGPT, the AI programme that has become essay-writing students' new best friend. Well, Nepali Times recently asked ChatGPT to write various types of articles as a demonstration, including an example of Backside, the former column by The Ass. Unlike the straightforward news articles that the AI produced, it is not impressive, illustrating at least one limitation of the software — humour. Check it out at the link in the notes to this episode . Also, a reminder that you're now able to support Nepal Now financially — if you wish. Go to our website, nepalnow.buzzsprout.com, then to the black box titled Nepal Now+, where you can click to support the show. I've also included the link in the episode notes. If you have any questions or suggestions — about this support, an idea for an episode, or anything at all — you can write to me at martylogancomms@gmail.com. Thank you.Today we're speaking with Bala Rai, about the programme One School, One Nurse. I thought it started in 2022 but it was actually 4 years earlier, yet to date it's reached just 1,100 of the tens of thousands of government schools. Still, providing health support and advice to school students — on things like nutrition, menstrual hygiene and mental health — seems like a great use of limited resources. Bala, who is Chief of the Nursing Section, in the Nursing and Social Security Division of the Department of Health, says that expansion will depend on provincial and local governments also footing some of the bills. I also hope that the three levels of government find ways to adequately compensate the nurses — who are contract, not permanent, employees — so they don't leave the country for overseas opportunities. Finally, thank you to Anita Shrestha, who wrote about the One School, One Nurse programme for Himal magazine and suggested I contact Bela Rai for this episode. I've linked also to Anita's article (translated) in the notes.ResourcesChat GPT's version of BacksideAnita Shrestha's article translated in Nepali TimesSupport Nepal NowNepal Now social linksFacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInThanks as always to Nikunja Nepal for advice and inspiration.Music: amaretto needs ice ... by urmymuse (c) copyright 2018 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial  (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/urmymuse/57996 Ft: ApoxodeStay in touch on:Instagram Twitter LinkedIn

Hi everyone. Thank you for being here for this new episode of Nepal Now, the podcast where we highlight different ideas and ways of moving the country forward. I'm Marty Logan, and I hope you can hear those birds chirping in the background. We just had a light rain so they've come out to celebrate. Before we get into this episode, I want to let you know that you're now able to support Nepal Now financially — if you wish. Go to our website, nepalnow.buzzsprout.com, then to the narrow black box titled Nepal Now +, where you can click to support the show. I've also included the link in the notes to this episode. This is strictly voluntary; we will not restrict new episodes to people who support us, but it will help pay for the time that we put into the show. And, I must say, for me it is also a vote of confidence in our work. If you have any questions or suggestions you can write to me at martylogancomms@gmail.com. Thank you.Today we're speaking with Dr Mandira Sharma, a human rights activist, founder of the NGO Advocacy Forum, and senior international legal advisor at the International Commission of Jurists. She was involved in the very first exhumation of a body in a conflict-related case in Nepal, in 2007, and has been training in the process since then as a non-medical expert. Mandira says that Nepal has been slow to undertake exhumations to try to find some of the more than 3,000 people said to be ‘disappeared' during the conflict, from 1996 to 2006. It has also neglected to develop technical expertise and policies and guidelines to undertake the work. We also chat about how exhumation fits into the four pillars of transitional justice and if Nepal is neglecting most of those pillars. Finally, Mandira argues that the state of the country today, including economic under-development and political instability can be traced back to the impunity that has reigned over Nepal since before the conflict.Importantly, in the days following our recording, a case was filed in Nepal's Supreme Court against Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal. Known as Prachanda when he led the Maoist uprising, in 2020 Dahal admitted that the Maoists were responsible for 5,000 of the 17,000 people estimated killed during the conflict. Starting on Thursday, the Supreme Court will hear if the prime minister should be investigated for that crime. And a warning before we start: This episode discusses exhumation of the bodies of victims of conflict. Please take care while listening. Resources-       Mandira Sharma on Twitter-       Ongoing news about the case against Prime Minister Dahal-       Support Nepal NowNepal Now social linksFacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInThanks as always to Nikunja Nepal for advice and inspiration.Music: amaretto needs ice ... by urmymuse (c) copyright 2018 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial  (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/urmymuse/57996 Ft: ApoxodeStay in touch on:Instagram Twitter LinkedIn

You can now support Nepal Now. Hi everyone. This is Marty Logan. Apologies for the long delay between episodes. I finally made it home for the holidays after four years being delayed by Covid and took advantage with a longer than usual break. So, welcome back to Nepal Now, if you're a return listener; greetings to those of you who are here for the first time. What I'm trying to do with this podcast is highlight some alternatives to the usual routes and ideas about so-called development in Nepal. If you have any suggestions for future episodes please write to me at martydlogan@proton.me.We've all made asses of ourselves at one time or another. Unfortunately for me, it seems that those are some of my most enduring memories. But today's guest actually made a career out of it — not of messing up but of being The Ass, the author of a satirical column that ran on the back page of the Nepali Times newspaper for more than two decades. As full-time publisher and editor of the weekly paper he says that writing the column went way beyond horsing around. In fact, more than once during our chat he describes satire as serious business — it's a way to hint at what is really going on in the halls of power without playing by the regular rules of journalism, but if you cross a line and hit too hard — or too low — you could find yourself in a heap of — well, you know what. The Ass says that after decades of poking fun at Nepal's leaders he started to repeat himself — which isn't surprising as the politicians themselves have been revolving in and out of the top posts for just as long. At some point he also realized that the reality of party politics was actually more ridiculous than anything he could dream up. So, The Ass is out to pasture and today says he is sleeping like a foal once again. We also discuss the birth and evolution of Nepali Times, which started off as a cash cow — apologies for the mixed animal metaphors in this episode — but soon became known as a media that reported on life in Nepal beyond the Kathmandu bubble, particularly during the Maoist insurgency, from 1996 to 2006. A quick note: early in the episode The Ass talks about the panchayat, which was the party-less system of government that reigned in Nepal before democracy was restored in 1990. ResourcesThe Ass' column, BacksideNepal Now social linksFacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInThanks as always to Nikunja Nepal for advice and inspiration.Music: amaretto needs ice ... by urmymuse (c) copyright 2018 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial  (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/urmymuse/57996 Ft: ApoxodeStay in touch on:Instagram Twitter LinkedIn

Hi everyone. This is Marty Logan. Welcome to Nepal Now.It's been an up-and-down year for me, and for the podcast, as I'm sure it has for many of you. But thanks to support from you listeners I've been motivated to keep it going. So thank you all for that. These will be my last words through the podcast for 2022, but before I say goodbye I want to ask you to do one more thing. I've created a very short survey to help me decide if we should tweak Nepal Now in 2023 and I need your input. I've pasted the link in the notes to this episode. Filling it out should take you no more than 2 minutes — no exaggeration, it took me under 1 minute.Besides doing the survey, you can always contact me with ideas for guests or any other feedback at my new email address: martyloganstuff@proton.me.Thank you in advance. And special thank you's to Thom, Nicole and Lori for their encouragement, to all the guests who shared their time and ideas with me in 2022, and especially to Niku, whose support goes way beyond Nepal Now.Bye for now. I'll talk to you again next year!ResourcesPlease fill out the surveyNepal Now social linksFacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInThanks as always to Nikunja Nepal for advice and inspiration.Music: amaretto needs ice ... by urmymuse (c) copyright 2018 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial  (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/urmymuse/57996 Ft: ApoxodeStay in touch on:Instagram Twitter LinkedIn

Welcome to Nepal Now, the podcast where we explore new ideas and innovations to move the country forward. My name is Marty Logan. Thank you for joining me today a in my noisy neighbourhood. It feels like it's construction season in this part of Kathmandu – but on with the show as they say!Like what seems to  be a growing number of Nepalis, Rumee Singh always had an itch to return home and use her abilities to improve her own country. She went overseas to finish her education and then scored a “cushy” job in the corporate world in New York, but when a year-long stint in Dubai ended, she and her Nepali husband chose to return east instead of west. The move paid off. Her work has been recognized with an investment from something called the UNICEF Innovation Fund, which puts money into development solutions based on blockchain technology. (Don't worry – Rumee and I describe blockchain in simple terms in our chat coming up).Rumee's innovation, Rahat (‘relief' in Nepali) is a digital payment system for humanitarian emergencies, such as following natural disasters like flooding. It's a way to get money, or even goods, to affected people using mobile phones. Rahat's advantage is that every transaction is tracked and because it uses blockchain, anyone anywhere can go online and see all those dealings — creating a huge barrier to corruption. It's simple, but also complicated in some ways, explains Rumee. For example, not everyone post-disaster has access to a phone, so those people might actually receive physical cards that they can exchange for money or goods. Another wrinkle is that even people who do have phones don't always know how to use them — even for simple things like receiving a text message — so Rahat has to do digital literacy sessions in some areas. But overall, results from early tests have been positive and now Rahat is doing a pilot project with the UNICEF country office here. If all goes well, Rumee thinks that her innovation could succeed beyond Nepal, especially because Rahat is based on blockchain, which is borderless. She encourages her countrywomen and men overseas who are considering a move home to take the plunge. It can be frustrating, she says, but it's also cheaper to set up a business, the talent pool is deep, and it's familiar territory. If you have any thoughts about this episode, or ideas for future ones, let me know. My email is marty@martylogan.net. ResourcesRahatUNICEF Innovation FundNepal Now social linksFacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInThanks as always to Nikunja Nepal for advice and inspiration.Music: amaretto needs ice ... by urmymuse (c) copyright 2018 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial  (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/urmymuse/57996 Ft: ApoxodeStay in touch on:Instagram Twitter LinkedIn

Thank you for joining me today. I think it's fair to say that the discussion you're going to hear raises at least as many questions as it answers. We're talking about domestic abuse and women who leave Nepal to work abroad. Labour migration is a huge part of the country's economy and, as I think this episode reveals, it has a major impact on many other aspects of life here. Earlier this century the money that migrant workers sent home accounted for close to 1/3 of Nepal's entire economy; today it is closer to a quarter – still a major chunk of what keeps this country going. Today I'm speaking with Dr Arjun Kharel, assistant professor of sociology at Tribhuvan University and a research fellow at the Centre for the Study of Labour and Mobility. He and co-author Amrita Gurung recently published a paper that looks at spousal abuse experienced by 148 Nepali women who worked in various countries overseas. Much has been reported about women migrant workers who are abused in their working countries but this research focuses on domestic abuse faced by women in Nepal before and after they worked overseas, mostly in Persian Gulf countries or Malaysia. These are – aside from Nepal's neighbour India – the main destination countries for Nepali workers, women and men. One of the main findings of the research, which surprised the academics, is that women migrant workers did not face higher levels of abuse after they returned home. Researchers expected that because there is such a stigma about women who go abroad alone, specifically that they will hook up with other men that female migrants would be ‘punished' after returning home. Another surprising finding was that the women surveyed believed that it was OK for men to beat women in certain circumstances, for example if they were not caring for children properly. In that sense, their opinions matched those of Nepali women in general, whereas researchers thought that exposure to another culture might affect the migrants' thinking about abuse. Other questions that I think the research raises include: how many Nepali women who leave for overseas work are abused and how big a factor is that abuse in their decision to leave? Arjun does have answers based on his research, as you'll hear, but I think this needs to be examined further. Also, why isn't more being done to prevent domestic abuse in general, which in turn might reduce the number of women who feel they have to leave the country? I could go on, but instead please listen now to my chat with Dr Arjun Kharel to learn more. ResourcesResearch paper — Women's Participation in Foreign Labour Migration and Spousal Violence: A Study on Returnee Women Migrant Workers in NepalOur earlier episode – The Labour Migration TrapNepal Now social linksFacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInThanks as always to Nikunja Nepal for advice and inspiration.Music: amaretto needs ice ... by urmymuse (c) copyright 2018 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial  (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/urmymuse/57996 Ft: ApoxodeStay in touch on:Instagram Twitter LinkedIn

I reached out to Gyanu Adhikari wondering if I had missed the boat. I wanted to speak to him about co-founding The Record, an online news portal that started publishing in 2014, but the website had stopped posting new information this past July. I probably should have contacted him two years earlier, after I started this podcast, but I think as a media person myself I just took the website for granted as another media portal not as an experiment in providing news without advertising and in multiple formats. So I was happily surprised when Gyanu agreed to an interview – but startled when he said that what he really wanted to discuss was his optimism about Nepal's future. It's rare to hear that view. Instead, what many people seem to want to talk about are government failures: the lack of action on air pollution and to combat health crises like Covid-19 and the ongoing dengue outbreak. Myself, I can easily get fixated on the glacial progress toward solving long-standing issues, like lack of healthcare in rural areas and the mind-boggling neglect of preparations for the inevitable disasters that occur during the monsoon. So it was really good to hear from someone who can see beyond the obvious problems. Back to The Record, and journalism in Nepal more broadly. Here I think Gyanu was hopeful rather than optimistic. Hopeful that some young, entrepreneurial media people would build on The Record's record, in particular counting on subscribers instead of advertisers to generate the resources to keep the portal running, and with an eye to maintaining its independence. That would be easier today than when the site was launched thanks to huge advances in online payment services, Gyanu pointed out. Perhaps the new operation could be bilingual too, he suggested.This conversation reminded me of my chat with Shailee Basnet, who has climbed Mt Everest and is now a stand-up comic, motivational speaker and mentor to young women. When I asked her in 2021 why so many Nepalis were reaching global heights, as climbers, chefs, performers, etc, she made it sound like a natural evolution, part of the country's so-called development if you like. I still feel that it is largely the people of Nepal who are leading the country forward rather than its leaders. As you'll hear, Gyanu disagrees with me. Listen to our chat now to learn more. ResourcesWebsite of The RecordGyanu Adhikari on TwitterNepal Now social linksFacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInThanks as always to Nikunja Nepal for advice and inspiration.Music: amaretto needs ice ... by urmymuse (c) copyright 2018 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial  (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/urmymuse/57996 Ft: ApoxodeStay in touch on:Instagram Twitter LinkedIn