Kailash Lama

Mingma Sherpa of Luwangsa in Gaurishankar Municipality Ward-6 has created employment for around 30 local women by operating a carpet industry in her village.

Mingma Sherpa, 52, who spent six years in Saudi Arabia for employment purpose now, has opened a carpet industry in Luwangsa. Before flying overseas as a migrant worker, she had worked in a carpet industry for a decade.

In May, Mingma Sherpa invested Rs. 500,000 to purchase 10 weaving looms, wool and thread to start the carpet industry of her own. Currently, she has manufactured two dozen carpets, and the price of a carpet produced from her factory ranges from Rs. 30,000 to Rs. 70,000.

The Sherpa community women were happy to have a high return from weaving carpets as a side job besides performing their daily household chores.Local 40 year-old Nimdiki Sherpa said that she wove one carpet in two weeks from working from morning to evening.“We complete one carpet in 25 days whilst continuing other tasks side by side,” she said. Having a weaving loom in her own house has made her work easier, added Nimdiki Sherpa.

Having left the foreign country to operate a carpet industry, Mingma Sherpa has provided weaving looms and thread to all women interested in weaving. Mingma Sherpa is also providing training related to carpet weaving.

For one square metre, the women earn Rs. 5,000, and upon completion they earn around Rs. 8,500. Their hundred knot carpet is in demand in the nation as well as foreign countries. Currently, they are able to weave a dozen carpets, but with the help of state level government they will be able to expand the industry and create more employment, said Mingma Sherpa.

Published on: 11 July 2019 | The Rising Nepal