16 April, 2026

In the vibrant yet challenged neighborhood of Pragati Tole, Surkhet Ward 6, 33-year-old Harimaya Sunar lived a modest life with her husband, and their 15-year-old son, Ayush. To support her family, Ms. Sunar worked as a local vegetable seller. At the time, her community faced a significant gap in waste management and gender inclusion. A lack of awareness regarding waste segregation, coupled with minimal female participation in municipal development, meant that household waste often ended up in lack of proper landfills, and women were largely excluded from income generating social causes.

A pivotal shift occurred when the Birendranagar Municipality recommended Ms. Sunar for a specialized composting training program. This initiative, under the “Green Steps: Empowering Nepal through Waste Reduction project,” was conducted by CLEAN UP NEPAL. The comprehensive curriculum, delivered by experienced facilitators, introduced Ms. Sunar to the concepts of waste segregation, the “3Rs” (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle), and practical composting methods. For Ms. Sunar, this training was more than an educational course; it was a catalyst that unlocked her potential for leadership and self-improvement.

Upon completing the program, Ms. Sunar immediately implemented her learning at home. By practicing regular composting, she significantly reduced the volume of organic waste sent to local landfills, reviving traditional sustainable practices to solve modern environmental problems.

However, her transformation extended far beyond her own household. Ms. Sunar emerged as a community leader, transmitting her newfound knowledge to her neighbors and empowering them to take responsibility for their own waste. Her dedication caught the attention of the municipality, leading to an appreciation from the municipal waste management sector. As she started the practice of composting which have high demands in market, Ms. Sunar’s financial literacy improved, providing her with a sustainable path to economic independence.

Today, Harimaya Sunar is no longer just a vegetable seller; she is an environmentally conscious entrepreneur and a respected community advocate. Reflecting on her journey, she emphasizes the need for continued growth, suggesting that the Birendranagar Municipality provide refresher technical training and establish dedicated market platforms for compost manure.

To sum up, the “Composting training” has fundamentally transformed Ms. Sunar’s life. By bridging the gap between waste management and leadership, she has become a self-reliant force for change, promoting a cleaner environment and a more empowered future for the women of Surkhet.