I am Bishownath Chamer, aged 46, resident of Kapilvastu district, Ward no. 5, Sathuli Bhansaar. Being a solo bread winner of the family, I have more obligations at home as well as my own Kawad Centre ‘ Sanjay Kawad Center’. Prior to this business, I worked as a tractor driver. Through the income received from driving, I had to take care of my entire family, having a wife and six children, nevertheless, the amount was not sufficient to me.

It’s been already 8 years since I have been running my own business. With the full of zeal and determination, I started my own business and employed few male workers. A total number of 7 male waste workers collect waste from outside, sell at my centre and segregate them accordingly. They collect about 400 kg plastic per day, and I sell them at the rate of NPR 43 at Bhairhawa district. However, it is not so easy as I have thought. I must pay the amount of 8 thousand rupees for the monthly rent. For which I had to work hard to sustain. There is total 8 Kawad business at Taulihawa, and my centre is one of the biggest centres out of them. To succeed in my business, the pivotal role my eldest son has played as an accountant is highly admirable. He looks after my business that has enabled me to grow and thrive together. His incessant support to my business is the source of inspiration to many youths as well. Furthermore, it has created a strong bonding between me and my son. Additionally, the support I have been receiving from my entire family members is a significant change I have ever seen in the society as Kawadi business is not taken as a prestigious job in our society.  

Due to the lack of compression for plastic bottles, transporting plastic waste was not profitable for my business. I sought support from government agencies or NGOs, but no organizations, individuals, or government bodies provided assistance. However, a team from CLEAN UP NEPAL visited my scrap business, gathered information about my operations, and later provided me with a semi-automated compression machine. Since then, I have compressed 1,500 kilograms of plastic waste in a short time. This machine has significantly increased the value of my business and made it easier and more cost-effective to transport compressed plastic.

I’m grateful to CLEAN UP NEPAL and IM Swedish Development Partner for making my work so much easier. With the machine compressing the waste, I no longer need multiple vehicles to transport it, which saves me money every week. It has truly made running my business much smoother and more efficient.

Bishwanath Chamar