(Part 2/4) “The factory was in Wapi. I remember I was very nervous to meet the supervisor. I was told that he would ask me questions. I was not afraid of not being able to answer them. That day I put on the only shirt and pant I had and went to meet him in his office. He looked at me with curiosity and said, “You look young. What made you leave home? I told him about my father and mother and how I did not want to make clay pots. He smiled and said, “Maybe making clay pots is easier than working here. You will find out.” He told me since I did not have any educational background he could only offer me work at the plant and not at the office. I agreed. I had no choice for if I did not, then no one was going to bring me food. This was not home. This was a place void of human sympathy. The machines were treated with more respect and care than the humans who operated them.

Today, when I look back I realize that this was a place filled with humans who have had a harsh life. Humans who were punished for no reasons. Humans who live in poverty, crime and misery just for food, just to survive. Love was a distant thing here. So everyone was cruel to everyone. There was a hierarchy. The bosses oppressed the workers, the workers oppressed helpers and so on. We were all slaves. 

Every day, I would see the machines run non-stop. The heat was unbearable and the noise too loud. the breaks were short and the days long. Although I wanted to operate the machinery they asked me to load and unload, sweep, mop and do all kind of things. It was only after 7 months they let me touch the machine. Maybe they saw that I would stare at the machine every time I passed them. Maybe they noticed how carefully I studied which buttons were being pressed. Maybe they saw my eyes. I was happy to operate the machine. It was like I had received a promotion. I could command some respect. Now some machines were under me. 

I did not waste time. I focused on increasing production. I was good and not long after I had started operating the machinery the supervisor came to me and said that the boss wanted to see me. I was nervous. Was he going to let go of me? Did I make an error? The boss looked at me, stood and came to shake my hands. He said, “Well, done, you have beaten the record of our highest production. You have made all the Nepalis here proud. I just wanted to congratulate you. Now, you can go back to work.”

This was a big and pleasant surprise for me. As I walked back into the plant, my fellow workers were looking at me. I stood tall with pride and took confident strides. I felt it was a hard life but it was a good life. The boss had praised me. At that moment, I knew I would do bigger things in life.”

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Stories of Nepal x ICCO Cooperation South Asia x European Union in Nepal