“Although father had accumulated a sizeable property, I had no interest in ploughing the fields. My father did not understand why I wanted to leave home and find work elsewhere when grains were abundant and there was no need to work for someone else. The way I looked at life was different. I wanted to experience something new. A life of challenge where I would create my own future. So I left for India. I did not stay there for long. I left for Mussorie. I stayed there for some time and returned to Nepal and started working in a construction company in Nepalgunj. Work would take me to several districts including Kathmandu, Rupandhehi, Dhadhing and Kavre.

Every time I returned home I would tell my father about the life I was leading, about work and the money I was making. But he was not content. It has been years that he had been waiting for me to return home. Maybe it was his wish that came true that I had to come home.

When the first lockdown started, I returned home. I wanted to go back to my work but the lockdown did not allow me. During that time I would roam the village and father’s fields. It felt nice. The home-cooked meal, the love of family and the fresh air was something that I had missed. I started comparing life at home and life outside. At home, I did not have to hear anyone scolding, neither I had to report and be under surveillance all the time. I was free to do what I wanted and no one would question me. It was a free life. I finally came to the decision that I was going to stay at home with my father, mothers, sisters and brothers. It was time I returned for good.

I had to do something. I was passionate but it had been a long time that I had not ploughed the fields. I was not used to with physical labor. Now that I was married, it would not look good for me to stay idle at home.The COVID pandemic caused immense economic crisis in our lives. We could not sell our vegetables in the market, and could not go out for any labor work either. A friend who was involved in Community Aquatic Animal Conservation Group formed with the support of Paani Program asked me if I would be interested to start Integrated Fish Farming. It was new to me but I had land to dig up a pond and if I received some technical and financial support and I could do it. I asked my friends who knew about USAID’s Paani Program’s support on Integrated Fish Farming and they recommended I should take the opportunity without delay.In such a situation of crisis, Paani program supported us and provided us the training to farm fish along with livestock and vegetables around one pond system. We also learnt that Integrated Fish Farming is more profitable than our traditional farming. From the training, we learnt that it is not only enough just to dig pond for fish farming, but we should be aware of the water temperature and soil quality.With the support from Paani Program, I soon received a grant. It took us 13 days to dig up the pond. And not long ago I have released 1000 fish fingerlings in the pond. We didn’t use any machine to construct the ponds, instead local labor for was used to create local employment during the time of lockdown.

Seeing my work today, the rest of our community are attracted to s integrated fish farming. If people are engaged in their own fish farm and get the supply from their own pond nearby the house then we will not need to go to the river to catch fish every time. It will reduce the fishing pressure to a certain extent. Paani Project has linked us with the market stakeholders and technical experts to access the market and technical services.I have done my calculations and I know there will be some profit when they are big enough for me to sell. At least, I have something to look forward to and do not have to roam around the country sleeping under someone’s roof. I can be close to home, come back after I finish work and rest. My father is happy today and he tells his friends about the pond.

He is happy. My family is happy and in their happiness, I find hope for the days to come.”

Shiva Lal Tharu, Rajapur Muncipality 3, Bardia

USAID NepalPaani – पानी

Shivalal Chaudhary as a migrant returnee received USAID Paani Program’s COVID response support on livelihood to construct a fish pond and a duck shed in his own farm. Being a member of Sagarmatha CAACG, he believes that harvesting fish in IFF pond would reduce pressure to river system. He is an inspiring young farmer in his location who has his own aspirations from fish and livestock farming.

मेरो बुबासँग प्रसस्तै जग्गा-जमिन थियो तर मलाई खनजोत गर्न कुनै इच्छा थिएन । घरमा प्रशस्तै अन्न थियो । कामै नगरी सबैलाई खान पुग्थ्यो । अन्तै काम खोज्न मैले किन घर छोड्नु पर्यो भन्ने कुरा मेरो बुबाले बुझ्नु भएन । जीवनलाई हेर्ने मेरो दृष्टिकोण नै फरक थियो । मलाई भिन्दै कुराको अनुभव गर्न मन थियो । म जीवनका संघर्षहरू आफै गर्न चाहन्थेँ जहाँ म आफ्नो भविष्य आफै कोर्न सक्थेँ । त्यसैले म इन्डिया गएँ । तर त्यहाँ धेरै बसिन, मुसुरी गएँ । त्यहाँ पनि धेरै बस्न मन भएन, अनि नेपाल फर्किएर नेपालगञ्जमा निर्माण कम्पनी सुरू गरेँ। कामको शिलशिलामा म काठमाण्डौ, रूपन्देही, धादिङ, काभ्रे लगायत धेरै जिल्लाहरू घुमेँ ।हरेकपटक घर फर्किँदा बुबालाई मैले जिइरहेको जीवन, मेरो काम र कमाइ बारे सुनाउँथेँ । तर उहाँ खासै सन्तुष्ट हुनुहुन्थेन । सदाका लागि म घर फर्किउँला भनेर उहाँले बाटो हेर्नु भएको पनि धेरै वर्ष भइसकेको थियो । सायद म घर फर्केको देख्न पाउनु नै उहाँको ठूलो सपना थियो ।कोरोनाका कारण पहिलो पटक लकडाउन हुँदा म घर फर्किएँ । मलाई काममा फर्किन मन थियो तर लकडाउनले दिएन । त्यतिबेला म गाउँतिर बरालिँदै बुबाको खेत पनि डुल्थेँ । राम्रै लाग्यो । घरमा बनाएको खाना, परिवारको माया र स्वच्छ हावापानी काममा हुँदा बेलाबेलामा सम्झिरहन्थेँ । घरको जीवन र बाहिरको जीवनको तुलना गर्न थालेँ । घरमा न कसैको गाली सुन्नुपर्थ्यो न त चौविसै घन्टा कसैको निगरानीमा रिपोटिङ गर्नुपर्थ्यो । जे गर्न पनि म स्वतन्त्र थिएँ र मलाई प्रश्न गर्ने कोहि थिएन । जिन्दगी क्या स्वतन्त्र लाग्यो । अन्ततः बुबा, आमा, बहिनी र भाइहरूसँग घरमै बस्ने निर्णय गरेँ । राम्रोको लागि म सँधै घरमै बस्नुपर्नेबेला भइसकेको थियो ।मलाई केहि गर्नु थियो तर मैले खनजोत नगरेको लामो समय भइसकेकोरहेछ । शारिरिक परिश्रम गर्ने बानी छुटिसकेकोरहेछ । मेरो बिहे भइसकेकोले घरमा यत्तिकै बस्नु पनि उचित थिएन ।कोरोना महामारीले हाम्रो जीवनमा निकै ठूलो आर्थिक सङ्कट ल्यायो । न त हामीले फलाएको तरकारी बजारसम्म पुराउन सकियो, न त बाहिर काम गर्न जान नै सकियो । पानी परियोजनाको सहयोग रहेको सामुदायिक जलचर संरक्षण समुहसँग आबद्ध एकजना साथीले एकिकृत माछा पालन गर्ने हो भनेर मलाई सोधे । यो मेरो लागि नयाँ कुरा त थियो तर पोखरी खन्न मसँग पर्याप्त जमिन पनि थियो । प्राविधिक र आर्थिक सहयोग पाएको खण्डमा गर्न सक्छु जस्तो लाग्यो तर गरूँ कि नगरूँ निर्णय लिन सकिन । पानी परियोजना बारे जानकार रहेका मेरा अरु साथीहरूसँग राय लिँदा, सबैले यो त छुटाउनै नहुने अवसर हो, ढिला नगर्नू भने ।कोरोनाको त्यस्तो विषम परिस्थितीमा पनि पानी परियोजनाले सहयोग गरेर हामीलाई माछा पालन र एक पोखरी प्रणालीमा आधारित तरकारी खेतीको बारेमा तालिम दिइयो । हाम्रो परम्परागत खेतीमाभन्दा एकिकृत माछा पालनमा धेरै मुनाफा हुने कुरा बुझियो । माछा पालनको लागि पोखरी खनेर मात्रै पुग्दैन, पानीको तापक्रम र माटोको गुणस्तर बारे पनि जानकारी हुनुपर्छ भन्ने कुरा तालिमबाटै हामीले सिक्यौँ ।पानी परियोजनाबाट मैले छिट्टै अनुदान पनि पाएँ । १३ दिन लगाएर पोखरी खन्यौँ । माछाको १००० वटा भुरा पोखरीमा छोडेको धेरै भएकोछैन । पोखरी खन्न मेसिनको प्रयोग गरिएन । लकडाउनको समयमा स्थानियस्तरमा रोजगारी सिर्जना गर्न मान्छे नै लगाएका थियौँ ।मेरो काम देखेर आज समुदायका अरू साथीहरू पनि एकिकृत माछा पालनमा आकर्षित भएकाछन् । आफ्नै माछा पालनमा मानिसहरू संलग्न रहेर घरछेउको आफ्नै पोखरीबाट माछा आपुर्ती गर्न थाले भने जतिखेर पनि नदीमा माछा मार्न जानुपर्दैन । केहि हदसम्म नदीमा चाप कम हुन्छ भन्ने महशुस भयो । प्राविधिक सेवा दिने विज्ञहरू र बजारका सरोकारवालाहरूसँग पानी परियोजनाले नै सम्बन्ध बनाइदियो ।मैले राम्रोसँग हिसाब किताब गरेकोछु । बिक्री गर्न योग्य माछाको संख्या बढेसँगै मैले नाफा कमाउन थाल्नेछु भन्ने मलाई राम्रोसँग थाह छ । अर्काको छतमुनि सुत्नु र विदेशमा यत्तिकै भौतारिनुभन्दा मेरो अगाडी केहि आफ्नै काम छ । मेरो बुबा अहिले खुसि हुनुहुन्छ । उहाँ आफ्ना साथीहरूलाई पनि मेरो पोखरीको बारेमा भन्नुहुन्छ ।उहाँ खुसि हुनुहुन्छ । मेरो परिवार खुसि छ । अनि उहाँहरूकै खुसिमा म आगामी दिनहरूमा केहि गर्ने आसा खोजिरहेकोछु ।(शिवलाल थारू, राजपुर नगरपालिका-३, बर्दिया) वैदेशिक रोजगारीबाट फर्किएका शिवलाल चौधरीले युएस्एड पानी परियोजनाको जीविकोपार्जनका लागि कोभिड प्रतिक्रिया सहयोग कार्यक्रम अन्तर्गत आफ्नै जग्गामा माछा पोखरी र हाँसको टहरा निर्माण गरेकाछन् । उनी सगरमाथा सामुदायिक जलचर संरक्षण समुहको सदस्य समेत हुन् । पोखरीमा एकिकृत माछा पालन गर्दा नदीनालामा माछा मार्ने चाप घट्ने कुरामा उनी विश्वास गर्छन् । आफ्नो गाउँको प्रेरणा बनिसकेका उनी माछा र पशुपन्छी पालनको क्षेत्रमा केहि गर्ने आकांक्षा राख्छन् ।