Baking makes Khadka a real breadwinner

Khadka Shrestha, 35, a resident of Myanglung Municipality 1 in Terhathum district, entered the world of business with 2 kg of wheat flour, 1 kg sugar, and 1 litre of cooking oil for making Ainthe, a traditional sweet resembling a part of rope, 11 years ago.  He was encouraged by an unanticipated sale of his sweet.

Next year, in 2001, Micro-Enterprise Development Programme (MEDEP), UNDP provided him one-day training in cookies and biscuit making. Taking clue from the training, Khadka began baking doughnut, loaves, birthday cakes and puffs and his all products sold as hot cakes. He stopped making Ainthe completely as there were other makers in the market within a year.  

In a decade, he has not only increased his business, but also built his confidence in dealing with people and interacting with a larger audience.

He attributes his success in the business and his enhanced self-confidence to MEDEP. "Had MEDEP not trained me in bakery and not boosted my confidence, I would not have been to this position today", he says.

His Piple Biscuit Udyog produces about 70-80 kg of doughnut, loaves, birthday cakes and puffs daily which fetches him a net profit of Rs 1,000 every day. Besides earning money, he has also provided full time employment to 3 boys and part time job to 2 boys.

At the beginning, MEDEP facilitated him to secure a loan of Rs 20,000 from Agricultural Development Bank which worked as the seed money for his enterprise.

Besides supporting his 6-member family, Khadka has been able to purchase a house worth Rs 2 million plus a cash balance of Rs 200,000 within a decade. The young entrepreneur who owns a motorbike also sends his two children to a private school.

He emphasizes, "Had MEDEP not made me aware, I would not have achieved what I have today. Perhaps, I would not have sent my children to a private school".  

He has also been helping local economy and shopkeepers by purchasing goods worth Rs 6,000 every day from the local market. The good thing about his business is that he does not have a problem for selling his products. Most of them are sold out in the local market and a little in the neighbouring market places.

He has felt the need for a longer-term training in bakery in order to enhance the quality and to diversify his products. The people in Myanglung can eat fresh bakery items at an affordable price and the items of their choice prepared against their order, which was almost impossible before Khadka started baking.