Jailkala Devi is seen picking nettle leaves, blanching and drying them. This ordinary shrub has become a reliable source of income for her. The demand of the nettle leaf powder is growing by the day as people have become aware of its medicinal value. She sells the nettle powder packets and earns NPR 200 (USD 2) per kg. To date she has sold 80 kgs to local vendors.
Not too long ago Jaikala struggled to meet the family needs and provide for her family of nine members. She relied on the income she made from the little tea shop she ran. Hardworking Jaikala wanted to do more for some extra income but didn’t know how she could possibly do it. As a member of Sangalo Agriculture Cooperative she had an opportunity to participate in training about nettle leaf processing organised by UMN’s partner Rural Community Development Centre in Doti. The resource person of the training was an entrepreneur who exablished a processing factory for agricultural purposes. At the training Jailkala’s eyes opened to the value of nettle leaves and its high demand in urban areas. Things fell into place after the training which got Jailkala into this business. Today, she’s a happy and confident business woman who works hard to get as many nettle powder packets as she can to send to the market.