Zero cost: 'The families of daughters who go for foreign employment no longer have to carry the burden of debt'
Source: Kantipur Publications | Reporter: Hom Karki
Salina Kumal from Tanahun returned to her village after she could not survive in the capital with her earnings. She used to train apprentice coffee baristas in Kathmandu.
Kathmandu is expensive. 15 thousand rupees is not enough to live here. Those who see government work only as sustainable. There is no guarantee in other jobs . Rush to Manpower to get out . A manpower asked for two lakh rupees to go to the UAE,' said 21-year-old Salina. He had to return to the village.'
His father is an ex-serviceman. There is no source of income other than pension. We have four sisters and one brother. The family could not bear the burden of debt just for me," she told Kantipur, "There was no way to go for foreign employment after paying millions of loans. Thank goodness I saw an ad that allowed me to travel to the UAE for free. Who opened my destiny .'
The ad was for 'Vision and Value Overseas'. Who was responsible for fair recruitment of waiters and cleaners in UAE National Hotels (Catering) . The workers going to this company did not have to pay visa, ticket, health examination, service fee . Manpower was prohibited from depositing cash in advance.
'As soon as I saw the advertisement, I called Manpower directly and went for an interview . "Everything went smoothly," she said, "the family did not have to worry about when to pay the heavy loan that the daughter is about to fly to the UAE."
Salina flew to UAE on Saturday to work as a 'waitress' at Awadhawi National Hotels. In which there were 50 men and 37 women .
Kolmuda Godavari-12, 24-year-old Durgakumari Kumal of Kailali, who got to fly for free, said that the zero-cost policy opened the way for her to stand on her own feet.
'People like us who are in poor financial condition are very happy to go without paying anyone a single penny . Otherwise, if he took a loan from the family, he would have to listen to the family's words day after day. Until the debt was paid off, the worry only increased . There was tension in the family,' she said looking very happy before flying, 'now I don't have to listen to others.'
She also said that employment in the UAE is not an obligation but an opportunity. We have migrated from Achham to Kailali. Father died in India five years ago. No compensation received. We have five sisters and one brother. My older sister and brother are in Dubai to take care of family responsibilities . Now I will also be able to help the family more . We were able to teach my brothers and sisters," she said, "I have earned the most 10,000 rupees till date. Now I can earn 30 thousand rupees . This is a very big thing for me. I am happy about it .'
When Durgakumari works as a cleaner, the minimum salary is 800 dirhams apart from food and accommodation. "Foreign employment will increase my confidence". Be careful . Even though she is a cleaner in the beginning, it seems that new opportunities will come as she learns,' she said. Marriage happens once in a lifetime. Now is the earning age . Why marry just to show the useless world?'
30-year-old Aishwarya Shah of Siddeshwar Municipality-2, Dhanusha, who is with Durgakumari, left her 6-year-old son in the care of her mother-in-law and flew to UAE. Aishwarya, who has not earned a single rupee in her life, will receive 1200 dirhams (about 43 thousand rupees) from next month.
'My husband also went to this company three months ago at zero cost . My husband told me to try. I came and gave an interview . I also passed. I always dreamed of working. I got that opportunity," she said, "If I had to go looking for money, I wouldn't have gone. Now I can save for the child's future from last month . If we had taken a loan, it would have taken us a year to complete the loan.'
23-year-old Diya Tamang's village is located in Botang, two hours away from Sindhupalchok Melchi market. She returned to India with her father for a few years. There is still no good road in Botang.
'My father used to work in India . I also had to stay in India with my parents for a few years . Father left his job in India and went to Dubai. Now it is my father who has informed me about this company," said Tamang, who went to the waitress. When I gave the interview, the name came out.'
She said that the policy of zero cost has opened the way to improve the financial condition of the lower class families.
'Outside experience is different . Work is also separate . Not much scope here . My goal is to study abroad and return to Nepal. Come here and open your own business," she said, "I didn't have to pay a single penny for such an opportunity. By going without paying, not only our money is saved, our stress is also zero . The way to make the future has been opened.' That agreement is only partially being implemented . Padmaraj Paudel, president of Vision and Value Overseas, said that they will only work with employers who take workers at absolutely zero cost.
'Employers who are ready to hire workers at zero cost . We are strictly implementing the policy of sending workers only to that company," he said, "Awudhawi National Hotels is practicing a fair recruitment process with absolutely zero cost . We have got to be its partners.'