Sujan Thaiba is proprietor of Samrat Handicraft Production Center. She has been running this center in Butwal town since eleven years. She has legally registered her firm just two years ago.
Sujan learnt the skill of making bangles, cushions and dolls twelve years ago. She started doll making business from the year 2066 B.S. She sells her products from her own outlet in Butwal. Her products are also sold in wholesale from Pokhara to Surkhet & Bhairahawa to Narayanghat. On an average Sujan makes a gross sales of two lakhs per month.Sujan’s expertise is in making cushion & dolls. Every day she makes other doll items resembling doggy, butterfly, elephant etc. Six/seven other women are getting direct or indirect employment. She provides them raw materials to prepare dolls of different types. These ladies earn eight to ten thousands per month from the leisure time they utilize after completing the household chores.
Sujan prepares a large size teddy doll just in half an hour. This is the result of her regular practice & skill acquired through persevering work. A large size teddy can be prepared from the raw materials worth Rs. 1800l-. Needles, scissors, thread, fiber, clothes & buttons are the requirements for making dolls. Prepared teddy is sold in the market at a wholesale price of Rs. 2800l- and the retail price is as much as Rs. 4000l-. Her handicraft products have higher demand in business fairs & exhibitions. Demand for cushion & dolls are steady throughout the year, says Sujan.
She is able to save a net amount of three to four lakhs after meeting all the expenses. Sujan had started micro-enterprise just from a mere amount of Rs. 25000l-. Now her capital is worth Rs. 20 lakhs.
She has borrowed ‘women entrepreneurship loan’ from Agriculture Development (ADB) Bank, Butwal in the name of her firm. Low cost loan provided by ADB is very suitable to aspiring women enterpreneurs, says Sujan.
Sujan passed out SLC from Kalika Secondary School, Butwal in the year 2056 B.S. She has completed +2 level education. Though she couldn’t continue higher studies she has no words for repentance. Because she is happy go lucky with her enterprising endeavors. She had an inter-caste marriage in the year 2063 B.S. She was 24 at that time. She had a full support from her beloved husband. Sad to say she is bereaved by the untimely demise of her husband last year. She is now standing herself with twelve years old son Samrat. He is now studying in 7th grade and the firm she has incorporated i.e. ‘Samrat Handicraft Center’.
Items produced from her center were sold far and wide before she provided trainings in different places. But, nowadays such items are produced & sold by her fellow trainees. This has turned out to be a challenge, says Sujan.
Sujan didn’t experience the burden of household chores. Handicraft center is everything for her. She could devote her all time & energy in the same. Therefore, she could succeed.
Sujan hails from a politically active family. She is second daughter of Ambika Thaiba and Sukanya Thaiba. She still remembers her childhood days when her father was involved in underground politics. Cops used to come to their house in search of Ambika Thaiba who is a veteran politician in Rupandehi. However, she is reluctant to the mainstream politics. Rather, her hobby is dancing, her singing is also equally praiseworthy.
Sujan has a dream of exploring new entrepreneurial venture in the future. She is quite optimistic with this because of her knowledge, art, skills & competency she has acquired through her own effort. She is determined to contribute herself in uplifting the status of women & help them to stand on their own feet. Sujan’s respect for hard work & determination should be acknowledged.
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