Bhaktabahadur Mahara, a resident of Shuklaphanta Municipality–7 in Kanchanpur, worked as a furniture maker until about two decades ago. As it became increasingly difficult to support his family from that job, he began searching for an alternative. One day, a friend sent him a video on his mobile phone showing how to make wooden craft items.
“After watching the video on the internet, I became interested in woodcraft and decided to pursue it,” Mahara said. “There was no certainty in house-decoration work—sometimes I got work, other times I didn’t. It was hard to run the household. This craft pays better than daily labor.”
For the past two years, Mahara has been crafting glasses, jugs, bottles, pots, bowls, flower vases, spice containers, rolling pins and other items using vijaysal wood and bamboo. According to him, these handmade products sell for between Rs 500 and Rs 2,000. With the help of YouTube tutorials, he has been producing a variety of wooden household items.
“I now earn more than Rs 40,000 a month. Earlier, I had to sit idle for months,” he said. “I never imagined I could earn this well.” Customers now visit his home to purchase his products, and he says he has no difficulty selling what he makes. “The demand is high. I haven’t been able to produce enough to meet all the orders because I work alone,” he said. “Community forests here provide raw materials, saying we’re doing good work.”
In recent years, people have been spending more time on YouTube and other social platforms. Mahara has become a prime example of how these platforms can be used productively for personal advancement. He says he reached this point after years of doing daily-wage labor due to family hardships.
“I once believed I needed quick money because of financial problems. I never thought I could earn this much,” Mahara said. “I’m satisfied now—I’m earning well.” He believes that with dedication and proper use of one’s skills, it is possible to earn a good living while staying in Nepal.
