March 9: A group of women from Taman village of Tamankhola rural municipality-3 of Baglung district established a dhaka clothes industry some years back. Upbeat in the beginning, the women continued dhaka yarning.

But as they did not get a market for their products, they are worried now. The store is full of dhaka garments, but the demand is negligible. It has forced the women entrepreneurs to run from pillar to post. They sometimes reach Burtibang and sometimes as far as Myagdi to peddle products. A total of 15 women are associated with this small industry set up by local Kalyan Mothers' Group of Taman village.

They began working in the industry after Sangam Consultancy Centre in Baglung provided them 15-day training on dhaka yarn and weaving. Established at a cost of Rs 45,000, the industry has produced clothes worth Rs 700,000. Group Chair Tika Devi Budhagharti informed the state-owned RSS that as their products were not sold for lack of market, they had no option but to peddle from one place to another. Various items such as shawl, cap and lungi are made in the industry.

But the products did not market as per expectation. The women manage their time for industry in the morning and evening. A woman makes garments worth Rs 30,000 in a month, but it is disappointing for not being able to sell a single item, according to Budhagharti. Similarly, Junu Maya Ghartimagar, who is working in the group, said they worked very enthusiastically in the beginning, but they are now disappointed after their products did not get market. She, however, said they are still hopeful that their goods would get to market gradually. Although some purchase by the rural municipality encourages them, further initiative was warranted for aggressive marketing.

Gharti Magar stressed that more women would be self-employed if the government ensured marketing of their products. Chairperson of Tamankhola rural municipality Joklal Budhamagar, however, shared that they had started an initiative for marketing of the products, saying the local level had provided other support to women entrepreneurs, including machines.

Budhamagar blamed increasing use of imported goods from cities to villages for not getting a good market for the local items. The chairperson pledged that entrepreneurs' compulsion to search for the market for their products would be ended because the rural municipality had prioritized women entrepreneurs.

He further assured of providing continuous support to women entrepreneurs, stating that they had made a plan to bear transport expenses for them to carry their products to different trade fairs and festivals. -- RSS