Nepali Youths Redefining Success

Slowly yet steadily, the definition of ambition is being redefined as the youths of Nepal brew a shift with a quiet revolution. The once glamorous grinding is now turning into a history replaced by the youths who are determined to prove that success is more than a job title. This is not a rejection but the might just be the redefinition of ambition. Until the early 2000s, the concept of “success” included securing a government job or international recruitments for high-scale pay, where security and stability weighed far more than ideas and passion. Ideas were to be limited to one’s diary and passion was nothing before needs. 

But over time, with global exposure, the landscape once painted is now transforming into an abstract. Youths involved in entrepreneurship, from passion-led businesses to freelancing to remote working, give a hint that this generation is challenging the dimensions of the old dream. Career priorities have shifted as a result of a connected globe through social media, remote learning and the swift transfer of knowledge and with the COVID-19 pandemic as a catalyst for this alter. The National Planning Commission Youth Survey 2024, conducted on the youths under 30, disclosed that over 60 per cent preferred having a versatile, consequential career to a conventional one. 

Eco-friendly productions 

As the dimensions of the old dream take a hit, the shift is significantly seen in the Nepali diaspora today, which has inevitably resulted in a new perspective with new opportunities. Eco-friendly productions of local and sustainable products and commercialisation of problems, making them impact-based opportunities led by young entrepreneurs now the new perspective in Nepal. The issues of the society are now being addressed by these purpose-driven youngsters through sharing knowledge, resources and opportunities to mental health challenges and rural quality education, learning and earning as they move forward.  

Graduates of an engineering degree from Dharan chose to start a solar water purifier initiative rather than to leave Nepal. They prioritised their purpose and worked to create an impact on over 3,000 rural households, where they developed a low-cost solar water purifier. They have proven that impact-driven work can thrive as they now provide clean drinking water to over 3,000 families in eastern Nepal. Students graduating from Budhanilkantha School chose to start a digital educational platform with the purpose of equitable education, catering to 6 provinces to this day by providing quality educational resources to students and teachers across the country digitally. They have made an impact on over 400,000 students across Nepal. 

Even though with the governance becoming more stable, in the still unpredictable political and economic weather, the youths of Nepal should lay a foundation on the reasons why purpose pays in the long run. It becomes the reason for the transformation of the society, making changes in micro to macro levels within the economy and society. And this has a butterfly effect on creating a greater impact in the abstract to be painted by the youths of today. Entrepreneurs, across the globe, who have an impact clause in their businesses have a higher potential to get funding attraction as the investors, partnerships or mergers, are the ones who have realized how and why purpose pays in the long run.

This drastic shift in perspective can create a gap in understanding with parents regarding the ultimate dream that this generation pursues today. The recent successes of youths in their purpose-driven careers have now started to create a buzz about this alternative. Youths are supported by their families in entrepreneurship, purpose and passion-driven careers. The society is gradually starting to recognise the value of these alternatives created by this generation. It is just natural to be skeptical at first but seeing how these choices have impacted lives and societies, how institutions used to create jobs and now how individuals do, slowly has led to a point where acceptance isn’t far away. This is the new motivation for the change that bridges the generational gap. 

Sustainable business 

In Kathmandu Valley, youths have led financial cooperatives and initiatives where the vegetables produced by the local farmers are packaged and sold to markets and malls. Reducing food waste, creating jobs, and connecting consumers with an organic and healthy lifestyle — this is only one of the many demonstrations for sustainable business benefiting multiple stakeholders. The Nepal government, under this year’s annual budget, has decided to support entrepreneurs through startup funding, loan feasibility assistance. This is something worth applause as it indicates the realisation that steps such as these would ensure national benefit. 

The old dream defined security and stability as the success measures, while the youths have now challenged the old dream, where purpose and passion form the basis to measure the impact, which is the redefined success. Nepali youths are slowly giving hints on how they are determined to follow the dream they defined, and if the country arms it with proper policies and regulations, this will definitely redefine success for us all.

(Uprety, the founder of Merosiksha, is a MBA graduate and an activist for equitable education and youth engagement.)