DISPLACED NEPALESE WOMEN CYCLE OUT OF POVERTY|尼泊爾婦女 騎單車賣菜自力脫貧

Thousands of Nepalese people were displaced during the country's 10-year civil war that ended in 2006. Till today, many are still struggling to get back on their feet. In a local market, dozens of women, who make a living as vegetable venders, have found their lives transformed by bicycles. At the break of dawn, dozens of Nepalese women load their bicycles with vegetables and head to the market. 33 year-old Nandukala is one of them. == NANDUKALA BASNET vegetable vendor== I struggled a lot in my life after I moved here because I had no property. Not having property was a big struggle. I started selling, at first selling vegetables. In her early-twenties, Nepal was engulfed in a conflict between government forces and the rebel communist party. Falling under suspecion of betraying the rebel army that controlled her hometown, she fled her home to seek survival. She earned a living as a sand miner and a stonemason before selling vegetables. The 10-year civil war that ended in 2006 displaced thousands of people, and many women in the market have war stories to tell, along with a life transformed by the bikes donated by an international charity. == KAUSILA BISHWOKARAM vegetable vendor== It has brought lots of changes. It was difficult to carry vegetables in the bamboo basket. I could hardly carry 30 kg. Selling 30 kg, I would earn sometimes 100 rupees and sometime not even 50 or 60 rupees. They now earn up to 8 times more than when they had to carry vegetables to the market on their backs. However, in a male-dominated society, the sight of women on bicycles has caused a backlash. == KHAGISARA REGMI vegetable vendor= People said, 'I bet this woman can't ride a bicycle.' They said, 'This woman won't be able to ride a bicycle, I bet'. When I did, they said, "Why is she learning to ride a bicycle, shouldn't she be ashamed?' So far the project has been a success. There are plans to give bicycles to another 36 villages over the next year. The conservative attitude is changing as women and their bicycles have become a common sight. TRANSLATED BY：SASHA CHIU