KATHMANDU, Dec 8: Shilshila Acharya’s daily routine has changed recently. She has been busy with phone calls, interviews, exchanging congratulations, and receiving well-wishes for the past two days.
She has been included in the BBC’s 2024 list of 100 inspiring and influential women. The BBC made this announcement on Tuesday morning. Acharya is the first woman from Nepal to be featured on this list.
Since then Silsila's daily life has changed. Many well-wishers are reaching home to meet and exchange happiness with her. Some well-wishers even make her mobile overly busy. The phone keeps ringing incessantly. Acharya is unable to even respond to some of the calls.
Most calls are from people who want to congratulate her. Some also come for interviews in the media.
The interview for her is not a new or major topic. She has given several interviews to prestigious media organizations before, about environmental cleanliness and waste management. However, this time, the scope of the interview is not limited to those topics. Along with her work, interesting questions about her personal life and biography have started to emerge.
Archarya had not expected that she would be surrounded by much public joy and congratulations. She had already received the information about being included in BBC’s list of the 100 most inspiring and influential women in the world a month ago. The BBC itself had called her to inform about this news.
Silsila was surprised upon hearing that news. It was a great pleasure for her personally. At that time, she was told not to leak the news.
Archarya told Republica, “The BBC had asked for my personal details. I was surprised. I had never thought I would receive such a call. It was a huge moment for me.”
As the BBC published the list on December 3, the joy has not only remained limited to her personal life, family, or relatives. Now, she feels that the entire country is celebrating with her. The only representative from Nepal included in the list, she is receiving messages from around the world congratulating her for the recognition of her work done in Nepal.
“I never thought I would receive such a great response,” Archarya said, “When the news came, everyone gave positive feedback. The well-wishers said it was the success of the nation, rather than just one individual's success.” She said that she felt like she had done a good job.
Parents wanted their daughter to become doctor
Archrya was born in Baglung and her parents are both government employees. Her father worked at the Janakpur factory, while her mother was a teacher. As the eldest child, she has one brother and two sisters.
Life Back On Track
Although the environment in society was not conducive to educating daughters, her parents raised their children sending them to boarding school for education.
Her parents raised her with the dream of making her a doctor. After completing her 12, she was accordingly made to prepare for MBBS as per their plan. For some time, she also worked hard to fulfill that dream. She spent a year preparing for MBBS.
While preparing for MBBS, I started developing an interest in environmental science. She said, “It was around 2004 when discussions on climate change were just beginning in Nepal. There are many environmental issues, but there is no one to address them.” Following that, she decided to pursue a degree in environmental science instead of MBBS.
She had already been awarded a full scholarship by the Ministry of Education to study MBBS, and it was also the dream of her family. However, she faced a dilemma in making her decision.
Recalling her past days Archarya said, “At that time, I was confused how to tell my parents that I do not want to study MBBS. I wanted to study Environmental Science instead. After all, I was already awarded a full scholarship.”
“I had to convince my family. It was not easy to convince them. The eldest child of the family had already been selected for a scholarship. It was not easy to say I would leave that and pay to study instead. I told them that I am more interested in environmental science than MBBS, and there is scope in it. I also promised that I would not ask for a single penny after four years of studying. I convinced them, and they agreed,” she further added.
Acharya gets scholarship in environmental science as well
Following that Archarya enrolled in Kathmandu University to study environmental science as per her wish. After studying for four years in Dhulikhel, she completed her graduation. Then she worked there for six months.
At that time, the Norwegian government had called for applications for scholarships. She applied, went to Norway, and studied on scholarship. She completed her master's degree in 2011 and returned to Nepal.
‘Hamri Bahini Abhiyan’ launches in association with social enterprise
After returning to Nepal, Arharya started ‘Hamri Bahini Abhiyan’ collaboration with a social enterprise organization. The initiative aimed to replace plastic bags by involving economically disadvantaged women in making cloth bags. These bags were then sold in major supermarkets in Kathmandu. This campaign was her first step in the broader movement against environmental waste, including the ban on plastic bags and promoting awareness about environmental sustainability.
At first it was difficult to remove plastic bags from supermarkets. However, Bhatbhateni Super Market offered some support. Following that, cloth bags produced by women started to be sold and used. Other supermarkets did not support replacing plastic bags. After that, she started pressuring the government to enact a law to ban plastic bags. Apart from displacing plastic bags, the ‘Hamri Bahini Abhiyan’ also provided skill training to women and coordinated with employers.
When Archarya returned to Nepal, she had the intention of working in the environmental sector. However, after arriving in Nepal and working through ‘Hamri Bahini Abhiyan’, her perspective changed.
“People in Nepal do not understand the concept of the environment. So, I thought it would be better to start working with waste,” she said “After that, when we started the Abhiyan, I realized that just running the Abhiyan would not be enough. We would need to open a company to take the work forward.”
In 2019, she opened the company ‘Avni Ventures’. During the COVID-19 pandemic, waste management was not being handled properly. Seeing this issue, she came up with the idea for the company. “I decided to start this company thinking that both the problems and possibilities are within waste management,” she said.
When she opened Avni Ventures, she invested Rs 15 million in the company. Her husband, Sushil Khadka, also supported her in starting the company, and his investment is also a part of it.
Avni Ventures recycles non-biodegradable into raw materials and sends them to industries. Most of the waste it handles includes plastic waste and paper. Avni Ventures also collaborates with the Nepal Army to collect waste from the Himalayas, as well as waste generated by various companies.
Starting from Tokha, Kathmandu, Avni Ventures has expanded to other cities in Nepal by partnering with various entrepreneurs. The company recycles approximately 5,000 tons of waste annually.
Archarya said that it is not necessary for every task to be done by its own company. She hopes and urges more young people to enter this field. She believes that entrepreneurs in every city and local level can manage waste and generate income from it. She also suggests that local governments take ownership of this process. Avni Ventures is already working in coordination with certain local governments.
“We may be an example of what we have done in Tokha. Similarly, others in different cities and local levels can also do this work. There should be growth of entrepreneurs in every place and people should get employment in that same place. If this happens across the country, it won’t be difficult to earn income from waste along with a clean Nepal.”
In ‘Avni Ventures’, her husband Sushil is also supporting her in every sector. Sushil is both an economist and an engineer. He handles the company’s financial aspects, while Archarya takes responsibility for the environmental aspects. She is happy to have her husband’s support in their work.
“He had his own field, and I had mine. He joined me in the work I was doing. It feels really great. It seems much easier with the collaboration of both of us,” she added.
BBC lists Archarya under 100 inspiring and influential women 2024
After being included in the list published by BBC, Archarya said that the praise and reactions she has received have not made her feel like a well-known personality. However she feels a sense of self-satisfaction.
“While working, I always believed that there would be some kind of recognition from somewhere and that has happened now. One day, the results of work will come, and that I have received them now,” she said.
Archarya also views this recognition from another perspective. She feels especially thrilled as people she admires have also listed on it, such as New Zealand politician Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke, and French rape victim and activist Giselle Pelico.
She said, “They are among the characters that I respect a lot, and now seeing my name alongside theirs in the same list, I am really amazed. It makes me feel like I have done well.”
One can succeed if you believe in deed
Everyone experiences challenges and difficulties while working. However, she said that if we move forward with faith and confidence, it leads to success.
“We will surely get rewards by doing what they are capable of. After continuous effort, we will achieve success one day. However, we should never stop working.”
What is the BBC’s selection process?
BBC selects 100 influential and inspiring women from around the world every year. This year, the BBC has selected people who demonstrate the special qualities of persevering even in difficult situations.
The list has been selected based on research, along with input from 41 BBC language services and BBC Media Action. The BBC reported that it has selected women who have made significant contributions in the past year, with inspiring stories, and achieved extraordinary milestones.
