Do you remember how last year on National Banana Day, we established that America’s favorite fruit is changing lives in Nepal?
Well, this year we give you further proof of the mighty power of bananas — and a story of forbidden love.
Going against the grain to find love ... and beat poverty
In a country where as many as 70% of marriages are arranged, Dipak BK and his wife Laxmi*, both 22, took a different path. They married for love.
The couple met when they were 14 years old, and they got to know each other because her family farmed land near his home. After several years of friendship, the young couple knew they wanted to build a life together.
The problem was that Dipak is Dalit, meaning that he was born into one of the lowest castes in the social hierarchy. (Dalits were formerly called “untouchable,” but this term is no longer used.) Laxmi, however, was born into a higher caste, and intercaste marriages are still largely frowned upon in Nepal.
Despite their long and trusted relationship, they were forbidden to marry.
Dipak’s phone, showing a photo of him and his wife.
As Laxmi grew older, her parents began receiving offers from suitors who were interested in arranged marriage. Loyal to Dipak, Laxmi refused them all. When she realized she would be forced to choose a husband eventually, she and Dipak decided to elope.
His parents were angry. Hers disowned her completely.
Dipak admits it was very difficult to have both sets of parents reject their marriage, but he has a motto: “Until a man leaves home, he will not learn about life.”
That’s exactly what he set out to do: prove he can build a life for himself and his bride.
Economic opportunities are limited for Dalits, and Dipak knew it would be difficult. Thankfully, the newlyweds have found help along the way.
You provide opportunities for youth and women in Nepal
Dipak and Laxmi traveled eight hours away from home to Gulariya, a small town near the border of India where Dipak has extended family. Immediately his uncle directed him toward Lutheran World Relief, as he heard there were programs to help young Dalits like Dipak chart a new course for the future.
Powered by donors like you, this program gives youth and women living in challenging circumstances opportunities to receive livelihoods training and entrepreneurial support to start their own businesses.
Dipak chose banana farming as his pathway to independence. He completed one month of intensive training on banana cultivation, along with banana saplings and supplies such as irrigation pipes and a sprayer. Through the training, Dipak learned how to cultivate his crop, how and when to fertilize, how to control pests and how to keep his fields clean and weed-free.
LWR program manager Dr. Hira Dhar Chudali helps Dipak develop a plan to address a few common challenges with his banana trees.
“I didn’t know much about any of this before,” he says, as he walks through his field of young banana trees. “[Lutheran World Relief] has helped us a lot through this program.”
Cultivating hope for the future
Seeing how hard he has worked, Dipak’s parents recently had a change of heart about their son’s marriage and future. They even lent him some money to keep him afloat until his bananas are ready for harvest, which will take about 18 months.
They are even considering moving to Gulariya to help him in the fields and grow his farm as a family.
Dipak irrigates his banana field.
And Laxmi’s family are showing signs of support as well. At the time of this interview, Laxmi was back home with her parents for a short visit, having accepted their invitation to join them for a holiday celebration.
Inspecting his banana trees, Dipak sees all of these as hopeful signs of a bright future. He is already planning to lease or even buy more land to cultivate. And one day, he dreams of building a small house overlooking his fields.
Laxmi, he says, is fully on board with his plan.
“She has been supporting me a lot,” Dipak says. “I was only able to do this because of her support. When I come here to work, she brings my lunch to the field. We eat, then both of us work together.
“She also tells me her ideas, like ‘I would do this or that...’ She thinks about this even more than I do. In fact, she teaches me a lot of things... She motivates and energizes me.”
Within 18 months, Dipak’s first saplings will be as tall as those in the background and ready for harvesting his first bananas.
Cultivating hope for the future
With your help, more than 500 youth and women in Nepal have started banana farms, opened tailoring businesses and launched other entrepreneurial endeavors ... and they are hard at work, cultivating the hopeful futures that were always out of reach.
Until your love reaches every neighbor.
*Her name has been changed.
