In a remote valley of western Nepal, a small city buzzes with cars and bicycles on their daily commute. Children walk to school wearing backpacks and uniforms. Hikers strike out across the mountains for adventure and spiritual pilgrimages, outdoor experiences made possible by startup YATRA Gears. 

Its young adult founders, Bhuwan and Umesh, are demonstrating a commitment to innovation, economic growth, and the good of their community.

Community challenges

Historically, this region has struggled with multidimensional poverty (39.5%, according to UNDP), lack of jobs and education, and natural disasters. Over the past two decades, Surkhet District has grown from a rural, inaccessible village into a regional center for commerce, and visitors are trekking here to experience its natural beauty. Its remote location offers both transportation challenges as well as opportunities for tourism and service industries.

In our community development work with children and youth at the BlinkNow Foundation and Kopila Valley School, we have observed young people in Surkhet driving change, innovation, and partnership. Brothers Bhuwan (a Kopila Valley graduate) and Umesh are two of the young business owners leading the way. After a childhood spent steeped in nature, they are making it possible for more people to experience Nepal’s natural beauty, bringing environmental awareness and tourism to the area.

A spark of inspiration

Like many young people in Nepal, Umesh and Bhuwan found that even after achieving a secondary education, jobs were scarce. It is estimated that 14% of Nepal’s young people have immigrated to other parts of the world to find work. 

The brothers were determined to continue their learning with university degrees. After graduation, Bhuwan moved to Kathmandu to study Digital Marketing at King’s College. Umesh decided to stay local and pursue his MBA.

However, Umesh and Bhuwan both carried a passion for community, as well as the great outdoors.

Bhuwan relays the moment of inspiration that led to his entrepreneurship: “One day, Umesh and I were reminiscing about our childhood on a phone call. Swimming in the rivers, hiking up the hills in our hometown, exploring in the wild. We talked about how challenging it was to go camping since we didn’t have any camping equipment. And we have noticed that this same barrier is a problem for many people who wish to enjoy the outdoors in our town. It led us to wonder, what if there was a way to rent or buy trekking and camping equipment in Surkhet? Over the next few months, we kept discussing this idea, and we became adamant that we need to make it a reality.”

Bhuwan wrote a business plan, and then he sought out funding. He and Umesh had some savings to invest, and they also applied to Kopila Valley’s Student Entrepreneurship Fund, receiving a modest, interest-free loan for NPR 50,000 (about $350). Combining these resources, YATRA Rental & Gears was born.

YATRA, named with a Nepali word for ‘journey,’ is now a regional provider of tents, sleeping bags, and trekking essentials for schools, corporate travelers, adventure enthusiasts, pilgrims, and bikers. Schools are organizing hikes, nature camps, and overnight trips for their students, and travelers are increasing in number in this under-resourced region.

Bhuwan has continued his university studies in Kathmandu while providing vision and digital marketing for the business. Umesh is onsite and oversees the daily operations of YATRA, and their parents assist with customer service.

Community and Nature Benefits

YATRA’s work is part of a growing movement to contribute to the social, cultural, and economic life of the community. The demand for outdoor gear has grown, highlighting the need for accessible and local outdoor supplies. Businesses like this are impacting tourism as well as education. New opportunities are available for schools, which are now integrating classroom learning with outdoor learning and environmental care at a much higher rate. This new access removes barriers to outdoor activities and helps schools to adopt innovative styles of learning.

With increased exposure to nature and outdoor activities, students often perform better academically and develop more empathy. Research reported in Frontiers in Psychology “suggests that experiences of nature boost academic learning, personal development, and environmental stewardship.” Time outdoors is helping students to improve engagement in school, according to Tutors International, and we see increased care for fellow students and families as well.

The impact of businesses like YATRA extends from tourism and education to culture and spirituality. The renting of outdoor gear is a resource for those seeking to explore the Karnali region, a remote but beautiful part of Nepal. Travelers can also engage with nature and rituals like the annual Badimalika and Maha Buwa, a grand religious pilgrimage in the Badimalika region of Nepal. This sacred event draws thousands of devotees who trek for days across Nepal’s mountainous terrain, enduring the elements to reach a revered temple site and offer their prayers. They camp under open skies, often in challenging conditions. Gear rental has made this possible for pilgrims by providing tents, sleeping gear, and essentials for this sacred journey.

For many of YATRA’s customers, experiencing outdoor adventures is a fun outing, a learning experience, or a spiritual journey. For Umesh and Bhuwan, it’s a chance to serve travelers and to highlight the vast natural resources of their region, which has been severely lacking in investment until recent years.

Growing youth entrepreneurship

This story reflects a growing trend. Across Surkhet and the larger Karnali region, young people are leading the way in social entrepreneurship. Some have started food businesses or regenerative farming enterprises to increase local food access. Others are creating advocacy groups and working with the local government to manage trash better, taking charge of family businesses that meet vital needs, and leading organizations that uplift and empower women.

In the broader global community, research demonstrates that youth entrepreneurship significantly contributes to economic development by generating employment, fostering innovation, and stimulating local economies. And despite barriers such as inadequate access to capital, regulatory hurdles, and entrepreneurial education, the youth in Surkhet remain positive and excited about the possibilities of business ownership.

This work is resulting in progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), as well as SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 13 (Climate Action).

Lessons learned

We asked what advice these young entrepreneurs could share with others. Bhuwan says, “Here are three keys to success in our YATRA journey.

1. We anchored our work in a personal connection – when a business idea grows from our own life stories, it naturally carries authenticity.

2. We are solving a problem that matters locally – when the solution meets a real need in the community, support follows.

3. We blend vision with persistence – great ideas need not only imagination, but also the steady, day-to-day work that makes them real.

As they partner with communities to solve problems, we see that young people are key to social progress, in Nepal and around the world. They have found their voices and passions, they believe that ethical business systems are possible, and they are ready to make a social impact. Other communities and organizations could inspire youth entrepreneurship by combining education, seed funding, and mentorship.

Both brothers credit their success to a supportive community at Kopila Valley School, support in the broader Surkhet community, and the availability of startup funding. Bhuwan says, “The fact is that when a community believes in you, you grow differently – strong with willpower and a heart to dream.”