Exclusive Interview with COVID-19 Response Fund 2020 Winner

Team Bihani

How did the idea for your Bihani Social Venture come about?

Aging is a very ironic subject – we all age and will grow old but we rarely talk about its issues, many of us fear it because of the negative notions like illness, sickness, dependency, and the burden associated with it. Rather than emphasizing the negatives, Bihani Social Venture focuses on the positive aspects that come with aging- our existence, we would not have been who we are today without our elders; and the wisdom and experiences that our elders have to offer. So, Bihani works on making the elderly feel loved and appreciated. The concept of Bihani developed very organically, like many of us – I had never looked at the issues of Ageing as a problem in our society. However, as I researched and tried to understand the gaps in the market, there was a clear need for services beyond aged care homes and NGOs that elders needed. With sustainability in mind, Bihani was established as a For-Profit Company with a social enterprise model.

What was your key driving force to become a social entrepreneur?

There was a point in my life when I was constantly questioning my purpose and contribution. While undergoing the phase of trying to figure out, I quit my corporate job and went ahead to study Media and Communications Management with the aim of getting into campaigning for social causes. During this, I got to work with Change Fusion Nepal, and while we organized the 1^st ever ‘Surya Nepal Asha Social Entrepreneurship Award’, the various individuals and entrepreneurs I met, gave me the courage and determination to take the step towards starting my own venture. Due to the fact that I did not want to be donor-dependent, I decided to establish a social enterprise by devising a business model to create solutions.

How did you come up with the name for your venture?

Keeping in mind the vision of the organization, the name was decided as Bihani which means “Morning or a New Day or Beginning”- it embodies the fact that our focus is on individuals who want to re-engage, re-explore and relive or simply continue living a rewarding second half of their lives. The idea was to make sure that the name and logo reflected positivity and emphasized the individualized/ person-centric approach we have rather than, generalizing concepts and stereotypes related to aging.

How did you raise funding for your venture?

It was self-funded with minimal investment at the start. People usually have the notion that if we are doing something social then we should not talk about charging money and making profits. However, to bring the change you need to generate the required amount either through donation, funding, or earning yourself. At Bihani, we have designed a very simple business model that helps us generate income through the charges for services we provide, Membership Fees, and Consultancy Fees while working with organizations/ partners. Our focus as a social enterprise is on impact and income both equally.

What is the next project you are excited about?

Bihani’s established programming and network of older adult members, young adult team, care home staff and residents have helped us initiate tailored efforts to bridge the distance for elders using relevant interventions.

We are particularly excited regarding developing an Application (which will be the first of its kind in Nepal) which will benefit elders and their families including professionals working with them by providing them access to Bihani’s services, resources including information regarding government policies for senior citizens and relevant service providers/ Organisation’s information Our objective is to make sure that no elder is left behind, abused, or feels isolated due to the pandemic or as the result of other social conditions. During the pandemic, Bihani is promoting the digital inclusion of elders in various ways by providing sessions on COVID awareness, topics of interest, and use of interventions to make sure they do not feel isolated or become vulnerable to abuse or health issues. We have been encouraging the use of technology, social media engagement, information through the use of apps like YouTube, Hamro Patro, Google voice commands, WhatsApp, Viber, elders’ blogs using WordPress, to keep them better engaged, informed, and close to their loved ones.

Can you outline your typical day at work?

Ideally, a typical day starts with a team meeting, planning outcomes, working according to goals set, and wrapping up the day with an update of outcomes to the team. However, every day is different at Bihani and that is what makes it unique. As a social enterprise, the environment at work is very dynamic and the key is to innovate immediate solutions in case of any situation. We work with individuals from all types of backgrounds nationally and internationally so, we have to learn to adapt as per need.  We also have more than 100 members; calling them, visiting them, or them visiting us can also be unplanned at times and factored in as the day progresses.

How has being an entrepreneur affected your personal life?

Personally, because of my upbringing, I tend to look at things from an individual’s perspective rather than a gendered one.  However, culturally, as a woman you have to balance your personal and professional life, you have different roles. I have a very understanding husband and family who have made my entrepreneurial journey easier.  Earlier I used to take work home but now I never do that because work is something that never ends. Just leaving your laptop behind at work makes a huge difference. It is very important to draw the line, understand and respect the fact that your team and you have a life beyond work.

What motivates you to continue your work?

The most important motivation is the understanding and acceptance that one day even I am going to be considered an elderly or senior citizen and I feel motivated to continue working towards creating a society I would like to live in. I think that the main change or the lesson learned is the need to respect elder’s especially one’s parents and when I am saying this I am speaking for myself as well as for my team members. Another biggest learning has been, to always put yourself in the other person’s shoes especially, your parents. One of the biggest problems with working to bring social change is the fact that people who preach do not practice what they say. At the end of the day, the biggest motivation is the fact that – change begins from oneself, so we make sure that at Bihani, we walk the talk and lead by example.

What has been your most satisfying moment working in Bihani Social Venture? Any antidote.

There are innumerable experiences, special moments made every single day when working with the elderly. Seeing changes in the elders we work with; their happiness and joy is very inspiring. Some of the moments among many that have brought joy to our team are when one of our Member (in her 70’s) who was learning to use WhatsApp, sent a voice message on her own to our team member on her birthday, seeing a 90-year-old Aama playing Ukulele and enjoying online games or having an Aama who disliked anyone touching her hair, allowing us to try different hairstyles on her. Likewise, one of my friend’s mother who always wanted to sing on the radio but never got a chance was given an opportunity to sing in one of our events and we also sent her to a radio station where she fulfilled her dream.  Seeing the change in her from someone who was quiet to now being so vocal and confident has been fulfilling and she remains inspiring.

What is your favorite aspect of being an entrepreneur?

The favorite aspect of being an entrepreneur is the ability to create solutions instead of just focusing on problems.

What piece of advice would you give to college graduates who want to become entrepreneurs?

Be a Doer, not just a Dreamer – Belief in yourself, otherwise, no one else will.

What key activities would you recommend entrepreneurs to invest their time in?

1. Analyze, understand your strengths and write it down so that you can believe and leverage it – we usually tend to focus on what we cannot do or what we do not have
2. Learn to conduct research – it is very important to understand the market, competition/ collaborators and target customers
3. Try to engage in various activities which can develop your ability to think in a multidimensional and strategic manner – it can be as simple as playing a game – online or otherwise
4. Self-care is very important, always take out time to relax and rejuvenate