NRNA should equally pay attention to the people who are working as laborers in Gulf countries: Shrestha

Deepak Shrestha may be a new name for Nepali people staying in different parts of the globe, but it is a well known name for people living in the Gulf countries of Oman and Saudi Arabia as he has played an important role in resolving various problems faced by Nepali people living in that area. Born in Topgachhi 6 Jhapa, Shrestha has been supporting fellow countrymen for years since he went to Oman in 2007. He played a vital role in the establishment of NRNA Oman in 2009 and recognizing his role for the NRNA movement, he became the founding treasurer of the organization followed by Vice Chairperson and Acting Chairperson. He worked as a coordinator from the Saudi embassy for Oman before the establishment of the embassy in 2014. He solved over 200 cases related with Nepali migrant workers while serving as a coordinator. He is working to support Nepali foreign job seekers in Gulf countries through the network of the NRNA. In this context, Nepalekhabar talked with Mr. Shrestha about the current situation of Nepali people in Oman and the NRNA movement. Here are the excerpts:

Can you brief us about the situation of NRNA Oman? When was it established and how many people are associated with it?

NRNA Oman was established in 2009 and currently the organization has 507 registered members. Four RCC have been established in these 6 years. The NRNA Oman is a strong association in Oman and has played a vital role for the establishment of Nepal Embassy in Oman. Before the embassy, I served as the representative of the Government of Nepal for Oman. NRNA played a role of parent in Oman before the Nepal Embassy and continues to serve the Nepali diaspora since its establishment.

Have you been able to cover all Nepalese people in the organization? If yes, how is their commitment and why are all Nepalese not involved?

We have been able to reach most Nepalese in Oman but some Nepalese are not part of the NRN movement due to various reasons. The country is very large compared to Nepal and nearly 13,000 Nepalese are staying in different parts of Oman. Most of the Nepalese are working as housemaids and they have not been able to be part of the NRNA movement.

In which areas are most of the Nepalese people involved in Oman and how can Nepal benefit from their experience?
Nepalese are working in various sectors and professions in Oman like Doctors, Engineers, Accountants, Managers, Professors, Technicians, Supervisors, Laborers and Household workers among others. They have acquired good skills in the fields they are involved in, which they can apply for the development of the country. As the Nepali people gain international exposure in the field they are engaged in, they could greatly benefit Nepal if they return to Nepal and get involved in the same field. They have experience from highly skilled, semi-skilled, technical to the administrative field and they can utilize their knowledge to build Nepal.

You organized a cultural program to support the earthquake victims of Nepal. How much funds did you generate and how will you utilize it?
We organized a cultural program bringing artists from Nepal like singer Himal Sagar, comedian Sher Bahadur Gurung and dancer Purnima Shrestha on 01st January 2016 at Muscat to raise funds for supporting the earthquake affected people of Nepal. We are going to send the profit of this event to Nepal through NRNA ICC to rebuild 1,000 homes. We are trying to collect more amounts for the victims.

What programs are you organizing to keep Nepali culture intact in a foreign land and to keep the Nepalese connected?
We are organizing various cultural programs in Oman to keep the culture intact. The cultural program is purely a Nepali program and it helped the Nepalese people staying without family in Oman feel good. The Nepali people feel they are back home when they see and hear Nepali songs, dances and comedy. We hope to organize different programs to bind all Nepalese people in a cultural bond and keep the national unity intact.

It is said that NRNA is turning into a rich person’s club and it does not pay proper attention to country chapters; what is your opinion on it?
It is true some people are very rich and they are doing their best for the association. But the organization should equally pay attention to the people who are working as laborers in Gulf countries. People living in Gulf countries and working as laborers are also important assets of the organization and they are also contributing to strengthen the organization. We are also helping to build a strong association. We are also sending remittance to Nepal, which is giving life to the national economy. NRNA should not neglect the contribution made by people living in Gulf countries and take them as an important part of NRNA movement.

What could be done to make NRNA a real platform for all Nepalese staying abroad?
We have to do more work to make only one platform for all Nepalese abroad. We have to raise the agenda for Nepal and Nepalese who are abroad. We already pushed the agenda “Foreign Employment Social Fund known as Hajare Abhiyan (thousand rupees campaign)” to NRNA ICC and Nepal government for the implementation. If this agenda is implemented, it will provide security net for foreign job seekers as they will get the benefits from the fund. It will ensure security of people involved in foreign jobs, who have been giving life to the national economy.

Do you have any message to the readers?
I have one important message to all Nepalese living abroad to support the Hajare Abhiyan (thousand rupees) campaign. It would be a great contribution to support the motherland, so I would like to request all members of NRNA across the globe to support it. The thousand rupees collected from the members will be mobilized for the benefit of fellow Nepali people.

(Editor’s Note: How do you find this interview? Please send your comments to editor@nepalekhabar.com. If you have made significant contribution in the NRNA movement, please share the details through the email address mentioned above. We will be happy to share your experience which could be an inspiration to others.)