For many villagers in Kapilavastu, Nepal, life is a constant struggle. Without their own farmland, they are forced to rent plots from landlords, cultivating rice, barley, and a few vegetables. Often, half of their harvest must be given to the landlord, leaving barely enough to sustain their families. During non-farming seasons, they rely on odd jobs, earning a meager monthly income of around 8,000 to 11,500 Nepalese Rupees (approx. 254 to 366 USD). To address this pervasive poverty, Tzu Chi volunteers initiated the "Mushroom Rays of Hope Project," aiming to equip villagers with new skills and a path to self-sufficiency.

Cultivating skills, building futures

The idea for the project began after Singaporean Tzu Chi volunteer Willy Ang (洪德謙) conducted a needs assessment. He then visited Tansen County and Nawalparasi County to learn about mushroom cultivation techniques from local farmers. However, Kapilavastu's climate—hot summers, windy and rainy monsoons, and foggy winters—posed a challenge in finding a suitable mushroom species.

Recognizing this need, Aliza Chaudhary, an agricultural university graduate and Tzu Chi staff member, volunteered her own room in 2024 to experiment with mushroom cultivation. Through continuous refinement and effort, she successfully identified a suitable species, yielding batch after batch of high-quality abalone mushrooms.

With a viable method established, Aliza and Simran Thapa began inviting villagers to participate in the "Mushroom Rays of Hope Project." Despite initial delays because of heavy rains and the "Gen Z protests" in Nepal on September 8, the six-day course successfully commenced on September 21 at the Tilaurakot Community Learning Center (CLC) in Kapilavastu. Twenty-one households eagerly participated.

Pabitra Yadav, nine months pregnant and just fifteen days from her due date, expressed her motivation, "Learning to grow mushrooms will allow me to build a home for myself and my child." Radha Upadhaye added, "Women like us cannot work far from home. If we can grow mushrooms, we can cover our daily living expenses."

Training and community spirit

The training course saw enthusiastic participation from all villagers, including Krishan Kurmi, who is visually impaired, and his neighbor Bhola Nau, who is also blind. Their diligent attitude inspired others. Krishan, who had previously grown mushrooms, shared, "Edible mushrooms are healthy, and people are generally willing to buy them. Tzu Chi volunteers have helped me a lot, and now they are teaching me to grow mushrooms. I am grateful to Tzu Chi for helping me improve my life."

Dul Bahadar Pandey expressed gratitude to Tzu Chi and Master Cheng Yen for organizing the training in Barmeli village. He had previously attempted mushroom cultivation but failed because of mold. Through the course, he learned the reason, saying, "It is too humid during the rainy season. Now I have learned how to overcome climate issues."

The materials needed for mushroom cultivation—rice straw, cow dung, and chicken manure—were all sourced locally. After harvest, the spent materials return to nature, making it a sustainable process. During the six-day course, men helped with heavy lifting, while women laid tarpaulins, maintained hygiene, and prepared mushroom packaging bags. From steaming and cooking to sterilization and packaging, Aliza said in pleasant surprise, "The villagers coordinated and complemented each other, working together with a clear division of labor." Simran added, "Every day, I see the villagers' smiles and feel their confidence growing. Now they can complete all the procedures."

From harvest to hope

After completing the training on September 26, villagers received six bags of mushroom spawn. Tzu Chi volunteers continued with home visits, providing support when some mushrooms showed signs of infection. With the sustained effort and careful cultivation by volunteers and villagers, plump abalone mushrooms gradually began to grow and be harvested.

Radha Upadhaye, a participant in the mushroom cultivation project, joyfully shared that she had previously grown one or two bags of mushrooms for her family. This motivated her to actively participate in the "Mushroom Rays of Hope Project." Unfortunately, her first batch of mushrooms did not yield a successful harvest because of insufficient care.

However, twenty days later, her second batch of mushroom spawn successfully produced fresh, high-quality abalone mushrooms! Since one bag of spawn can yield four to five harvests, the produce was enough to feed her family of nine. Radha not only shared some abalone mushrooms with her neighbors but also sold the rest at the market for about 280 Nepalese Rupees per kilogram (approx. 9 USD), earning a small income to supplement her household. Radha expressed, "I am grateful for Tzu Chi's support and guidance."

Willy Ang, who happily took home some abalone mushrooms to add to his meal, said, "Our greatest hope is to impart skills to the villagers of Kapilavastu Ward 6, enabling them to gain skills to support their families." He hopes for a bountiful harvest so that mushroom cultivation can bring job opportunities to collectively improve their lives.

A sustainable future

The "Mushroom Rays of Hope Project" in Kapilavastu is more than just teaching a skill; it is about planting seeds of hope and self-reliance. By empowering villagers with sustainable livelihood opportunities, Tzu Chi is helping them break free from the cycle of poverty and build a brighter future for themselves and their children. Each successful harvest is a testament to their hard work and the compassionate support that helps communities thrive.

Written by Teoh Ai Ping (張愛彬)