Sami Akhtar, 22, from Dhurna, India, has taken a contract to weave gabions in Mangalsen. His father had come to Achham about 40 years ago in search of a job as a net weaver. Sami, who came to Achham with his father at a young age, also learned the same skill. He now takes on the work his father used to do.
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It is common for young people here to go to India in search of work. Recently, a different scene has started to emerge in Achham. Young people from India have been coming to Achham in search of work.
On the one hand, workers from India have accelerated the development work, while on the other hand, many youth from Achham are still dependent on India for employment. This year too, about 40 people from Dhurna in Arya district of India are working in Achham. They are involved in weaving gabion nets here.
They are preparing gabion nets used in structures like embankments, walls, and roads at various places through local contractors. They are currently working in Mangalsen and Sanphebagar.
Sami Akhtar, 22, from Dhurna, India, has taken a contract to weave gabions in Mangalsen. His father had come to Achham about 40 years ago in search of a job as a net-weaver. Sami, who came to Achham with his father at a young age, also learned the same skill. He now takes on the work his father used to do.
He said that he brought the youth of his own village to Achham because there is a lot of work to be done in Achham and the income is also good. ‘We take contracts worth up to 150 million rupees from local contractors in a season. Workers get 3 to 400 rupees for weaving a net,’ Sami said, ‘We usually work at night and sleep during the day. The income is also good. We earn more than 1 lakh rupees per month during the season.’
28-year-old Seraj Alam has also come to Achham from India for work. ‘I have the skill to weave net.’ There was not much work in our village. In this place, there were no locals who could weave net. This is an opportunity for us too,’ Seraj said, ‘Many people are surprised that we have come from India to work. Many of the youth here go to India, and we came here from there to work. If you have the skill, you can work anywhere.’ The border doesn't matter.''
Another member of the team, Saikat Ali, 30, said that it was also easy to work because he received timely wages. 'First, my friends came, and after getting work, they called us too.'' Work is regular here. Wages are also paid on time,' he said, 'That's why we started coming every year during this season.''
According to him, this labor journey, which started with a few individuals about 10 years ago, has now become a group. Every year, dozens of Indian youths come to Achham, stay in Achham for a few months and then return.
The life of 28-year-old Narak Alam is not easy. He worked for his family in India and had no permanent source of income in the village. Carrying the responsibility of four children and a wife, he came to Achham on the advice of his friends. Here he got a job weaving gabion nets. 'I have four children and a wife at home.'' "It's not enough to just do farming," says Narak, "I found work here, so I'm working here."
Since work is regular in Achham and wages are paid on time, it has become easier for him and his friends to earn money. "These hand-woven nets are not only connecting the roads and buildings of Achham, but also the future of our children," he said. "These skills and hard work are keeping the family's hearth burning."
