From Crisis to Opportunity: Mr. Buddha Tamang’s Entrepreneurial Journey in Paro, Bhutan

Mr. Buddha Tamang, a 56-year-old active business owner at Drugyel Town in Paro, runs a store comprising mainly stationary items. He is the breadwinner of a family of four. Before the COVID-19 pandemic his business ran smoothly but the lockdown and decrease in the number of people visiting his shop resulted in a huge loss. During the pandemic, he felt depressed and worried about how to support his family with the loss incurred from his business.

A good friend recommended him to take a loan from Tarayana Micro Finance. After discussing with his family, he hesitantly took his first loan from Tarayana Micro Finance, concerned about how he would be able to repay it and how it would impact his business.

He took a small business expansion loan of Nu. 249,000.00/- for a duration of 2 years. He specifically invested the loan in stationary items, as his shop is located near a school. With hopes of bringing his business back on track and increasing the number of customers, he looked forward to expanding the variety of items he sold in his shop. He now earns around Nu. 10,000.00/- per day, which is much less compared to pre-pandemic times, but the business is picking up.

Having fully repaid the loans, he is very positive about sharing how Tarayana Micro Finance helped him in his time of need with those who are also in need. He is grateful to Tarayana Micro Finance for the loan and looks forward to taking more loans to further expand his business and improve his and his family’s living standards.

Although his business is picking up, the increase in competitors in the area means it still struggles to attract customers like before COVID-19. However, he remains committed to supporting the community by providing goods and services through his shop.