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The protests that rocked Nepal were about more than a social media ban. The economy is so dire that for many, going abroad seems the only way to build a future.
Anupreeta Das spoke to more than two dozen people in and around Kathmandu, Nepal, after the recent protests.
Oct. 23, 2025, 12:01 a.m. ET
In his hometown, Chamkhar, a tiny village of breathtaking beauty tucked into the hillside about an hour away from Nepal’s capital, Rajendra Tamang sits plotting his future.
The golden fields of corn, verdant slopes and imposing views of Himalayan peaks hold little opportunity. Neither does the rest of Nepal, Mr. Tamang, 22, said. Jobs are scarce and competition is fierce, even for low-paying work. Wealth disparity is high and corruption is endemic.
Two years ago, Mr. Tamang moved to Dubai, where he worked 16-hour days, six days a week, switching between jobs as an office peon, a cleaner and a warehouse worker. He earned four times the salary he could expect in Nepal, but the grueling shifts wore him down. As he browsed Dubai’s malls on his days off, he noticed that baristas and secretaries were in demand.
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Adding such skills to his résumé could increase his employability, Mr. Tamang reasoned. So he came home and enrolled himself in a two-month barista training course in Nepal. He learned how to operate a coffee machine, the difference between a cold brew and an iced coffee, and how to draw pretty patterns in cappuccino foam. He is hoping that his skills will distinguish him from the tens of thousands of Nepalis who are also looking for jobs overseas.
“I just don’t want to work in Nepal,” Mr. Tamang said. “You have to get out.”
Sick of Corruption
In tiny hamlets and passport lines, on the streets and inside chic cafes, many young Nepalis — whether they are college graduates or never finished school — say they feel hopeless and frustrated.
