Stories from the ground

Mehedi is a small factory owner from Ashulia, Savar, who takes subcontracted work from large  factories and gets the work done by home-based workers, while also working himself. Around 40 home-based...

Impact of LPG shortage on Tiruppur home-based workers. To understand the lived experiences of home-based working women affected by LPG shortages, four Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were conducted...

The current global fuel crisis is placing growing pressure on home-based workers (HBW) in Nepal. According to HBWs from SABAH, while increases in petrol prices have not yet significantly affected...

Rising fuel prices have significantly increased transportation and raw material costs, disrupting supply chains. As a result, many home-based workers (HBWs) are facing irregular work orders and...

Home-based workers are suffering due to high oil prices, shortage of gas and increased electricity bills. Due to the war situation in the Middle East, people have to spend time in long queues for fuel...

On 8 March 2026, Labour at Informal Economy (LIE), in collaboration with Bangladesh Free Trade Union Congress (BFTUC) and OSHE Foundation, organised a Women’s Day celebration program in Dhaka. It...

Women home-based workers (HBWs), working in the informal sector, often face numerous challenges, including low wages, gender-based violence, lack of labour recognition, absence of social security, and...

In the informal economy of Pakistan, home-based women workers have historically been excluded from labour protections, social security coverage, and minimum wage guarantees, despite contributing...

There was a time when Binu Maharjan would not even be able to introduce herself without breaking down in tears. Looking at the hardships she has faced in life, it’s easy to see why her confidence was...

During the global ‘16 Days of Activism’, HomeNet South Asia (HNSA) hosted a regional webinar titled “Bridging Voices: Home-Based Worker Realities and Policy Pathways to End Violence.” The event...

Hena Akhter Rupa, a 29-year-old grassroots leader from Hazaribagh, Dhaka, has been deeply involved in her community's struggles. Her mother was a central leader of the slum federation, and Rupa’s...

In the charming city of Sylhet, Bangladesh, lives a woman known to be soft-spoken yet doggedly determined. She is involved with her organisation, Labour at Informal Economy (LIE). As a leader of her...

Across India, millions of women earn their livelihoods from within the walls of their homes. These home-based workers (HBWs) sew garments, embroider sarees, make bangles, roll incense sticks, cut...

In the heart of Pallabi, a new change is being brought about by an energetic, resilient 30-year-old woman named Farzana. Once an invisible figure in her community, she has become a respectable leader...

HomeNet South Asia (HNSA) recently organised an engaging regional webinar titled ‘Access to Markets’ on 29 April 2025, bringing together affiliate organisations from all across South Asia to discuss...

As a community leader from a small settlement in Nepal, Nisha Sapkota’s boldest move was to take a glass of dirty water to the drinking water office in her district, demanding to know if the officials...

A 30-year-old home-based worker (HBW) from the Jatrabari cluster in Dhaka, Laiju Akter has transformed her life and the lives of countless others through her unwavering determination and leadership...

Sharda Mishra, a single woman from Budhanilkantha Municipality, has faced significant challenges in her life, particularly after the death of her husband. She experienced discrimination from her own...

Payalben Hiteshbhai Ranat, a home-based worker from Isanpur, Ahmedabad, truly embodies the phrase, "Be the change you wish to see."

In September 2019, with support from Comic Relief, HomeNet South Asia and WIEGO collaborated on the Power Up programme. It was designed to create a global movement of home-based workers by...

It’s a Sunday morning during monsoons in Lalitpur, a settlement on the outskirts of Kathmandu City and Krishna Debi is preparing Chattamari, fondly called ‘Nepali Pizza’ for some customers who sought...

Driving around Bhutan’s capital, Thimphu, will bring you face-to-face with many awe-inspiring structures – one of them in the Supreme Court. The lavish building is adorned with colourful, traditional...

Far away from Male, Gadhdhoo is a small island that’s known for its remarkable mat weaving tradition. Handcrafted largely by women, home-based workers from the Thundukuna community, the woven mats are...

The imposing hills of Taplejung, a district in Eastern Nepal, are carpeted with large cardamom plantations. One of Nepal’s leading large cardamom producing districts, Taplejung contributes the world’s...

The Eastern Himalayas straddle three South Asian nations, Nepal, India, and Bhutan, which also happen to be the main producers of large cardamom, a specialty spice that enjoys wide appeal across South...

The ocean is the lifeline of the Maldives. It is the calming blues of the ocean that draws in tourists to the country. And it is the food from the oceans that sustains the lives and livelihoods of...

Deepa, a home-based worker lives with her family in Tirupur, Tamil Nadu, India. She has been working as a home-based, garment trimmer for the past eight years and her husband works as a master cutter...

For SEWA Ruaab the pandemic provided a unique scenario – a chance to reinvent, breathe life into a struggling enterprise. Founded in 2010, Ruaab is rooted in the Self-Employed Women’s Association...

How A Grassroot-Level Organiser, In Ahmedabad, India, Gave Up Her Daily Wages In Order To Organise Her Community And Link Them To Basic Services. Ramilaben lives in a crowded settlement of over 300...

How A Newly-Confident Grassroot-Level Organiser Helped Hundreds Of Women Access Work During The First Wave Of The Pandemic. “I wouldn’t even have the courage to speak,” Noorbanu says, recalling her...