When public transport vehicles in Nepal started operating again in July 2020, after a four-month-long COVID-19 lockdown, the majority of the drivers didn’t have any personal protective equipment to protect themselves from the virus.
Despite the government declaring that masks, gloves and sanitizers must be used on all public transport vehicles, drivers were forced to make their own arrangements in sourcing them.
For Devi Shrestha buying these medical supplies has made her already difficult life even harder.
Ms Shrestha drives a “Safa Tempo”, (which translates to “clean tempo” to highlight its zero-emission credential) an electric three-wheeler that seats up to a dozen passengers at a time.
Devi Shrestha Source: Monika Deupala
“A big sanitizer bottle costs around $5," she says.
"I have to put it in the tempo and give it to all the passengers. I also have to wear a mask and gloves for my safety. Not everyone has the capacity to buy all of that at once. Since the tempo was idle for four months, I have not earned anything. How can we afford the medical supplies?”
The electric three-wheeler (Tempo) that Shrestha drives is very popular for public transportation in the capital Kathmandu.
Helping women from low socio-economic backgrounds
Amongst the approximately 700 such tempos in Kathmandu valley, almost half are driven by women. Most of these female drivers are either poor, with low literacy or are migrant workers coming to the capital to earn a daily wage. 
Devi Shrestha, from Sindhupalchowk, a remote district near the capital, was barely literate when she came to Kathmandu in 2002. The only education she had received until then was three months of adult education classes and could just read simple words.
Devi Shrestha Source: Monika Deupala
Married at the age of 14, she came to Kathmandu when she was 17. After having worked in various places, Ms Shrestha was attracted to the idea of driving tempos, after seeing many women involved in that profession.
That was 15 years ago. She then went on to learn to drive with the help of her friends and got her drivers license. Eight years ago, Shrestha took out a loan to buy her own Tempo.
Meanwhile, she also started going to school and is now studying in the equivalent of year eight.
Ms Shrestha says she earns as much as $900 per month driving the three-wheeler. After paying for the vehicle’s maintenance, interests and instalments of her loan, she manages to save up to $500 every month.
"I tried working at a garment factory and a hotel. There I earned around $15 to $20 per month. When I remember those days of struggle, I realize how the tempo has helped me become independent," she says.
Nepali Public Transport Driver Kathmandu Devi Shrestha Source: Monika Deupala
"Tempo driving has not only helped me run my household but also educate my son and my daughter."
The Electric Vehicles Association of Nepal says that its repeated motivational efforts to promote female tempo drivers has resulted in a high number of women joining the industry.
“Safa tempo is lightweight and is easy to operate because it has no gears. Since it runs on electricity, it is easier to repair than other vehicles,” says Umesh Shrestha, chairperson of the association.
“Almost two decades ago we did an experiment, where we trained some women to drive tempos. Not only did these women drive the tempos well, they were honest in keeping records of their accounts and treated passengers in a friendly manner,” he says.
For Devi Shrestha buying the medical supplies has made her already difficult life even harder. Source: Monika Deupala
“After the successful experiments, other women joined them too. Poor and uneducated women were the most attracted to it,” says Shrestha.
Some non-governmental organizations also provided free tempo-driving training to women from marginalized communities.
Reports say tempos have helped more than 350 women of low economic and educational status become financially independent in Nepal.
Geeta Kumari Dulal with her Safa Tempo Source: Monika Deupala
COVID-19 hurting women’s livelihood and independence
However, since the COVID-19 lockdown that began on March 24 across the country, many women gradually lost the independence they got by earning a decent wage. Many drivers who are yet to pay off their loans are now being hounded by their banks.
We don’t have any savings. We spend whatever we earn the same day.
"After paying the charging station and buying food, I send the remaining money to a finance company to pay my loans. During the lockdown, when we barely had the money for food, banks were calling us with demands to pay the loan interest and instalments,” says Shrestha.
When the lockdown was eased on 29 July, it was not easy for many to start driving again. Since their vehicles had been lying idle in garages and ‘gathering rust’, they asked the government for financial support for vehicle maintenance.
When the government did not heed their calls, Ms Shrestha, along with many of her colleagues, repaired the vehicles themselves at an expense of $80 to $100 each, and started driving again.
Their demands to the government also included calls to waive bank interest, insurance, discounts in official document renewal fees, the supply of hand sanitizer and gloves and free coronavirus testing.
Geeta Kumari Dulal Source: Monika Deupala
In a recent press release, the Nepalese government has promised to provide them half of the money for their insurance, and free renewal of their driving license. No other demands have so far been met.
Safa Tempos are back in operation but due to various restrictions and fewer people willing to take public transport, it is having a significant impact on the drivers.
According to a directive issued by the government after the COVID-19 crisis began, public vehicles can now only operate at half capacity. Passengers themselves don’t allow more people to get in, for fear of contracting coronavirus. So, Devi Shrestha makes barely $10 a day, and after paying $5 to the charging station, she is left with very little money.
The disease is far, but hunger has already arrived at our footstep.
“On the one hand, there is this fear of the pandemic, and on the other, there are all sorts of pressures from the banks and landlords.”
‘It is difficult for us to manage household expenses. During the lockdown, some organizations had distributed relief materials including food, which gave some comfort. But it's better to earn a living with my own talents and skills. I was so happy when I started driving again after the lockdown,” she adds.
It was not easy for Shrestha and other drivers to procure protective gear. In most cases, tempo owners have been providing such materials.
Industry associations say it’s the job of the government to provide protective gears.
Source: Monika Deupala
“Public vehicle riders come in contact with a lot of people every day. They are like medical personnel and police who are working on the frontlines,” says Netra Bhaat, a member of the Tempo Driver’s Association.
“Therefore, our demand is that they should get the same health facilities. They have to be provided with masks, sanitizers and safety clothing for the whole body. But since the government did not heed our demands, we provide such materials to drivers at our own expenses,” he says.
Devi Shrestha offers sanitizer gel to each passenger who steps into her tempo. She wears a pair of safety gloves and puts on a mask. But she exchanges money with dozens of people daily, which means she is in constant fear of contracting COVID-19.
A lot of other tempo drivers don't even use basic protection and say livelihood is more important than the distant threat of infection.
Due to the rising number of COVID-19 victims in Nepal, Kathmandu valley entered a second round of lockdown on August 20, which is expected to last until at least September 2.
Video and photo credit: Monika Deupala
Devi Shrestha Source: Monika Deupala
