Birendranagar, April 25 -- Usha BK of ward 7 in Birendranagar Municipality grew up with an ambition to earn her own living. That plan, sadly, collapsed early as she was married young, and her studies did not go further than Grade 11. Years passed, her relationship deteriorated, and she began living alone eventually.

She said she never wanted to further strain her parents, who were already struggling financially. But she also had no clear path to stand on her own.

"I always felt I should do something to earn, but I didn't know what or how," she said. "Staying idle became mentally exhausting. I would overthink everything and feel restless. I wanted to be self-reliant, but I had no money to start anything."

Her mother eventually linked he...