Defining Success — Labor Migration & Livelihood in Rural Nepal

The Research Question

What Does Success Look Like in Rural Nepal?

"Imagine leaving your home, your family, your community — risking your health and years of your life in demanding labor abroad — only to return with debt and the uncertain question: were you successful?"

— Central question guiding this research

Rather than imposing external definitions rooted in Western economics, this study centers migrant returnees' own understandings of progress. How do they measure success? What matters most to their families and communities? What trade-offs accompany migration?

In rural Nepal, home represents traditionally agricultural households facing agricultural precarity, limited educational and occupational opportunities, and what researchers call "farm exit" — the push away from farming. Yet home also offers livelihood diversification, community, and hope. Abroad promises financial and social remittances, opportunity for upward mobility, and the chance to build capital. But migration carries serious costs: difficult working conditions, risk of physical and mental illness, and the reality that migration is inherently temporary. Between these poles lies a fundamental tension: young people want to stay in Nepal, but leave because they are unable to achieve their goals at home.

Methodology

Sequential Mixed-Methods Design

Each phase built on insights from the last, ensuring the research remained grounded in local knowledge.

Pre-Fieldwork

Literature Review & Preparation

Comprehensive literature review, stakeholder identification, and preparing culturally-grounded research instruments in collaboration with local partners.

Literature review Instrument design

Phase 1

Qualitative Exploration

Open-ended exploration of what success means through deep listening, participant observation, and sustained community immersion. Semi-structured interviews (30-60 min) with migrant returnees and non-migrants across 15 villages using purposive sampling.

N = 60 3 Months 15 Villages Semi-structured Interviews

Phase 2

Mixed-Methods & Network Mapping

Structured surveys informed by Phase 1 findings, combined with in-depth interviews (40 min–2 hrs). Social network analysis conducted through network sampling: 4 rounds beginning with 8 seed individuals, each asked to refer non-migrant counterparts, creating branching chains of migrant returnees and non-migrants.

N = 120 4 Months Surveys In-depth Interviews Network Sampling

Analysis

Synthesis & Network Statistics

Thematic analysis (NVivo) of interview transcriptions and fieldnotes, descriptive statistics (Qualtrics) of survey results, revealing 5 key themes: Culture of Migration, Indicators of Success, Livelihood Capital, Migration Experience, and Network Interactions.

NVivo Thematic Analysis Qualtrics Descriptive Stats 5 Key Themes Network Analysis

Core Findings

Three Dimensions of Success

When asked what "success" means, migrant returnees revealed a holistic understanding that transcends Western economic frameworks — rooted in three interconnected dimensions.

Hard Work Job Land Giving Back Investment Army Going Abroad Educating Children Stable Income Teaching Others Happy Family Staying Focused Satisfaction Family Health Honest Peaceful Debt Free Life Fulfillment Money Pension Worry Free Mental Peace Education Personal Health Leaving a Legacy Employing Others Enough Food and Clothing Car House Government Job Accomplishing Goals Providing for Family Struggles Skill Based Work Go with the Times Money for Medications

Occupational

Government Jobs
Entrepreneurship
Army (Nepal, Indian, British)

Personal/Characteristics

Hard Working
Honest
Resilient
Employ/teach others
Healthy
Happy

Material

Updated Cement Housing
Addition of Land
Proximity to urban center
Personal Vehicle

These dimensions are deeply interconnected. A secure government job (occupational) provides stability to invest in cement housing (material) and the peace of mind that supports contentment (personal). Land ownership (material) enables agricultural entrepreneurship (occupational) while strengthening family honor (personal).

Social Infrastructure

Networks & Livelihood Capitals

Success is built on five interconnected forms of capital, accessed and strengthened through social networks. These assets — built over generations — determine who can migrate, how they migrate, and what they can achieve.

💼

Human

Labor

💰

Financial

Loans

🏘️

Physical

Household

🐮

Natural

Livestock

🤝

Social

Affiliations

Networks

Accessing Capital

Network Sampling Methodology

Starting with 8 seed individuals, the study used referral-based sampling across 4 rounds. Each seed was asked to refer a non-migrant counterpart, creating branching chains of migrant returnees and non-migrants.

MR = Migrant Returnee | NM = Non-Migrant
This branching referral approach yielded 120 survey respondents and 60 in-depth interview participants, capturing diverse migration experiences and household livelihood strategies while maintaining social network connections.

Key Social Institutions

These livelihood capitals are accessed and activated through trusted community institutions that have existed for generations:

Reciprocal Exchange

Mutual aid systems where labor, goods, and services flow based on community needs and relationships

Extended Kinship Networks

Family bonds that span villages and countries, providing information, financial support, and emotional backing

Mother's Groups (Aama Samuha)

Community gatherings of women that facilitate financial lending, social support, and collective decision-making

Guthis

Traditional community organizations managing land, conducting rituals, and providing social safety nets

Conclusions

What the Research Reveals

01

Success

A combination of income stability, health, well-being, and education. Success is not a single metric but a holistic state where multiple dimensions — occupational, personal, and material — reinforce each other.

02

Migration

A stepping stone towards economic mobility in the home country. Young people want to stay in Nepal, but they migrate because they are unable to achieve their goals at home. Migration is a strategic response to limited local opportunities.

03

Networks

Increase access to capital while bridging past with future. Social networks activate five forms of livelihood capital — human, financial, physical, natural, and social — enabling migrants to navigate challenges and build sustainable livelihoods.

04

Policy

Prioritizes sending citizens abroad over retaining and reintegrating them. Government programs emphasize foreign employment (1,593+ recruiting agencies) while limited support exists for reintegration of returnees and local economic development.

Community Impact

Beyond the Research

Inauguration banner for the community farmers' market in rural Nepal

Akala Agriculture/Learning Market Inauguration

A weekly community farmers' market co-created with migrant returnees and local leaders in Tanahu District — a tangible, lasting outcome of this research.

This research generated a rare, high-resolution dataset documenting the lived experiences of labor migrants and non-migrants in rural Nepal — accessible to policymakers, development organizations, and future researchers.

📊

Rich dataset — 180 qualitative interviews and 120 structured surveys creating a comprehensive picture of migrant experience

🌱

Sustainable livelihoods — A weekly farmers' market addressing food security and creating income pathways independent of migration

🤝

Reciprocity in practice — Listening to community needs and co-creating solutions that persist beyond the research timeline