There are over 2.6 million Nepali immigrants working abroad, and Jit is one of them. His journey started in Johor Bahru, a southern Malaysian city right across from Singapore. We meet him in Kuala Lumpur, tired but determined, where he reveals he hasn’t been back to see his loved ones since he moved to Malaysia in 2015.
“For the past 6 to 7 years, I have been the only person earning money in my family,” he shares. Though he’s more than 5,000 kilometers away from home, Jit is ever-present. He regularly sends most of his wages back to Nepal to cover for groceries, schooling, and other essentials. For Jit, this is a team effort. He provides the funds, and his family takes care of making the payments and managing the household.
The burden is heavy, but his sight is set on a brighter future. “My plan is to start my own business once I return to Nepal,” he tells us. Jit is originally from Surkhet, a district located in a valley west of Kathmandu. We can already picture Jit and his family thriving against the backdrop of the Bulbule Lake and Behri River.
Remittances in Nepal
The reality is Jit is one of many Nepalis who share the same dream. In 2023 alone, Nepali immigrants sent home US$11 billion in remittances, amounting to 26% of Nepal’s GDP. With more than a quarter of its entire economy coming from loved ones working abroad, Nepal is one of the most remittance-dependent countries in the world.
Malaysia as a remittance hub
As of 2023, 8.2% of Malaysia’s population is made up of immigrants. Thanks to the hard work of this subsect of the population, more than US$9 billion were sent in remittances from Malaysia last year. Malaysia’s Nepali migrants alone, totaling 585,000, sent around US$1.7 billion back to their home country.
At Ria, we’re proud to support migrant workers from the moment they step out of their homes until the day they return.
If, like Jit, you’re looking to send money to Nepal, you can visit any of our locations or download the Ria Money Transfer app to get started.
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About the author
Gabrielle van Welie
Gabrielle van Welie is Ria's Global Content Manager. Originally from Dominican Republic, she specializes in the cultural impact of remittances and migration across the globe.
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