Published Online: December 2025
Authors: Mina Adhikari, Shyam Thapa, Anup Ghimire, and Mani Ram Banjade
Available at: https://doi.org/10.53037/na.v9i1.127
Abstract: The economic empowerment of women through entrepreneurship is essential for enhancing resilience, particularly in Nepal, where the government and development partners are promoting such initiatives. However, mere participation in entrepreneurial activities does not guarantee resilience, as entrepreneurs face multiple risks including natural disasters, climate change, and market volatility; for women, these are exacerbated by social inequalities. These obstacles can increase their vulnerability, especially during a crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic. The effects of such a crisis vary among women-led businesses: some capitalised on this crisis as an opportunity, while others struggled to survive. In this context, this study examines how entrepreneurial motivation, entrepreneurial orientation, and bonding, bridging, and linking social capital improved the resilience of women-led small businesses during the pandemic. A qualitative case study was conducted with nine women entrepreneurs to explore the resilience of women-led, small, agro-based businesses during the pandemic across the Lalitpur, Kavrepalanchok, and Dhading districts of Nepal. The study found that two enterprises with relatively large business turnovers maintained resilience during the pandemic, while others faced decreased vegetable production and suffered from financial loss. The social status of women entrepreneurs, business size, motivation and entrepreneurial orientation, and social capital determined the ability of small businesses to be sustained during the pandemic. Consequently, women entrepreneurs with a weaker social status and limited social networks had to rely on family resources, resulting in persistent vulnerability.