Kathmandu. Every person has their own story of struggle in their life. A person who moves forward by facing the challenges that come along the journey of life will definitely achieve success one day or the other. No one is successful without struggle. There are not only struggles in life, but also many opportunities. The person who steps into the field of struggle to open the treasure chest of those opportunities gets the success they want. Yes, this is the woman who achieved success through such hard work and struggle, Jamuna Katuwal.
Jamuna was born in 2045 in a joint family in Mai Municipality-6, Ilam. Jamuna is the youngest member of the family. Perhaps because she was in a large family, she got the opportunity to grow up with everyone’s love. Jamuna’s childhood was spent comfortably in a normal family. She studied up to 8th grade in her birthplace. At that time, the school in Jamuna’s village did not offer classes above 8th grade. Her brother Kuber Katuwal used to teach in a school in Mangsebung Rural Municipality, a short distance from her home. After completing grade 8, Jamuna studied with her brother Kuber in grades 9 and 10. She completed her studies from Mangsebung Rural Municipality in Ilam to LLC.
Currently, Jamuna is holding the responsibility of the Birtamod branch head of Citizen Life Insurance. She achieved this success today after a long struggle and sacrifice. She is currently monitoring her branch as the branch head. She is implementing the insurance policy and legal provisions in her branch by following them, ensuring that the employees, agents and her team follow the instructions of the regulatory body, reporting, conducting various capacity-building trainings from time to time for the development of the capacity of agents and employees, striving to fulfill the company’s business objectives, and making work plans. Not only this, she has also been organizing programs to increase insurance awareness, insurance education and insurance awareness in various areas to expand everyone’s access to insurance.
After SLC, everyone wants to go to the city and study in a good subject. Jamuna also had a dream of studying well. As a result, Jamuna went to the district headquarters of Ilam to study Plus Two. Although Jamuna grew up in the love of everyone, she was taught from a young age that she should work hard and stand on her own feet. Since Jamuna liked to work hard from a young age, she started teaching in a school as soon as she passed the Plus Two exams. Time passed. She was teaching others while studying. Jamuna also completed her graduation in management. Since school jobs did not offer the same salary facilities as the ones offered, Jamuna was looking for an alternative to being a teacher. With the idea of making a career in the corporate sector, Jamuna was looking for a similar job.
Jamuna had told her brother Kuber that she wished she could do something other than teaching. Kuber was running a school and was working as an agency manager for the former Surya Life. That is why he advised Jamuna to enter the insurance sector. Kuber said, “If you work hard, the insurance sector is very good and you will also get support in terms of career.” When Kuber told her that there were more services and facilities in the insurance sector than in the teaching profession, Jamuna, guided by her brother, started her journey in the insurance sector by obtaining a license from the former Surya Life in 2066 BS. ‘A person who shows the way in life is great,’ said Jamuna, ‘I have succeeded in this field today because of my brother’s guide. My brother showed me the way, this is the biggest thing. My brother Kuber is the source of inspiration for me. After I came to the insurance sector, many people helped me, but in the beginning, it was my brother who showed me the way.’
While teaching, Jamuna had also been devoting time to the insurance sector. She used to go to her village in her free time and on Saturdays to provide insurance education and provide insurance. Jamuna believed that insurance education should be provided and insurance should be made accessible to everyone, even though the profession of insurance agent was a social work. Even with that in mind, she used to go from village to village to provide insurance awareness. After she was successful in going to the village and getting small insurance policies, her attraction to this profession increased even more. Her brother also continued to guide her. Jamuna also started earning an income. Then she got the courage to go into this profession. Jamuna decided to quit her 2-year teaching career and go into insurance professionally.
Jamuna got married right after her bachelor’s results came out. After marriage, it is difficult for a woman to manage her family and work. Her home is in Darjeeling, but her husband’s job was in Pokhara. Then she too had to go to Pokhara. As the saying goes, ‘There is no compulsion in front of desire,’ Jamuna now had a hard time figuring out how to work as an insurance agent. Having recently become addicted to insurance, she had a burning desire to do something in this field. However, compulsion brought her to Pokhara. As the saying goes, ‘A moustache does not stop a mouth that eats’, Jamuna, who was looking for an opportunity, was met by Min Bahadur GC, the former branch manager of Surya Life, in Pokhara, with the help of her brother, and was given a chance to work. After that, Jamuna improved herself by participating in various insurance-related training and seminars. She worked hard in the insurance sector again. Jamuna’s husband did not have much knowledge about insurance. Jumna also explained the insurance to her husband. After that, she got support from her husband. And together, they started moving forward in the insurance sector.
Jamuna used to meet every target in the previous Surya Life as well. She worked hard to achieve success. She spent her precious time in the insurance sector. While she was at the previous Surya Life, she even became an agency manager. During her work, she had to live with her in-laws due to her family responsibilities. Then Jamuna had to leave Pokhara again and go to Birtamod. And Jamuna decided to end her journey at Sabik Surya Life. After working at Sabik Surya Life for 8 years, she returned to Birtamod again in 2075 BS due to family responsibilities.
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## ##Jamuna’s journey to Citizen Life
## Jamuna, who had been going through various ups and downs in the insurance sector for a long time and was about to reach a certain height, was overwhelmed by family responsibilities. Jamuna, who had worked in the insurance sector for 8 years, was now forced to live with her family. Even though the family’s responsibility to make her dream come true was overwhelming, she was determined to work without getting discouraged. Having an understanding family and husband, it was not that difficult for her to return to the insurance sector. She was already addicted to the insurance sector. However, Jamuna, who had played the role of an agent in the insurance sector for 8 years, now had a dream of working as an employee.
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## At that time, many insurance companies were looking for employees. Thinking of getting a job, Jamuna started understanding and studying about those companies. And Jamuna found Citizen Life to be a good company and applied for the job. She was interviewed shortly after applying. Jamuna, who was good at studying since childhood, also passed the interview. She started working as a Business Development Coordinator at Citizen Life from Falgun 2075. Two years later, she was given the responsibility of branch manager in 2077 BS.
Jamuna achieved success amidst the struggle. This was a dream for her. Even after becoming the branch chief, Jamuna did not reduce the hard work and dedication she put in from her place. The branch became strong due to her immense hard work. She is always keen to meet the targets set by the company and fulfill the objectives. ‘Maybe because I entered the insurance sector as an agent, the respect and dignity I have for employees and agents is always the same,’ said Jamuna. ‘I meet all kinds of agents. Every agent has different abilities. That is why I have understood their abilities and moved forward. Some agents have good links, some agents can bring insurance by talking sweetly, some agents can create new agents, yes, if such potential is discovered and loved and promoted based on their capabilities, the company will definitely achieve good results.
‘If agencies are trained and mobilized from time to time, they will be upgraded. In this way too, their capabilities can be increased. If they work on mobility, they will definitely succeed in the insurance sector,’ Jamuna added, ‘Insurance is neither easy nor uncomfortable. Insurance is a market that sells trust. Whereas if agents communicate good information without misleading and pay insurance, insurance can be brought. I too came from the same phase yesterday. If the agent does not spread misleading information and provides insurance without giving misleading information, everyone will have confidence in insurance and the insurance market will also be positive.
Jamuna says that the company takes its own targets rather than giving them targets, perhaps because of its tendency to always like to do new things. ‘If you walk with a target, you have to work hard to achieve it. However, if you walk without a target, we get confused,’ she said, ‘That is why if you walk with a target, we will definitely get success sooner or later.’
When asked by Insurance News what the motivating factor is for taking up this profession, Jamuna said, ‘This profession is a completely selfless social profession. People who engage in this profession work for the safety of others. They work to alleviate the suffering of others. They raise their voices for the safety of others. Yes, we get paid for any profession, but this profession is such a profession that we spread awareness for the safety of others’ lives, so it is also a social profession. That is why I was attracted to it.’
Jamuna says that no profession is for men and women. ‘Women can do the same profession that men can do,’ she said. ‘If you do the profession you want and choose, you will be successful in any profession. If you bring your abilities to the fore, work without fear and enjoy it, then failure will run away in fear. Women are successful in the insurance agent profession because they have patience and tolerance. This profession is even better for women. The agent profession is also the best for women because it can be done by giving time to everyone in the family.’
##Life insurance is indispensable for everyone
Jamuna said, ‘Insurance is not for those with low income, medium income and high income. Life insurance is a means of protecting against possible financial losses and risks in the future, but it is a vision of a secure future. Human birth and death are certain. Not all deaths are natural. Some are premature and unnatural. Therefore, just as life and property are created, life and property are destroyed. The impact of this can be devastating, both humanly and physically. For this, according to the principle of risk, insurance should be made mandatory to reduce the effects of potential risks. Therefore, insurance is indispensable for everyone. Insurance should also be mandatory in financial management.’
Jamuna understands that people are more positive about life insurance than before. ‘People today understand insurance. If they are educated about insurance now and can afford it, it will not be difficult to get insurance,’ she says.
Compared to other companies, Citizen Life is ahead in digitalization and its insurance plans are relevant to the times. Jamuna says that Citizen Life’s digital concept has made it easier to get and do insurance. ‘People’s trust has increased after going digital,’ she said. ‘Most of the transactions in Citizen Life are done through digital means. This has made it easier for both the customer and the company.’
‘When I was deciding to enter the insurance sector as an employee, there were many companies in front of me, but I liked the management team of Citizen Life, so I chose Citizen Life. I have achieved success today because of this team,’ Jamuna added, ‘I thanked everyone, including the company’s CEO, Potshiraj Poudel, Chief Marketing Officer Bhushan Rimal Sir, Chief Business Officer Bimal Kumar Wagle Sir and Regional Manager Uttam Koirala, for the motivation and encouragement of the entire team, and the company’s high management, for achieving this height today.’
Jamuna also expressed her commitment to face new challenges of the company in the coming days and meet every target. ‘The responsibility and loyalty towards the work of the team has won my heart. “We have followed the same path because of the work done from the top,” she said. “For a company to be strong, the management team and working style must be good. Our Citizen’s policy has succeeded in making a distinct mark in the insurance sector by being unique and timely.”
