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A man riding a bicycle with a bag on his back.

अगोस्टिनोको कथा Agostino's story

Written by LIDA Italia

Illustrated by Billie Cejka Risnes

Translated by Anup Aryal

Read by Sakshi Karmacharya

Language Nepali

Level Level 5

Narrate full story

Reading speed

Autoplay story


A man riding a bicycle with a bag on his back.

मेरो नाम अगोस्टिनो हो र म ५१ वर्षको भएँ। मेरो काम साइकल चलाएर विभिन्न ठाउँमा खाना पुर्‍याउनु हो। मेरा दुई छोरीहरू छन्, तर हामी कहिल्यै बोल्दैनौं। तिनीहरूको आमा र म अहिले सँगै बस्दैनौँ किनभने हाम्रो सम्बन्ध विच्छेद भइसकेको छ।

My name is Agostino and I am 51 years old. My job is delivering food by bicycle. I have two daughters, but we hardly ever speak. Their mother and I no longer live together because we are divorced.


A man looking outside through a window and a woman sitting behind him.

म मेरी आमासँग बस्छु, किनकि म सम्बन्ध विच्छेद पछि एक्लै घर भाडा तिर्न सक्दिन। यो शहरमा भाडा धेरै महँगो छ।

I live with my mother, as I cannot afford to pay rent after the divorce. Rent is very expensive in this city.


Two men standing in a workshop.

केही महिनाअघि म एउटा कम्पनीमा चौकीदारको रूपमा काम गरिरहेको थिएँ। मैले भाँचिएका सामानहरू मर्मत गरेँ, बाकसहरू बोकेँ, र कसैलाई आवश्यक पर्दा मद्दत गरेँ। एक दिन कम्पनीले मलाई निकाल्यो। मैले कारण भने बुझिन।

A few months ago I was working as a janitor for a company. I repaired things that were broken, carried boxes, and helped when anyone needed it. One day the company fired me. I did not understand why.


A man knocking on a door.

मैले धेरै मानिसहरूलाई साइकलबाट खाना पुर्याउदै गरेको देखें। म साइकल चलाउन सक्छु, त्यसैले मैले ठुलो डेलिभरी कम्पनीको ढोका ढकढक्याएँ। तिनीहरूले मलाई प्रत्येक डेलिभरीको लागि तीन युरो प्रस्ताव गरे। म प्रति दिन ४० युरो कमाउँछु, ६० युरो यदि म धेरै भाग्यशाली भएँ र ग्राहकहरूले मलाई टिप दिए भने।

I saw many people delivering food by bicycle. I can ride a bicycle, so I knocked on the door of a big delivery company. They offered me three euros for each delivery. I make 40€ per day, 60€ if I am very lucky and the customers tip me.


Three people riding bicycles thinking about holidays and medicine.

मैले न कुनै तलबी बिदा, न कुनै बिरामी खर्च, शायद नै कुनै अधिकार पाएँ। मलाई यो ठीक त लाग्दैन तर मलाई जागिर चाहिएको छ। अन्य अधिकांश कर्मचारीहरू विश्वभरका आप्रवासीहरू हुन्।

I get no paid holiday, no sick pay, hardly any rights at all. I do not think that is right, but I need the job. Most of the other employees are immigrants from all over the world.


A news reporter standing in front of a bicycle accident and ambulance.

यो ढुवानीको काम गर्ने धेरै मान्छेहरू दिनहुँ दुर्घटनामा पर्छन् र घाइते हुन्छन्। त्यसपछि, जब एक २५ वर्षीय ढुवानीकर्ताकाे एक कारले ठक्कर दिएर मृत्यु भयो, तब मात्र अधिकारीहरूको हामीप्रति ध्यानाकर्षण भयो। उसको मृत्यु पछि मात्र हामीप्रति ध्यान दिनु लज्जास्पद कुरा हो।

Many delivery people are injured in accidents every day. Then, when a 25-year-old deliveryman was hit by a car and died, the authorities started noticing us. It is a shame he had to die before that happened.


People sitting in a meeting.

अन्य कम्पनीहरूका कर्मचारीहरूसँग मिलेर मैले स्थानीय युनियनबाट कामदारहरूको अधिकारको ज्ञान लिएँ। उनीहरूले हामीलाई निःशुल्क कानुनी सल्लाह दिए। हामीले थप मान्यता र अधिकार प्राप्त गर्न सङ्घर्ष गर्यौं।

Together with delivery people from other companies, I took a course on workers’ rights with a local union. They offered us legal advice free of charge. We struggled to get more recognition and rights.


Three men standing with their arms in the air and smiling in front of a picture of the world.

लामो समयपछि हाम्रो सबै मिहिनेतले सार्थकता पाएको छ। एउटा ठुलो डेलिभरी कम्पनीले भारी जरिवाना तिर्नुपरेको थियो र कामदारहरूलाई स्थायी जागिर दिनुपरेको थियो। यो संसारमा कतै भएको पहिलो पटक थियो। स्थितिमा सुधार हुन थालेको जस्तो लाग्यो।

After a long time all our hard work paid off. One big delivery company had to pay a huge fine and to give workers permanent jobs. It was the first time that had happened anywhere in the whole world. It looks like things are starting to improve.


Written by: LIDA Italia
Illustrated by: Billie Cejka Risnes
Translated by: Anup Aryal
Read by: Sakshi Karmacharya
Language: Nepali
Level: Level 5
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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