Odisha daily wage labourer-turned food blogger's YouTube channel helps him earn in lakhs

A tribal labourer from Odisha’s Sambalpur has grabbed all the attention on YouTube by becoming a food blogger during the lockdown imposed on the outbreak of COVID-19. Isak Munda, who hails from a small village in Babupali Sambalpur’s Jujumura district, has become an inspiration for fellow villagers as he is the first one in the block to earn money by making videos.

Once a daily wage labourer, Munda was looking for a new job during the COVID induced lockdown, when he got hooked to YouTube videos following which he decided to make videos of himself. Inspired by the food bloggers, he decided to upload videos of him eating food.

In his initial days, he used to watch YouTube videos on a friend’s phone as he didn’t own a smartphone himself. As he decided to carve a new path for himself, he took a loan of Rs. 3000, to buy himself a phone with YouTube and internet access. His first video, which was posted in August 2020, showed him eating a plate full of rice with a Lil curry, fried chillies with a tomato and some ‘saag-bhaja’ The video was titled, "Rice and Indian Sambhar fast eating".

“I had taken a loan of Rs 3,000 to buy my first little smartphone to make videos. My first video has been viewed by more than 4.99 lakh people. I make videos about life in my poor household and village, showing what and how we eat. I am happy my videos are received so well by many. I am making a decent income now,” said Odisha labourer, as per reports.

His videos garnered huge traction within hours of posting them. The simplicity of his videos melted viewers' hearts and that's how he kept receiving enormous support from users. He also received appreciative comments on his videos, and since then, his following has only soared up. 

It didn't take him long to earn lakhs with his videos and within months he had earned more than Rs.5 lakh. That's when he decided to stop working as a daily wager. “In June 2020, three months after he uploaded his first video on YouTube, Odisha labourer had received Rs 37,000 in his bank account,” the report said quoting him. “Then, three months later, I got Rs 5 lakh,” he added.

Munda has kept updating his channel ever since and he regularly posts videos there. He has uploaded nearly 256 videos and his YouTube channel has been subscribed by 7.29 lakh people. He often posts, videos about his family and village life.