Early in the Monday morning, PDF team including some local potters and locals hiked up about five hours with house construction materials for ten semi-permanent houses. After five hours hike the team reached to the house of Sete Gurung. Sete Gurung is one of the residents of Kharka village. Couple of year before his wife Putali left him and their 2 children with Sete and got second marriage with another man. Since then Sete is taking care of his two children. 

 

During our conversation Sete said, "I did not have opportunity to have education. I don't have especial skill. So, I do pottering and other works that are available in the village. Three of us are surviving with the wages that I get from my daily pottering work. 

 

Sate further said, "Few years back I constructed a tiny house in public land provided by the villagers that was also destroyed during 12 April 2015 earthquake. We are staying in a hut that was constructed after the earthquake."  

 

He continued, "I don't have money. I was really worried about constructing another house. God new our challenges and send you people for the help. I don't even need to pay single rupees. I am so happy to have this house. We can live here happily. 

 

There is another woman named Devi Gurung who is a neighbor of Sate Gurung. On 12 April, 2015 Devi and her husband Buddhi Bahadur were at their tiny home. They both were eating morning meal when the earthquake took place. As they both noticed their house is shaking they left their food and run out. Their small house was collapsed before they both were out. Devi had small injury but Buddhi Bahadur was seriously injured. Devi and Buddhi didn't have money. So, the locals collected some money and send both of them to hospital. 

 

Devi was recovered after few days' treatment but Buddhi needed to be admitted in the hospital since he was seriously injured. She took care of him for more than five month in the hospital. But thirteen days before PDF team reached to Nuwakot, Buddhi left this world leaving his beloved wife Devi alone. We did not have chance to meet Devi but we all worked together and constructed a semi-permanent house for her. As per the locals she did the death ritual where her husband was died and will be back to the village after few days. She will not have her husband with her who will love and take care of her. She will not have food to eat. At least she will have house where she can hide herself.

 

Suntali Tamang lives with her family in Nuwakot District of Nepal. Her husband Maila Tamang is a carpenter. They have two children. This family survives with the wage that Maila gets each day from his carpentry work. They do not have a single piece of land. One of the kind hearted local provided them a small piece of land where they built a hut and hide themselves. Despite of all these challenges, this family was surviving somehow. But the 7.8 rector scale Gorkha earthquake of April 12, 2015, took away their tiny hut. After that, they are spending their life under a small tarp.

 

Suntali said, "Maila is the only one who is working. We are depending on his daily earning for food, cloth and other necessity. The family will not have food to eat if Maila becomes sick or cannot go to work." Suntali continued, "We spent so many days of our life without food. I don't know how many more days we will spend again. I don't have any idea how we will send our children to school. I wish that our children's life will be better." 

 

This family even the children were so excited to have semi-permanent house. Suntali said, "You cannot 

even imagine how four of us spent last rainy season under a single tarp. Not knowing us and our circumstances you all came all the way up and helped us. Thank you, all so much for your contribution. I wish I would have something to give you all in return. It's a nice house where we can live happily." 

 

Suntali's life story reminded me the difficulties that our family faced while I was so young. Being so emotional, I was recalling my childhood challenges and listening to her life story. I would like to take an opportunity to thank you all for your precious and valuable contribution. It would not have been possible without your precious contribution.  I pray from the bottom of my heart that the Lord will be mindful to Suntali and her family. May Lord bless them with joy and happiness that they deserved!!! 

 

Respectfully,

 

Chandra Adhikari

Founder member and Director

People's Development Foundation, Nepal