Looking for Life in the Debris

My name is Nirmala living in the Nuwakot district. I had three children - two daughters and one son.  My husband is a labourer. He was a bricklayer helping to build houses in Nuwakot.  His work was the only source of income for our family. My family and I are Hindus.

We had a two story house made of stone and mud. It was an old house.  I am a housewife and I am looking after our children. 

On 25 April 2015, I was in our house with my four year old son. Our house started shaking. In a few seconds the ceiling and wall started to fall down. I was stuck in the house with my child and was soon practically buried, both of us. I cried for help but there was no noise, no answer. We were somewhere under the debris. I tried to cover my child but soon I was unconscious. When people pulled us out I alone was alive. My child was dead. My two daughters outside were safe.

My pain was unbearable. The pain became even more unbearable when I realized that my husband was also under the debris. Fortunately he survived too but his leg was broken. But we were hopeless. There was deep darkness all around us. We could not think of the future. We had the pain of losing our beloved son and at the same time there was no food and no income for our family. 

The first ever relief support we received was from Transformation Nepal (TFN). They provided us with food and tarpaulins and that gave us great support for survival. Beside this, they paid out the loan that we had taken out after the disaster simply to be able to buy food.  But then TFN came and lifted us up. They also promised tin sheets for a temporary shelter. 

We are still in great agony about losing our beloved child but with the support from the staff of TFN and the volunteers from Bethel Church I will be able to recover from all that pain.

We are very poor and have no income at all because my husband’s leg is broken.  I also have broken my back. We need more food and some support for education for our children.