Ishwari Khatiwada is one of the resident of Katunje, Dhaibung Ward 4 in Rasuwa who has lost her home during the April earthquake. After receiving the first installment amounting to NRs 50000.00 financial grant support from Lumanti/CordAid, she has started building her home following the earthquake resistant technology. She thinks, "It is not possible to build home again and again. It's not like managing food daily. Suggestion for building safer home is for our own safety. I think the government wishes its citizen to stay sound and safe."                 

 

Ishwari was away from her community with her fellow neighbors at the time of jolt. "While we felt jolt,  we all from the community stay together. I was too worried for my children. We could come back in not more than half an hour," Ishwari recalled. While she was home, she foundeverything buried under her collapsed home – the grains that she has stored, all the utensils etc. They could save nothing out of the debris. However, they could pull out the CGI sheets from the debris and used for roofing purpose for immediate shelter to spent the night. They had cleared the maize farm and managed to build shelter for the night. Ishwari said, "After couple of days, some organization provided CGI sheets. We built temporary shelter there and living with my children."

 

Ishwari is now living in the temporary shelter constructed in her land with her three children. Her husband is in Kuwait for foreign employment who is supporting financially for their children's education and for building their new home too. 

 

Ishwari wishes to complete her home as soon as possible.

She has already taken loan amounting to NRs  250,000.00 and thinks that she will pay it back from the fund that she receives from her husband. She  said, "I am planning for 3 rooms excluding a passage to store my household goods. I need NRs 300,000.00 more to complete my home." She is seeking the second installment sooner possible so that she could pay her debt as soon as possible. 


Prepared By: Ananta Raj Bajracharya