Nepal’s devastating earthquakes in 2015 destroyed Buddha Maya’s house. Mercifully, she and all three of her children survived. Unlike many others who lost their homes, they were also able to salvage many belongings from the debris.
She knew she would have to start over, but she remained quite positive. This would not be the first time she had started over.
When Buddha Maya was just 21, her husband passed away. She was left on her own to raise their three sons, Santosh, Gopilal, and Sukulal. She took jobs as a farm labourer, a construction worker, and a porter to eke out a living. Life was difficult but she was always determined to send her sons to school even if it required extra work.
“I work hard so that my sons will get a good education,” she said. “I could not get an education because my parents didn’t realise its importance, and they were too poor to pay the school fees.”
After the earthquakes, she received a tarpaulin and blankets from Medair. She used the tarp and some aluminum sheeting from her old house to make a temporary shelter for her family.
“I am very thankful to Medair for helping us in our need and for sharing our pain,” she said.
Buddha Maya’s eldest son shares her workload when he is not studying. She has a plot of land and a pair of oxen for farming. Her two other sons are now studying in Kathmandu with the help of a sponsor.
In September, Medair hired Buddha Maya and more than 2,000 Nepalese men and women to participate in demolition and debris-clearing work. This work provided families with much-needed income to help their recovery.
“Thankfully, Medair launched cash-for-work activities when I was in need of additional income,” said Buddha May. “I will invest this payment in the reconstruction of my house and to purchase basic household supplies.”
With a little savings, she intends to construct a one-storey house with wooden walls and a tin roof for her family. Despite all that has happened, she remains hopeful for the future, and determined to continue the education of her sons, and give them the opportunities she never had.
Your gifts help hard-working people like Buddha Maya recover from disaster and begin to rebuild their lives. Make a gift today.
Medair’s projects in Nepal are made possible by the European Union and private supporters around the world.