Bipi and Jit's story
Bipi, 80, is three years older than her husband Jit Bahadur. This is not too common in a Nepali family. For more than five decades, they have been happily married to each other. They have witnessed the colours of life together, fought against the odds and smiled together.
Today, Bipi and Jit Bahadur are here to get the winter kits distributed by World Vision in Phulpingkot Village Development Committee in Sindhupalchowk district. One of 1,300 households entitled to get the kits, they patiently wait in a queue.
Soon after the earthquake, the first few months were very hard for this elderly couple who lost everything in the disaster.
"We lost our house. We lost our belongings. But we survived. And this was a blessing," says Jit Bahadur.
They once had a big family. With six daughters and two sons, their house was once full of laughter and joy. Slowly, the daughters were all married off and their sons moved to cities in search of better opportunities leaving the old couple behind.
It's only Bipi and Jit Bahadur who live in the house now.
With the help of their younger son and other villagers, Jit Bahadur made a temporary shelter, which however, was hard. "Living in a makeshift shelter was difficult for old people like us. The winter was freezing and the monsoon was distressing."
Enduring this hardship in the hope of a good day was the only choice they had.
But their prayers were answered and in time, they were able to build their new house. Jit Bahadur says the cash assistance from World Vision was a big help.
His family is one of the beneficiaries of World Vision's Vulnerable Families Assistance (VFA) programme under which the selected vulnerable households were provided 7,500 rupees for six cycles. VFA increases the most vulnerable communities’ access to basic necessities, services as well as knowledge on issues that affect their well-being through skills training and cash transfer modality.
Expressing gratitude for the support, he says, "It will be a sin if we say that the money was not helpful. We used it to build our house and it eased our burden to a large extent. We are thankful to everybody who helped us."
Bipi and Jit Bahadur are keen to shift to their new house after the construction is complete. For now, as they continue to live in a small hut, warm clothes and blankets from the winter kits will help to keep them warm.
"It will help us to fight the cold in this chilling winter. We will also save them for next year. If we are alive, we can use them next winter. Life is unpredictable and we don't know what will happen to us in the next moment," Jit Bahadur tells me as he and his wife wrap the winter kits to take to their house.
"The people seem satisfied with the distributed kits. We are receiving positive feedback about the mattresses and blankets. The children really like the warm caps and jackets," said Khudam Bir Tamang, the Distribution Manager of World Vision International Nepal.
World Vision in coordination with local partner NGO Janahit Gramin Sewa Samittee recently distributed winter kits to 2,161 vulnerable households in Gumba and Phulpingkot Village Development Committee, Sindhupalchowk. The winter kits consisted of blankets, mattresses, jackets for children and adults, caps, socks, and shawls sufficient for a family.