Widowhood in Nepal

Single Mother (Name changed for Privacy)- Family: Empowered, independent & self-sufficient.

Single Mother (Name changed for Privacy) Baral, 41 years old: Mother
Chhori(Name changed for Privacy), 19 years old: Daughter
Chhori II (Name changed for Privacy), 17 years old: Daughter
Chhora (Name changed for Privacy), 13 years old: Son

This family will be independent as from March 2024.

Narrative:
Single Mother (Name changed for Privacy), the third child in her family, had a challenging childhood in a poor yet close-knit home. At the tender age of 15, her parents orchestrated her marriage to a man, 22-year-old working in a meat processing factory. Together, they built a life, raising two daughters and a son while managing the difficult ups and downs of the rural working-class people.

Their humble existence was shattered in the year 2016, when tragedy struck, claiming the husband’s life in a tragic tractor accident. Single Mother (Name changed for Privacy), then 33, found herself thrust into the role of a widow, burdened with the responsibility of nurturing her children. The eldest daughter was 11, the younger one was 9, and the son, a mere 5 years old.

In the face of this adversity, BEF stepped in, admitting Single Mother (Name changed for Privacy) and her children as one of their Educare-Families. Over the span of six years under BEF's empathetic guidance, Single Mother (Name changed for Privacy) family underwent a profound metamorphosis. Basic needs were not just met; hope, health, and spirit were restored, fostering a renewed determination to face life's challenges with resilience and courage.

Supported and encouraged by BEF, Single Mother (Name changed for Privacy) found a job as a cook in a local school, anchoring the family's financial stability. Both the daughters have blossomed into young confident girls. They have finished their high schools and are working and contributing to the family's prosperity.  One of them works as a primary teacher while the other works in a departmental store. The youngest boy, at 13, continues his education with the help of a scholarship, studying Sanskrit, aiming to be a priest —a choice laden with promising opportunities.

Single Mother (Name changed for Privacy)'s tenacity became the catalyst for a remarkable turn of events inspired and empowered by BEF. The family, once acquainted with hunger, rags, and desperation, now stands tall in a life characterized by confidence and self-respect.

The process of independence started in December 2023 and Single Mother (Name changed for Privacy) and her family are now ready for a life of independency and self-sufficiency.  The whole family is upbeat and grateful and they thanked us profoundly for the six years of ‘family support’, love, care and empowerment. Once marginalized, excluded and desperate, they have now become confident, responsible and ambitious members of their community.

This success story stands as a poignant testament to the transformative power of the sustained support, compassion and empowerment by BEF.

Let us all rejoice in the amazing impact our common efforts are having in the lives of the most vulnerable in Nepal. Sustainability and self-sufficiency is our ultimate goal.

It’s simple, it’s simply B-E-F!

Sincerely yours,

Surendra, Raymond & TEAM

Bahini Educare Foundation