Nanimaya, a life to rebuild
The flood destroyed everything
The land surrounding Nanimaya’s home was once full of life.
The rice and bananas that fed her family came from those fields. Working the land enabled them to get by and also provided support for other family members. Today, the land is unrecognisable: a stretch of sand, mud and debris left behind by the water.
It was morning when she heard the sound of the Trishuli River growing louder and louder. She was praying, as she did every day, when she realised that something terrible was happening.
“I have never seen anything like this in my entire life,” she says.
The water flooded the farmland and destroyed the rice crop. The banana plants, which were almost ready to be harvested, were also lost. Her son’s sewing machine was buried beneath the sand too—the only tool that enabled him to work as a tailor.
It was not only what she had cultivated that was destroyed. She also lost her ability to earn a living, feed herself and take care of her family.
As she fled, Nanimaya also left her mobile phone behind. In an already desperate situation, she could not even call her relatives, ask for information or find out whom to contact for help.
“I don’t know where to go, whom to call or what to do. I can’t sleep. I don’t even feel hungry. I have nothing left.”
Nanimaya takes care of her daughter’s home and of her older sister. Before the flood, the land represented a real sense of security: it enabled the family to produce food and cope with everyday life. Now that security has disappeared.
Faced with her destroyed fields, Nanimaya still does not know how she will start again. Her question is simple, but it contains all the uncertainty of the future:
“Will we receive compensation for this farmland?”
ActionAid stands with the affected communities
Together with our local partners, ActionAid has reached the affected communities in the districts of Rasuwa, Dhading and Nuwakot, despite damaged roads, landslides and collapsed bridges. We have distributed hygiene kits, food and cooking utensils, clothing and essential goods, blankets, sleeping bags and mosquito nets.
We continue to provide assistance to people who have lost their homes, crops and sources of income. Stand with them too as they take the long journey towards rebuilding their lives.