Rita

When the devastating earthquake struck Nepal in 2015, Rita’s mud and brick home collapsed in less than a minute. Only ten years old at the time, Rita had to abandon her ancestral home and move with her parents and two siblings into a makeshift shelter with walls made of plastic sheets and a corrugated metal roof. Rita and her family did not expect that this would be their home for the next 4 years – their flimsy one-room shack having to withstand the rain, thunder, and lightening during the severe monsoon seasons. The prospect of moving into a safe and permanent home became a distant dream when Rita’s mother Kanchi fell ill, and all their earnings went towards medical bills. In September 2018, Rita’s dream of living in a proper home was made possible with help from Habitat for Humanity Nepal, and Global Village volunteers from New Zealand, the USA, and Germany. Rita’s father Kale worked side by side with Habitat and volunteers to cement the brick walls of his new home. The family moved into their finished home just nine months later. For Rita, the most positive change is feeling safe inside her own home. With a strong and stable house, Rita’s mother Kimchi was able to recover from her illness. Rita studying in her new home. Image: HFH Nepal Rita’s story demonstrates the incredible impact that our Global Village programme has on a family in need of safe, reliable housing. Story credit: HFH Nepal  

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