Jagamal Sardar, 34, lives in Morang district’s Rangeli Municipality 2, Kathkholuwa village with her husband, daughter, and son. She is a member of the Dalit community, which does not own land and lives on public land. Because the Jagamal couple lacks citizenship, it was difficult for them to enroll their children in school. Despite much difficulty, they were able to enroll their children in the local school, so Jagamal’s daughter is in grade 9 and his son is in grade 5.
The Jagamal family makes a living by farming on 1896 square meters of partial land and working as daily wage labor on other people’s land. Her husband works in the community on occasion, installing hand pumps. Their earnings, however, are insufficient to cover daily household expenses and their children’s education.
Taking this into account, the Lutheran Community Welfare Society (LCWS) donated 8 pieces of CGI sheet worth NPR 10,000 to the Jagamal family in order for them to have a leak-proof house during the monsoon with the financial support from LWF under LICED project. “GCI sheet supported us to cover half of the roof, and another part is covered by plastic and straw on the roof,” Jagamal explained. The organization also provided her with a cow in order to promote her livelihood through the LCWS-formed Shanti women’s group. She began goat farming with two goats using the money she earned from cow milk. Jagamal is pleased that she is earning money from cow and goat farming, which has enabled her to meet the needs of her children, including their education costs.
“We want to educate both our children because we do not want them to work as daily wage laborers in the future,” Jagamal explained. Jagamal recalls her last year, when her family was displaced due to flooding and went without food for days. She is grateful to LCWS for providing them with relief supplies such as rice, lentils, oil, and cooking utensils, among other things during the crisis. She is relieved that she now has a roof that does not leak when it rains and that she can send her children to school with the money she earns.