Harina Badi Badi Tole, Jay Prithvi NP 10, Chainpur, Bajhang

“My first birth was a son. My husband was very happy. A son meant we would get salvation after death. We invited the Chief District Officer to join the Chait celebration. My husband was happy that our first was a son. I was too. When the Officer arrived, he blessed the child. We had meat soup and rice, while we gave the officer a big plate of fried meat and beaten rice. I had three sons in total and then two daughters. After our second son, things got more difficult for us. There were more mouths to feed and work was scarce. I had to stay with the kids and the money earned by my husband was hardly enough. My husband was stressed all the time. He had also started drinking in the morning. Food started getting scarce and my husband became sick. He could no longer work. I wandered around asking for grains and trying to feed my children but one after another, they became sick too. My breast had no milk. I had no food with vitamins, no one to lovingly offer me things to eat. All my sons died, one after the other. And 2 years ago my husband passed away too. The jaundice went yellow. And since then, what do I have left to do other than to sit and cry.”

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