Kali Sunar of Malma Aarantole in Galkot municipality-7 is nearing her 80s. For several years, it had been her dream to live in a house that would protect her family from rain. However, at one point, she lost hope of ever having the opportunity to shift to a new home with her six grandchildren and her daughter-in-law, who has a physical disability.

Until a few days ago, the entire family resided in a single-room house that leaked, forcing them to tolerate wretched conditions. With no breadwinner in the family and Sunar’s two sons having been out of contact for years and one in jail, they relied on charity for survival.

Witnessing their plight, Gyan Bahadur Thapa couldn’t bear to see them suffer further, especially with the monsoon looming. He took the initiative to build a better structure for the family, rallying support through social media platforms.

Thapa recounted an early morning when he passed by the Sunar’s house and saw the entire family of eight trying to adjust in a corner of the room to sleep. Initially, Rs 25,000 was collected during a guardians’ meeting at the local Pragati Basic School, which was used to lay the foundation of the new house.

As word spread, more people who also include local youths joined the cause, and now a four-room house has been completed for the Sunar family. The Disaster Management Section at Galkot municipality has also pledged further support to the family.

Upon getting the new structure, the 78-year-old grandma says, “I am fortunate to find a safe shelter for the family.” As she said, her two sons have been out of contact since she left for India for jobs 12 years ago while the youngest one is serving a jail sentence.

The grandchildren rely on their grandmother’s old-age allowance for their education. The community has launched a campaign to ensure ongoing support for the Sunar family, including basic needs such as shelter, food, and education for the children, according to Thapa.