Nepal: We found Anita

One of the main reasons for my visit to Nepal was to understand how Operation Orphan could develop an effective response for children orphaned in a crisis.

I asked our team to put the word out to look for children who had lost their parents. On Sunday I met Anita.

Anita’s mother and sister were killed along with three others in the earthquake. They were all buried underneath their rented house in Kathmandu when the quake hit.

Anita was trapped for two and a half hours under this rubble (pictured) before being rescued. Her father works overseas in Qatar and returned as quickly as he could, sadly without a penny. They are in a desperate situation. When we met Anita her father was away in their village trying to collect the grant the government has promised for the victims. She was staying with friends and working the field when we arrived. It was tough on everyone listening to her story.

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Ram’s wife Kesari and a team of seven mothers have committed to caring for Anita and any other children we may find in a similar situation. I have given Kesari an initial 22000 rupees to use at her discretion to make sure Anita is kept safe and healthy. It was clear that Anita has been traumatised and so Kesari will spend time with her, helping her process, grieve and find the strength to get up. The plan is to see what Anita’s father decides to do. He may need to go out the country again or stay and try and find work in the city. Whatever he decides we will support Anita in some way.

The care structure is now in place to make sure she has a hope for a brighter future.