Rebuilding my school

Ramechap, Nepal 5 June 2015- I met Anil in Ramechap while observing the destruction caused by the quake. I spotted a white tent with UNHCR printed on it and decided to go there. Anil was eating food while watching television with his friend. When asked what he was eating, he said “macha bhat” (fish curry and rice) gazing the television screen, he swallowed the food and drank white fluid from the bowl in one go, I inquired what that was, “chyang,” (local drink) he said without moving his eyes from the screen. There was sweat droplets on his nose tip and a moustache pattern made of sweat. Books were scattered around him. I picked a book and started fanning myself, immediately he stood from his place and turned on the fan that threw hot air. I asked if that was his book he nodded and said “yes, my drawing book.”

He was living in tent for past one month after the earthquake broke his house, and made it unsuitable for living. Four families shared the tent that numbered thirteen people- seven children, four women and two men. There were five people from his family alone, his mother, brother, and grandparents. His father was away working in Dubai since past one year. His grandfather was fisherman but does not catch fish these days as the rivers have dried.

I met his mother Sita Majhi who had just returned from the UNICEF camp which was not far from the place they were living.  She informed that the UNICEF camp was working for the welfare and safety of women and children.  They distributed medicines and sanitary equipment to women and children. They also gave safety training to pregnant and lactating women to practice during the time of emergency. Many women and children visited the camp and got benefited by the program.

 “We were about to eat our lunch but we had to run leaving our food and house” he said remembering the earthquake. The house he was leaving in had minor crack on exterior wall, but when he took me inside it was all damaged, with bricks all over the ground. He showed me a room saying “this is my room I used to sleep here with my mother and brother.” Then he took me to the other room and said “my grandparents used to share this room with our two goats.”

“The earthquake broke my school too, they are making a new one, I don’t know when it will get ready and I‘ll start going school again” said Anil Majhi who studies in class one. “I visited the school several times after the quake, to see if it’s ready or not.” Can I see your school?” I asked, he agreed and ran to his mother and came all dressed up in a clean jeans pant, green shirt and black shoes. His bother joined in too. We saw the school building from outside.