Coronavirus in Nepal

All across the world, coronavirus is impacting people’s health and livelihoods. Thanks to your donations to Christian Aid’s Coronavirus Emergency Appeal, we’ve been able to support people like Sani who have no furlough scheme or benefits safety net.

Sani Tamang is a 45 year single parent in Nepal. She lost her eyesight due to illness when she was just eight years old. Not only did Sani lose her sight, she also lost her independence and the opportunity to go to school.

Sani’s husband left her a few years ago and now her life revolves around her four-year-old son. He lights up her life. Together, they live with Sani’s elderly in-laws, Padam Lama and Batuli. They have a small farm which they look after. Sani is able to help them a little by cutting grass and peeling vegetables for cooking.

This extended family survives on the produce from the farm, her father-in-law’s informal job as a labourer and a small pension. But when the Nepalese government locked down the country due to coronavirus, Padam’s work dried up. Sani was unable to get her social security allowance due to lockdown and she had no cash to buy food. The family became very vulnerable. Christian Aid is concerned about the impact of coronavirus on the most vulnerable communities in Nepal. Economic recovery will be a major challenge, especially for labourers and temporary workers. Food shortages will affect over 4.5 million people. Medical centres have limited facilities and medical supplies.

Alongside local government and together with local partners, we are providing emergency food assistance to families like Sani’s. We know that elderly people, people with disabilities, pregnant women and young mothers, and those who aren’t able to earn an income are facing uncertain times.

And so, we got in touch with Sani to offer her some support.

We provided her with enough food to last them for a month. For Sani it meant that she could feed her son a proper meal.