When death tragically impacted Sarita’s family, she was left in an incredibly vulnerable situation. Uneducated, and grieving, her and her late husband’s son was vulnerable to voluntary relinquishment to an institution. Thankfully, with some timely support from Building Stronger Families, Sarita has received fresh hope, and a chance to practically and emotionally invest in her and her son’s futures.
Up in Jharuwarasi, Nepal, lives a widow named Sarita, along with her only son. Tragedy struck Sarita’s family when, during the COVID lockdown, her husband died from the illness. The death of her husband left Sarita in an incredibly vulnerable situation, as she had been a housewife prior to her husband’s death, and she was uneducated. His death was not only heartbreaking – it also meant she was left to raise their son alone. Life became miserable for Sarita as she struggled to make ends meet. With costs for her son’s education also a constant reality, Sarita needed tangible support, and fast.
The boy’s future was uncertain, as was Sarita’s, and with the struggle to make ends meet, they were extremely vulnerable to separation through voluntary relinquishment to a children’s home, or continued impoverishment. She was illiterate, and now a widow, and this meant certain poverty at best.
In this struggle for provision Sarita became aware of the Building Stronger Families program and joined as one of the families of BSF Jharuwarasi. Her world began to change as she started to receive support from the BSF team – finally, she had found a thread of hope she could follow! She was thrilled to become part of the BSF family and soon received business training and tangible support through the Income Generation Assistance. Soon, she started her tunnel farming by planting tomatoes, and later planted green beans, and cilantro. She sold the vegetables with a good amount of profit. Concurrently, she had been rearing the goats she has received from the BSF program. Funneling her energy, time, and hard efforts into her new business, she worked hard to expand her business to provide the essentials for her and her son.
Sarita’s business has continued to grow, and she can now comfortably provide for her family and is seeing improvements to their quality of life. She is proud of what she has accomplished and knows that her husband would have been proud of her, too. Sarita’s son’s education has also been supported by BSF, which will greatly assist his future opportunities. Most importantly, however, this resilient duo has been able to stay together, and their relationship has deepened through the newfound hope offered by BSF. The sense of family Sarita and her son have found in the BSF community has also enriched their lives in an enduring way.
“I feel incredibly fortunate to be a member of the BSF family; I have received a ton of support, and my business is going well, helping me to manage my family and provide for my son’s education. Thank you BSF for all the help!” – Sarita
BSF is a partner for project J1079 & J1102 with Australian NGO, Global Development Group (ABN 57 102 400 993). Donations to BSF through Global Development Group are tax deductible in Australia, NZ, and the USA.
Building Strong Families Foundation or มูลนิธิสร้างครอบครัวเข้มแข็ง is a registered foundation in Thailand (ชม770), approved by the Ministry of Interior.