A Nepali family thrives
This story is part of a series marking Habitat for Humanity’s 40 years of building homes and building solutions in Asia and the Pacific.
DHANGADHI, Nepal (August 2023) — Over two decades of living in their Habitat home, Jodu and his wife Sita welcomed their third child and the family survived a devastating earthquake.
Jodu could recall the year — 1999 — when he came to Dhangadhi, a sub-metropolitan city in Nepal’s far west province of Sudurpaschim, in search of work. He sent for Sita and their two young sons after he found a job as an employee at a hotel. While his family lived together in a rental house, he knew it was not a long-term solution.
A few years later, Jodu met a staff member of Habitat for Humanity Nepal in Dhangadhi and learned that the housing nonprofit organization partners with low-income families to build homes. With a loan of 125,000 Nepali rupees (US$945) from Habitat Nepal’s microfinance partner, Jodu and his family began to construct their home. They were among seven families in Dhangadhi who partnered with Habitat Nepal that provided technical support for home construction. Jodu and Sita contributed “sweat equity,” or their own labor, by working on their home. People from their community — future homeowners like them — also chipped in to help.
Jodu (far right) is proud of how far his family has come. His wife Sita is pictured with their sons Sushan (far left) and Sandesh. Photos: Habitat for Humanity Nepal/Abisek Bista.
While Jodu has not expanded his home, he is confident about its resilience. His house remained intact despite being hit by the devastating 2015 earthquake in Nepal. With a secure, stable home, Jodu has advanced in his career. He is now a manager at the three-star Rubus hotel in Dhangadi and his income supports his family of five.
“It’s hard to express how grateful I am to have partnered with Habitat for Humanity Nepal,” Jodu says. “They helped me build a home for my family, and it has made all the difference. Our family is thriving and I am so proud of what we have accomplished.”
Habitat for Humanity has been working in Nepal since 1997. In fiscal year 2022, more than 230,000 Nepali individuals have partnered with Habitat Nepal to build or improve a place they call home. Visit habitatnepal.org or connect on facebook.com/habitatnepal/.