A Resilient Grandmother’s Desire

Ram Laxmi, a resilient and devoted grandmother from Udaypur, spends her days caring for her beloved 6-year-old granddaughter, Khushbu. Their cramped living situation in a mud-and-hay house has presented numerous challenges for Ram Laxmi as the sole provider. The approaching monsoon clouds evoke both anticipation and concern for her. While the rain promises relief for the community’s parched fields, it also poses challenges as water seeps into their home, creating small floods and soaking their blankets and beds. “I can manage, but I can’t bear to see my granddaughter suffer,” says Ram Laxmi.

Despite the raindrops beating against the walls of their shelter, Ram Laxmi’s determination only grows stronger, knowing that the Hilti Foundation’s initiative to construct 80 homes in Udaypur, Nepal, also includes her as one of the recipients of a Habitat Home.

During Habitat Young Leader’s Build Campaign (HYLB) 2023, Ram Laxmi and her community embarked on a journey to lay the foundation for their new Habitat Home alongside several others. Through sweat and determination, they faced the hurdles of the rainy season, enduring each raindrop as a testament to their resilience. Now, their home is about to be complete.

Throughout it all, Ram Laxmi remained steadfast in her determination to provide Khushbu a better life. With heartfelt gratitude, she embraced Habitat Nepal as an extended family for offering a safe shelter she could call her own. Ram Laxmi’s hope knows no bounds as she envisions their new home becoming a sanctuary where Khushbu can feel safe and secure, regardless of life’s challenges.

Ram Kumari reflects, “My granddaughter and I have weathered the storm together, emerging stronger and more resilient than ever before. With the shelter of love and determination being built with Habitat Nepal’s support, I hope that even the heaviest raindrops do not dampen my granddaughter’s hope for a brighter tomorrow. I want to see her achieve her dreams in the home where we will stay.”