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Radhika Damai
Bagchaur 6, Salyan
Everyone tells me I need to construct a toilet because the government has declared our community free of open defecation. They must say, “oh, what kinds of women is she?”
But how am I supposed to construct a toilet? It is not that I do not want to, but I do not have the money for that. If my situation changes it is my first priority.
When there is no one to defend you and speak on your behalf life becomes difficult. I am the sole caretaker of my children. I am married but my husband has left with another women and left me to look after the children by myself. I have nothing against him even though at times I cry thinking of what life could have been. He sends some money home- sometimes once a month and sometimes after two. Sometimes 5000 rupees and sometimes 10000 rupees.
There are many expenses to raising three children. Their books and bags, food and snacks and their hospital expenses get too much to bear sometimes. I neither have my own land nor any other occupation that can pay me.
For now, all of us are using our neighbor’s toilet. And I have to be careful because the kids are also using it. Sometimes the kids use it hastily and do not clean it and when that happens I have to listen to the scolding of the neighbors. I have to live with the fear of ‘what if’. What if one day they decide not to let us use their toilet? Where will we go?
That is not the end of our problem. We are expected to clean the toilet after we use it. And do we have enough water? No, we don’t. We all have to climb uphill and fetch water. How much can the little kids carry? How much can I carry? They had promised a tap, but it has been a while. I hope they bring water and do not disappoint us.
We all volunteered to build the water tank. 20 days straight and I hope our sweat does not go to waste. All they have given is pipes which is hollow. I do not know when the water will starting running.
राधिका दमाइ
बागचौर ६, सल्यान
जब सुरक्षा दिने र आफ्नो लागि बोलिदिने कोहि हुँदैन जीवन कष्टकर हुन्छ । म एकल महिला हो र मेरो बच्चाहरू पालनपोषण म एक्लैले गर्छु । म विवहित हो तर मेरो श्रीमान सौता लिएर मलाई बच्चाहरुसँग एक्लै छाडेर जानुभयो । उहाँको बारेमा म नराम्रो सोच्दिन तर कहिलेकाहीँ मेरो जीवन सम्झेर रुन आउँछ । उहाँले कहिलेकाहीँ पैसा पठाउनु हुन्छ, कहिले एक महिनामा, कहिले दुई महिनामा । कहिले ५००० त कहिले १०००० मात्रै ।
छोराछोरी हुर्काउन धेरै पैसा लाग्छ । उनीहरुको किताब र झोला, खाना अनि खाजा अनि अस्पताल खर्च । कहिलेकाहीँ घर सम्हाल्न धेरै गाह्रो हुन्छ । मेरो आफ्नो जग्गा पनि छैन, न कुनै आम्दानी आउने पेशा । सबैले ट्वाइलेट बनाउनु पर्छ भन्नुहुन्छ । सरकारले यो समुदायलाई खुल्ला दिसापिसाब मुक्त घोषणा गरिसकेको छ भन्छ । मलाई पक्कै पनि कस्तो खालको मान्छे होला भन्नुहुन्छहोला । तर म ट्वाइलेट कसरी बनाऔँ? मलाई मन नभएको हैन तर पैसा छैन । केहि आर्थिक सहायता आएमा म ट्वाइलेट बनाइहाल्छु ।
अहिलेको लागि हामीले छिमेकीको ट्वाइलेट नै प्रयोग गरिरहेकाछौँ । बच्चाहरुले पनि प्रयोग गर्ने हुनाले मैले अलि याद गर्नुपर्छ । कहिलेकाहीँ हतारमा बच्चाहरुले ट्वाइलेट सफा गर्न बिर्सिन्छन् । अनि मैले छिमेकीहरुको गाली खानुपर्छ । म डरमा नै बसिरहेकी हुन्छु । उनीहरुले आफ्नो ट्वाइलेट प्रयोग गर्न दिएनन् भने हामी कहाँ जाने?
हाम्रो समस्याहरु त्यति मात्र हैन । हामीले ट्वाइलेट प्रयोग गरेपछि हामीले सफा राख्नुपर्छ । तर पुग्ने पानी छ त? छैन । पानी ओसार्न हरेक दिन हामी उकालो चढ्नुपर्छ । बच्चाहरुले कति नै बोक्न सक्लान? मैले कति नै बोक्न सकुँला? अब धारा आउँछ, अनि पानी आउँछ त भनेका छन् तर केहि समय बितिसक्यो। आशा छ पानी आवोस् र हामी निरास हुन नपरोस् ।
माथि ट्यान्की बनाउन हामीले २० दिन श्रमदान गर्यौँ । मलाई आशा छ हाम्रो पसिना खेर नजाओस् । अहिले त खाली पाईप मात्र दिएका छन्, पानी कहिले आउँछ मलाई थाह भएन ।
