I am Chhiring Tamang, a 37 year old father of two daughters and one son from Jharlang VDC, Dhading. My children go to school and my wife is busy with household work and farming. We are middle class family and I own a business to support community for transportation of materials. I am engaged in transporting materials from Dundure to different places of Lapa, Sertung, Tipling, Jharlang and Ree VDCs through mules. Generally, materials from Dhading Besi can be transported up to Dundure through vehicles and afterwards is continued through mules and potters that help to transport materials towards the destination. These businesses were running well before earthquake.

The aftermath of earthquake was however devastating. Agricultural roads, foot trails and trail bridges were severely destroyed due to the earthquake. As a result, difficulties arose to transport materials towards Northern Dhading because the roads and pathways were blocked by landslides. On October 2015 when the Dashain festival was approaching, one of my mule died as it somersaulted from the damaged road. At that time, I had a loss of around NRP 70,000.

Dundure Khola trail bridge is the main gateway to Jharlang, Ree, Lapa, Sertung and Tipling VDcs of Northern Dhading district. Transportations were obstructed due to damaged bridge. Thousands of people from the five VDCs faced difficulties in transportation and movements. Through need assessment and community demand, HIMS Nepal and UMN facilitated and reconstructed the damaged Dundure bridge and associated tracks of that major road with the support of DKH fund.

After the foot trail, pathways and bridges were repaired all the village people now have easy access to their daily activities. My fear of losing transport business has been overcome due to the repaired road. Many construction activities are going on in my working VDCs with increased transportation fares as well. So, I have seen hope of getting more business in upcoming days.

Many supportive organizations have come to help earthquake survivors with different relief goods and services in our village. Hence, I am so busy with increased transportation demand here. I used to earn around NPR 40,000 to 50,000 before but my income is not less than NPR 90,000 per month nowadays. I am grateful to UMN for repairing trail bridges and foot trails.