Miracle Baby
Miracle Baby

All of Sumitra Chepang’s house fell down in the earthquake, except the corner where her one-month-old grandson Suraj was sleeping. Sumitra says it’s a miracle, and that God saved the baby.

Sumitra has been very involved in women’s groups in her area. She’s a member of the local women’s group network committee, and was at a meeting when the earthquake struck. Two of her sons were in Kathmandu studying; the rest of the family was in the fields working. So everyone was safe, even little Suraj.

All their food stocks, utensils and clothing were lost though – nothing could be salvaged from the ruins of the house. A neighbour let them sleep in their chicken shed for a couple of nights, and even gave them some food, for which they were very grateful. When Sumitra’s two sons came back from Kathmandu, they were able to build a temporary shelter from parts of their old house.

Sumitra’s husband Som Bahadur is a carpenter. There will be plenty of work for him, but he was reluctant to leave his family without food and shelter. Now that they have received two month’s supply of basic food items from UMN, Som Bahadur is able to go and get work. They also received a hygiene kit, a set of kitchen utensils, blankets and a tarpaulin. Thankfully, their crops are in the field, and Sumitra will be able to go back to daily agricultural labour work to help fill the gap between what they can grow and what they need to survive.

Little Suraj won’t remember the earthquake, of course. But when he’s older, his family will certainly tell him about that tiny corner of the house that stayed up and saved his life.

Sumitra (pink kurta) with her family outside their temporary shelter.

Granddaughter Supriya helps carry emergency supplies.

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