Changing a brave veteran’s life with clean water
Brave Gurkha soldiers have survived the toughest of circumstances, fighting valiantly alongside British forces for centuries.
It comes as a huge blow that the thing that could defeat them is a lack of clean, safe water.
Gurkha veterans like Lance Corporal Kumarjit Rai are vulnerable in their old age. He and his family rely on a communal water source that isn’t always safe to drink. But with your support, our water project will supply clean water not just for Kumarjit and his family, but for his entire village.
“He is strong and can do anything”
After being recruited at just 18 years old, Kumarjit spent seven years with the 10th Gurkha Rifles, serving in Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Brunei.
“I got recruited from a place in Nepal called Palkihawa,” Kumarjit said. “We were then sent to Calcutta. I just had just turned 18 at that time. From Calcutta, they took us to Singapore by aircraft where we trained for six months. I was small and young but the officers really appreciated me and said, ‘Despite being very young he is strong and can do anything.’”
After leaving the army, Kumarjit served with the Singapore Police Force before he returned home to his wife and family in Nepal.
A daily struggle for clean water
These days, Kumarjit lives with his youngest son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter in a village called Udayapur. It takes our team from Kathmandu a day to drive the 180km to his home, with the last 30 minutes of the journey only accessible by motorbike or on foot.
Kumarjit and his granddaughter.
Kumarjit relies on the GWT pension as his only income; and also receives medical care from our team. This year, with your support, his village will also benefit from the installation of a water project, which will be life-changing for him and his community.
“I feel very proud to have served in the British Army,” he said. “Because of me, the whole community will now get water from the GWT, which is something I really feel proud of and very happy. I feel really privileged.’
Currently, Kumarjit and other villagers have to walk daily uphill to a communal well, and queue to collect water. It’s the only water source they have, the supply can be limited and is often unsafe to drink.
“To cook, drink and wash clothes we have a nearby water pipe system which is not systematic and is not sufficient,” said Kumarjit. “We have to walk up the track for 10 minutes to go and connect the pipe every day. We have to wait for our turn and as there is no proper system, and the water is not enough. Every household does the same. We have to store water in containers which are heavy to carry back.”
For many in the village like Kumarjit, their age makes this journey difficult, and the lack of water makes farming the land near impossible.
“In this place, there was already a shortage of water. But after the earthquake in 2015, the situation got worse. We used to water our fields and plants from a nearby water source but now there is no water and it all dried up. Before, there was a river nearby: during the monsoon season the river used to rise and the goats could not cross it, but now even the ants can cross the river.
“Now, to water the communal fields, there is a small river. We have to redirect and close it overnight and use it. It’s not sufficient. Even in monsoon, it doesn’t rain properly. It is difficult now.”
Kumarjit’s home in the hills of Nepal.
Currently, little grass covers the vast expanse of hills where Kumarjit’s village is nestled – but with enough water, the community could be verdant and thriving. With your help, we plan to install a new system which will see a tap stand on the doorstep of every household, fed from new storage tanks that pipe safe water from a clean source.
By helping us to install taps in Udayapur, you will not only be helping Kumarjit in the short term. You’ll give him the peace of mind that, when he is no longer here, his family and community will continue to be taken care of for years to come. What better way to repay the debt of honour we owe to Gurkha veterans who have given so much over their lifetime for us?
A final word from Kumarjit
“I am really thankful to all the supporters, donors and GWT for all the help and support they give us. God bless you all. I hope you keep supporting and loving us. We are all in your hands. We are dependent on you. All the pensions we have been receiving so far, the food we buy and eat, clothes we wear are all possible because of your generous love and support. I feel very honoured and privileged to receive help from you. God bless you.”
