Hope in her time of need: Chij Kumari’s story
Chij Kumari Gurung is the widow of a Gurkha veteran.
Her late husband, Chyomal Gurung, served in the 4th Gurkha Rifles at the height of World War Two.
Chyomal enlisted into the army shortly after they were married. Chij Kumari spoke of her late husband’s service with great pride, remembering how bravely he fought before being captured and held as a prisoner of war.
“My husband said that he fought continuously for seven days and seven nights. While fighting against the Japanese, he was captured, but he managed to escape somehow. He survived on the roots of banana trees as he was fleeing through the jungles. Later, Chyomal was asked to produce his certificate and claim the seven medals he was awarded. He was awarded seven medals!”
When Chyomal returned to Nepal and was reunited with his wife, their life was far from easy. “We worked on the land and survived on what we could. As we grew older, it was getting difficult. He had a stroke and was paralysed and bedridden.”
The GWT intervenes
Desperate to make ends meet and support their eight children, the couple discovered Chyomal was eligible for The Gurkha Welfare Trust’s pension. “There was a Lieutenant from our village who helped us get the GWT’s pension. [Chyomal] could not speak properly but he was able to say when he had joined and when he left the army.”
The pension that we provided each month ensured Chyomal and Chij Kumari could afford the essentials of life: food, clothing, and fuel.
Even after Chyomal passed away, we continued looking after his widow – the pension has been a lifeline for Chij Kumari and her children.
Now, each time we visit the widow, she greets us with a big smile from the porch of her resilient new home. It takes our team about an hour of driving on rocky, unpaved roads to reach her remote village of Kumaltar, nestled in the stunning Nepali hills.
For a 93 year-old, Chij Kumari is coping well with life in the village. She is looked after by one of her sons but is still active and walking around the house, using the walking stick we provided for her. She keeps busy by spending time with her large family – two daughters, six sons, and nineteen grandchildren!
When the Earth shook
Chij Kumari’s home was destroyed after the devastating earthquake of 2015. She was one of the first to receive the Trust’s earthquake-resilient homes, skilfully designed to protect her when the next tremors strike.
“The GWT built a new house for me!” she exclaimed, gesturing around her. “Yes, I am happy. How can I not be when you are helping me?
“You provide clothing items every year. You provide me with medicines too. It is because of the GWT’s medicine that I continue to live as I do.”
Chij Kumari will never forget the kindness and generosity of our supporters. “Dhanyabad (thank you), that’s all I can say. I am happy with the GWT. I am grateful to you all. Dhanyabad, dhanyabad, dhanyabad to the GWT!”
