Volunteer Corps Nepal

The story of Sita!

In 2024, a major fire broke out in several Terai districts of Nepal, causing widespread devastation. A severe storm then swept through the region, causing widespread damage and destruction. The Scheuch Family Private Foundation supported families in the affected regions through the Volunteer Corps Nepal organization.

Sita Mahato (name changed), a resident of the rural community of Mohanyal in the Kailali district, smiles for the first time in what feels like an eternity as she accepts our relief supplies on July 9. Although she is still a little sad, she is relieved to know that someone is looking out for her and her family.

Sita, a 45-year-old mother of two and housewife, was preparing to go to sleep on the evening of May 25 after finishing her kitchen chores. Then disaster struck. A fire suddenly broke out in her house. She quickly woke her family and together they did what they could to stop the flames. When Sita recounts this harrowing experience, she tries to hide her tears. “We were so helpless after the fire. Most of our food supplies were burnt and the house was in ruins Nobody was there to help,” she says. My sister-in-law’s house also burned down and a total of 29 houses were destroyed that night. I had nowhere to go. Some of our neighbors built bamboo shelters, but I had nothing. I had to sleep under the burnt-out house with my two children and my husband.”

Despite the devastation, Sita remained upbeat and tried to restore a semblance of normality for her family. But shortly after the fire, another disaster struck the community of Mohanyal. On the evening of June 30, ominous black clouds and drizzle heralded impending doom. “I had a bad feeling about the weather that day,” recalls Sita. “Then the storm came and tore off the roof, which was already in a bad state. I’m still hoping that this will all just end up as a bad dream.”

Sita continues: I felt hopeless. A neighbor gave us a shared room to cook and sleep in. We were just trying to survive, then the flood hit us. I keep asking God how much more he wants us to suffer. I worry about my three-year-old boy and my five-year-old daughter. We didn’t receive any support from any organization or the government at first. God sent you to support us. Thank you so much for coming and providing this help. It means a lot to my family at this difficult time.”

Flooding in Kailali has displaced hundreds of families, with the district struggling to cope with incessant rainfall that has inundated homes and agricultural land. Roads are damaged and key infrastructure is flooded, denying many access to essential goods. Despite the efforts of local authorities, the scale of the disaster has overwhelmed their capacity to provide sufficient aid.

Now, with the support she has received, Sita can feed her family properly for a few weeks and focus on hygiene while the disasters continue. She expresses her gratitude to the Scheuch Foundation and Volunteer Corps Nepal for their support.

Sita’s story is just one of many that have been affected in the rural community of Mohanyal. We would like to express our sincere thanks to the Scheuch Foundation for their generous support in quickly helping those in need.