SUCCESS STORIES

Gita, Bikesh & Binisha

Gita is the mother of a young son and daughter. Her husband died while working abroad to earn money for the family. When we met her she was living on a relative’s land, working their farm to feed her kids.

She told us about the difficulty of living there without her husband. Of how the required obedience, submission, and fear that their son would come home any day and she and her kids would be evicted, weighed on her and kept them living in fear.

When Gita met NIVAS, she was ready to do whatever it would take to own her own home, from procuring land to gathering reclaimed materials and beyond. She joined our construction training, going out of her comfort zone to become knowledgable about the endeavor she was embarking on.

She did not have a single penny to build the house, but working together to find what resources she could access, she found strength in her own abilities.

Now that she has her own house, she’s finding new respect amongst her community. Whether it’s the permanence that homeownership gives in the landscape of her community (this gal isn’t going anywhere!) or whether it’s witnessing her grit during the process, regardless of the reason, Gita has found respect. This means she can endeavor toward bigger things for her family. Our team has clearly sensed her happiness from her powerful smiles.

UPDATE: Gita completed the NIVAS home business training program and is now raising goats to enhance her family’s livelihood. This family is bound for great things.