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"Lhamu’s Journey: A Mother’s Strength Amidst Adversity"
Family of the Month – January 2025
(All names changed for privacy)

Name of Family – Mother: Lhamu Tamang, Age 26
Beneficiaries:

1. Samjhana Basnet (Age 11) – Class 5

2. Ramesh Basnet (Age 8) – Class 2

3. Prakriti Basnet (Age 6) – LKG

A Story of Courage, Resilience, and Hope

At just 26 years old, Lhamu Tamang has already lived a life marked by immense challenges, loss, and strength. Her story is one of unwavering determination—a mother’s fight to build a better life for her three children, even when the odds were overwhelmingly against her.

A Childhood of Poverty and Dreams Deferred

Born in a remote village in eastern Nepal, Lhamu grew up in a household plagued by poverty. Her father worked as a daily wage labourer and her mother labored in the fields to feed six children. With barely enough to eat, sending the children to school was out of the question. Lhamu’s childhood was spent not in classrooms, but in the fields, supporting her family’s survival.

A Teenage Marriage That Turned Into a Struggle

At age 15, Lhamu believed she had found love and an escape from poverty when she married a 17-year-old boy, Rabin Basnet. Their union, though based on love, faced rejection due to caste differences. Estranged from Rabin’s family, the young couple built a life of their own and welcomed three children—Samjhana, Ramesh, and Prakriti.

For a brief time, their life felt full of hope. Rabin worked hard as a labourer, and their little family shared joy in simplicity. But the shadow of societal and family pressures soon caught up with them. Unable to cope, Rabin turned to alcohol, and what started as a coping mechanism evolved into verbal and physical abuse towards Lhamu.

A Tragic Turn

Rabin’s addiction eventually led to chronic health issues. After suffering from jaundice multiple times, he passed away at the age of 26, leaving Lhamu widowed and responsible for three young children. The heartbreak intensified when Lhamu also lost her unborn child shortly after Rabin’s death.

Her in-laws, who had never accepted her, cut off all emotional and financial support—only contacting her to demand money, often with threats and abuse. Isolated and grieving, Lhamu was left to navigate widowhood, motherhood, and extreme poverty all alone.

A New Beginning

Today, thanks to the support of the Educare Program, Lhamu and her children are stepping into a new chapter. Samjhana, Ramesh, and Prakriti are now enrolled in school, and their basic educational needs—fees, uniforms, and supplies—are covered. The family also receives regular support in food, healthcare, and emotional well-being.

This stability has empowered Lhamu to begin healing. Though the pain of her past endures, she is now filled with a quiet strength and a dream: to see her children grow up in dignity and safety, with opportunities she never had.

The Road Ahead

Lhamu’s journey reflects the incredible strength of single mothers and the power of collective compassion. Her transformation is a reminder of how timely support and community care can reignite hope in lives once overshadowed by despair.

Thank you for walking this journey with us—and with Lhamu. Your continued support is what allows families like hers not just to survive, but to thrive.

It’s simple, it’s simply BEF.

With gratitude,
Surendra, Raymond & Team
Bahini Educare Foundation