The courage to carry on
Through CERF-AA, a young mother in southern Nepal receives support to survive and stay strong in the aftermath of unthinkable tragedy
Saptari, Nepal: In late September 2024, when Saraswati Devi Sada reached her home near the riverbank in Hanumannagar Kankalini Municipality, Saptari District, she found it submerged. Her heart had pounded as she scanned the flooded premises, but she breathed a sigh of relief upon spotting her three children, safe but shaken.
That relief was short-lived. As the family scrambled to safety, Saraswati’s youngest son began to complain of severe pain in his leg. Within moments, the pain became unbearable. Panicked, Saraswati decided to rush him to the hospital. Tragically, the 10-year-old boy died on the way. Doctors suspected he had been bitten by a poisonous snake, likely brought in by the floodwaters.
Grief-stricken, Saraswati barely had time to mourn. The weight of her loss was compounded by the devastation left behind—her home waterlogged, floors covered in silt, the kitchen roof collapsed. With no means to cook and no money to feed her surviving sons and elderly father-in-law, she felt utterly helpless.
“How could the children understand my dilemma?” she recalls now, sitting in her courtyard, still grappling with the memories of that terrible day.
Amid this despair, a glimmer of hope arrived. Abhishek Jha, a volunteer with UNICEF, identified Saraswati’s family as needing urgent support. Through the Central Emergency Response Fund - Anticipatory Action (CERF-AA), UNICEF has partnered with the local government and organizations to provide relief to families like hers, vulnerable to recurring floods in the Koshi and Karnali river basins.
Among the critical assistance provided was cash relief worth Rs 15,000. This timely support gave Saraswati some respite, especially when her other son, Bishal, 11, fell sick shortly after the floods. With the funds, she was able to afford medical care without resorting to small loans, which had become a painful necessity in the past.
“The cash paid for all his tests and medicines,” she shares, grateful for the financial relief amid her struggles. The family also received a set of essential water, sanitation and hygiene supplies to ensure safe drinking water and maintain hygiene in the aftermath of the floods.
Despite it all, the trauma of loss lingered. Even as she worked tirelessly to restore her home, the grief remained overwhelming. “I keep thinking of our time together,” Saraswati says, her voice breaking as she wept for her lost son.
This kind of emotional toll is not uncommon, especially for families affected by disasters. “When parents are deeply distressed, the impact is visible in their children,” noted Kamdev Khanal, UNICEF’s Child Protection Officer. He emphasized the need for psychosocial support in such crises, when pre-existing social vulnerabilities are often exacerbated.
Recognizing this, UNICEF, under CERF-AA, also connected Saraswati with Meena Shah, a psychosocial counselor trained to provide emotional support to disaster-affected families.
In Meena, Saraswati found more than a counselor — she found a confidante.
“Knowing the language, empathizing with the person you’re helping, and respecting their feelings are crucial in my profession,” Meena shared. With CERF’s support, she was able to provide two phone consultations and make two home visits to Saraswati, ensuring sustained emotional support.
“I felt good talking to her. I felt better,” Saraswati said.
With each passing day, Saraswati rebuilds — not just her home, but also her strength. Though the grief of losing her child will never fade, she is now determined to stay strong for her two surviving children.
