My name is Chandarakala. I’m 35 with two children. When I got married, I had big dreams. I was studying and wanted to complete my bachelor’s degree and work in government or an NGO to serve my country and people – but all those dreams were shattered.

One day, I went to cut grass to feed our goats. I was working under a tree with an electric line passing through it, and the current hit me. I fell to the ground and got a spinal cord injury; my life changed in an instant.

After the accident, I was taken to the Teaching Hospital in Kathmandu, where I stayed for seven long months having surgery on my back and neck. My wounds healed but I lost all movement in my body. INF’s Shining Hospital in Surkhet was suggested to me for physiotherapy, but I wanted to go home.

The low point

Coming home was not easy. The house wasn’t suitable for my condition. We didn’t have drinking water. The area is isolated and neighbours are rarely around to help.

I can hardly move my legs while sitting so I couldn’t take care of myself or the house. I was so sad that my young daughter, only 10 years old, was cleaning the toilet before school and looking after me. Life felt very heavy and hopeless.

One day, I heard that INF was starting a project in our municipality and someone called Jol from INF would be visiting our area. I connected with him through Messenger and shared my condition. He said he would visit me soon and see what could be done.

INF gave me back my hope and confidence

When Jol came, he told me that the first step was to make my daily life easier. A team including an occupational therapist and a physiotherapist visited me for an assessment. They recommended full rehabilitation and home modification support.

After that, INF staff explained the home improvement plan. I received funds to make my house accessible. With their help, we built an accessible toilet, kitchen, and a place for dishwashing, all with ramps. Once the house was improved, I no longer needed someone to help me constantly. This gave me new hope. Then the project supported me for one month of physiotherapy at Shining Hospital. The swelling in my legs went down, and I started to feel better. Gradually, I began regaining my confidence and felt I could still do something with my life.

Influencing local change for people with disabilities

The project team held a joint monitoring visit at my home with the mayor and other local officials. I kept raising the problem of drinking water. INF had made an accessible toilet, kitchen, and dishwashing place, but there was no water system at my home. Through the lobbying and advocacy of the INF team, along with me, 35 households in my area were connected to the drinking water system!

Gradually, I started to attend local meetings, and I was recently elected as an executive member of the regional disability organisation. Through this network, I am involved in various disability-related meetings, workshops, and events, so I finally am serving my country and people in need, as I dreamed. It didn’t happen as I imagined it, but I am very happy and thankful to INF.

Nepal has lots of people with disabilities, especially girls and women, who are voiceless and hopeless. Please support them and help to give them new life too. Thank you.