Helping a hero’s widow live with dignity: Sir Kumari’s story

Gurkha widow Sir Kumari Gurung greeted our team from the porch of her home in the Terai, the lowland region of southern Nepal. Along with delivering her pension and a health check, we gave her a crossed kukri pin badge, which reminded her of her late husband’s brave service with the 2nd Gurkha Rifles.

“My husband Ran Bahadur was enlisted in the British Army and deployed to Malaya,” Sir Kumari said. “He had come home once on leave and went back. He was then discharged and returned to Nepal. We were married after he left the army. He rarely spoke about his army life.”

After Ran Bahadur was discharged, the couple moved to Kathmandu for work, before deciding they were better suited to village life in the hills.

Without an army pension to help support them, Ran Bahadur and Sir Kumari struggled financially. “We had a small patch of land to grow crops,” she said. “But it wasn’t enough. We had to borrow at times to make ends meet.

“We had heard that The Gurkha Welfare Trust was supporting those without a standard army pension. A Gurkha widow in the nearby village had also applied and was awarded with the pension. My husband applied, and the pension has kept increasing year by year.”

Today, Sir Kumari is dependent on her pension from The Gurkha Welfare Trust to buy essentials such as food and clothing. She even has a bit extra to buy clothes for her grandchildren. “It is just enough,” she said. “I can’t imagine how it would be if there was no pension. I would have died already.”

Beyond a pension, we ensure Sir Kumari can live with dignity by checking her health regularly and providing essential medicines. She also benefits from our Winter Allowance which provides items to keep our pensioners warm during the chilly winter months: such as jackets, blankets, hats and thermos flasks.

But Sir Kumari is most excited about the earthquake-resilient home we will soon build for her. Currently, her house has several deep cracks, and could break apart in the event of a major earthquake. “When the new house is ready, I will feel happy of course,” Sir Kumari said. “I have been unable to build a house due to lack of money. I am eagerly waiting for the house to be completed! Dhanyabad (thank you) to those who have made this possible.”