Khilak and his family are from a rural village called Bassbote in Nepal. His father was called "kaput," translating to “unworthy son,” because he had four daughters and was 55-years-old by the time Khilak was born. Likely stemming from criticism for having no sons for so long, Khilak faced extra pressure to fulfill his father’s wishes. He was forced to marry at the age of 14. He remembers crying in school when his father came to take him to get married.
Now 30, Khilak is the father of four children. His wife, Rita, serves the community as a mid-wife and paid $5 per month to help women in the community. Faced with the challenge of providing for a family of six, with only a primary education and no skills, he earned money by tailoring but it wasn’t enough to support a large family. Thinking he could do better around a big population, he moved to the city but could not find work. Working overseas has been popular in Nepal, so he applied for foreign employment. During a medical assessment, spots were found on his chest from an x-ray, and though it's from childhood pneumonia, he was rejected.
Faced with little choice, he moved back to the village with his family and decided to start a tailoring business of his own. His reinvigorated focused made a difference and he has dreams of expanding into a full service tailoring shop. His goal is to get professional training on tailoring and business skills. He regrets wasting so much time trying to find work outside of his village and says he would never do that today.
As the cost of living rises in Nepal, Khilak’s story is not uncommon. Your donations make a difference to providing the types of projects that can give Khilak’s family more security. That also means, his wife, the only dedicated health care provider in the community, can spend more time supporting women and children’s health.