It has been 27 years since I came to Kathmandu. I am now 43 years old. My village is Thakre-10, Dhading. I have been working as a stonemason for the past 19 years. I am supporting myself by doing this odd job. I have two sons and a daughter. My daughter is married. Now I am earning my own money and raising my two sons.

This work is also not regular . I work only after being called by the contractor . Otherwise, there is no other way but to stay at home . Sometimes I don't get work for a long time . When I sit like that, I feel very happy when I get work . It is a little more difficult to find work now than before . Nevertheless, I am making a living .

How much easier it would be if I didn't feel hungry when I didn't get work, and I didn't have to eat at all! I didn't think about what to do, in reality it doesn't happen . Work came to a standstill during the Corona crisis . We used to eat and live on loans . I borrow things from the grocery store near the room and pay the loan after I work . 

The room rent is expensive . I have to pay 11 thousand for a month . The cost of buying rice, oil, and pulses is the same . I spend more money on vegetables than on rice . I haven't written down and calculated how much I spent on buying rations. But it still costs a lot. Even if I estimate it, I still end up spending 20/21 thousand on room rent and rations. During festivals, it's even more expensive if I don't calculate it.

Oh, yes. I haven't saved any money. I don't think about what will happen to me in my old age. I think now why worry about it. Whatever is written in fate will happen. Even though I earn alone, I can manage the house as best I can. That's probably why I've never felt ashamed of my work.

In a society that despises women and says they don't do anything, it makes me happy to work and earn money. As soon as I complete this contract, I will add that material with the money that comes in, and I enjoy calculating that this work has to be completed.

It's not the way people look at it, no work is small or big. Everyone struggles from their own place just to eat two meals a day. It's true that the dreams of the rich are big, as they say. That's a different matter. I myself am poor. My dreams are also small.

Life is a pit full of struggle. No matter how much I try to fulfill my desires and needs, I will never be fulfilled. Sometimes I feel like I have to suffer all the time. Sometimes I sell my children and myself to feed them, sometimes I do whatever I want. No matter what I do, it is difficult to fulfill my heart's desires and wishes to be successful. I should not eat with my hands spread out in front of others. No one gets tired of working as long as they can. It seems that standing on their own feet is better than sitting at home and criticizing others' work, and playing various things in their minds.

My work does not say that I will get so many thousand a month. After finishing the work, I will get money in terms of square feet. So it is not said that I will get exactly this much a month. Some work may bring 25/30 thousand, some may bring less. There is no address. This is it - let the work be done. Let the children do well. It would be a joy to see them get a job and stand on their own feet. May they understand the pain my mother has caused and walk a good path. I will continue to work as long as my limbs can move. I never thought that I would not have to work.