Aunt and her niece, cooking a meal

Aunt and her niece, cooking a meal
Janakpur, Nepal, October 21st, 2015

Urmila (in orange) and her niece Ram Kala work to prepare a meal.
Urmila is one of my friend’s maternal aunts, and Ram Kala is a cousin.

With the punitive months-long Indian blockade of fuel and supplies, cooking gas is almost impossible to come by and so meals are cooked over wood fires. Because of the smoke inherent with wood fires, families try to cook outside if possible. Cooking times are lengthened, and with only one stove “burner”, each part of the meal (lentils, rice, tea, et cetera) must wait it’s turn to be cooked.

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Though the small rectangular stool in the lower-left is only a couple of inches tall, it can make all the difference comfort-wise when one is squatting by the fire for an hour or more.

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Friends in the doorway of a beauty shop

Friends in the doorway of a beauty shop
Manamaiju, Kathmandu, October 28th, 2015

Perhaps one-hundred-and-fifty meters past Manamajiju Temple, the main street thins as it enters an area of older buildings built closer together.

On your right, as the road thins, there is a small two-doorway’ed beauty shop where I met these friends enjoying each others company.

Pantee (in purple),
Sujina (in the background) and
Kashari (in the red head scarf).

I believe it is Kashari’s shop.

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Parvati

Parvati
Manamaiju, Kathmandu, October 2015

I first met Parvati, along with her sisters Indramaya, Susmita and Ashmita, back in 2002. They were returning from farming and we were both taking the same trail up the side of a green hill to Manamaiju. I think they may have invited me for tea then, or perhaps it was later, when I brought them a photo of our first meeting. Like all in her family, Parvati has a wonderful smile, an easy laugh, and a heart of gold.

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Imose emerges from a field of rice

Imose emerges from a field of rice
Dadagaun, Kathmandu, Saturday, September 26th, 2015

I was watching two children work together to launch a kite, when I heard voices in the nearby field of rice. Although I couldn't see anyone, stalks of rice were moving about. As I walked over, Imose emerged from the rice, playing with his scarf. His friend followed a minute later.

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Imose’s friend emerges moments later.

Though she be but little...

Though she be but little...
Manamaiju, Kathmandu 2002

Shanti carries her bai [younger brother] Jiram, 2,
while her other bai Bijay, 4, stands near.

“Though she be but little, she is fierce”
—A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act 3, Scene 2

If you would like to donate to Mercy Corps’ Nepal Earthquake fund please click here.

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Srijana

Srijana
Balaju Chowk, Kathmandu, December 14th, 2002

Srijana, 10, in front of her family’s restaurant.

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Sunita and a friend fetching water

Sunita and a friend fetching water
Futung, Kathmandu, June 2011

While fetching water for home, Sunita (in red) and a friend take a brief rest.

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Sushila and Sumi, friends

Sushila and Sumi, friends
Betrawati, 2002

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