Against the Odds

Jima Chaudhary, Massage Therapist

Jima Chaudhary came to Kathmandu from Bardiya four years ago after finishing school. She trained for a year in massage therapy and works as a therapist at the Seeing Hands clinic in Kathmandu.

Jima was blind at birth and so was her elder brother. She lives in a flat with friends in a neighborhood in Kathmandu.

Last year, as rumours of the lockdown started, most of the staff went home to their respective districts. However, Jima chose to stay expecting it to end in a few weeks. Things got bleaker as months progressed - she spent most of her savings on food, water, and rent. Her landlord insisted on a full rent despite Jima having not worked for months. Eventually, she was forced to vacate and move back home to Bardiya. Bus tickets were sold out and other transport means were too expensive. Jima was finally able to get a lift in a cargo truck, traveling for over 24 hours to reach home.

Having stayed home for over two months, Jima was eager to return to Kathmandu and finally resumed work around a month ago. There aren’t too many people dropping in for massage therapy but she is hoping for things to go back to normal soon.

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[tweetquote:[tweetText=Jima Chaudhary was blind at birth. Through her work as a trained massage therapist she is building her financial independence and strength. Having undergone one of the harshest times during the lockdown, Jima is getting back on her feet. #IWD2021,tweetData=WorldBank,tweetHash=]]

[tweetquote:[tweetText=Jima Chaudhary hails from Bardiya and is a trained massage therapist at the Seeing Hands clinic in Kathmandu. Emerging from the harsh challenges of the lockdown, she is hoping for things to get back to normal soon. #IWD2021,tweetData=WorldBank,tweetHash=]]