Ani Kumari BK, at the age of 74, has finally become a landowner. Her happiness knows no bounds as she shares, “I was born landless; my parents did not have any land.” Married at 12 into another poor family of Sukumbaasis, Ani and her husband struggled to make ends meet, working as laborers to feed their five sons and two daughters.
Life was harsh in their small roadside hut in Bardaghat, where feeding their children was a daily challenge. In 2003, Ani and her husband learned about other Sukumbaasis living in Nawalparasi (now Nawalparasi Bardaghat Susta East, Nawalpur). Driven by the dream of cultivating their own land, they decided to move. Leaving their meager possessions behind, they settled in Setapani, Nawalpur, facing the fear of wild animals and the daunting task of building a home from scratch.
With determination, they cleared the bushes and thorns, constructing a small house and cultivating 0.13 hectares of land. Ani recalls the sorrow and fear they endured, facing not only natural threats but also the humiliation and oppression from others. Despite being labeled as “jungle people,” they persisted, with Ani stating, “We had nowhere else to go, so we stayed.”
In 2020, Manrupa Kumal of the District Land Rights Forum formed the Village Land Rights Forum (VLRF) in Ani’s village, giving hope to landless people like her. United and courageous, they received information that they could obtain land by submitting applications. In February 2021, they applied, and after showing their documents to local representatives, their persistence paid off.
In April 2024, Ani Kumari and 90 other landless Dalits of Setapani, Madhyabindu Municipality-1, received their land certificates. “I came home dancing on the day I got the certificate,” Ani shares, smiling at the red book in her hand. “I feel like I have everything now. Those who tried to demolish my house can no longer harm me.”
Ani’s family has also benefited, with her sons receiving ownership of 0.045 hectares of land each. Though her husband passed away in 2021, Ani wishes he could have shared in the joy of their newfound security.
- Story and Photos by: Sushma Neupane
