KATHMANDU: On Friday, July 18, Parbati Karki of Bangepipal Baseri in Dhading was preparing to head to the local fair, just as she did on many other days.
As the rain began to fall, she decided to leave her mobile phone at home. After all, who would call her? Her husband, working abroad, and her son, studying in Kathmandu, usually phoned only in the mornings and evenings.
When she returned home from the fair, Parbati noticed a missed call from an unknown number. While she was busy with household chores, the phone rang again. This time, she answered. The caller was from Ncell’s central office in Kathmandu, asking questions about her name, address, and family.
After verifying her identity, they told her to visit the Ncell headquarters in Kathmandu on Monday — without revealing why. All they said was that she had won a gift.
“I told my mother-in-law, my husband abroad, and my son in Kathmandu,” Parbati recalled. “At first, no one believed it. They thought someone was trying to scam me.”
But when her brother-in-law in Kathmandu contacted her, she began to wonder if it might actually be real. She decided to postpone her work at the fair and left for Kathmandu on Sunday with her identity documents.
The next morning, she went to the Ncell office in Lainchaur, accompanied by her son, brother-in-law, and others.
“I had no idea what kind of gift I had won,” she said. “Only after they verified all my documents did they inform me — I had won Rs 10 million. I couldn’t believe it.”
Parbati’s connection to Ncell dates back eight years. “I bought the SIM card at a market in Arughat. Occasionally, I’d buy Ncell’s ‘99 pack’,” she shared. “That same pack won me Rs 10 million. I’m beyond happy. I feel like my financial burdens will finally ease.”
Her life until now had been marked by hardship. Her husband left for foreign employment nearly 15 years ago, and she stayed back, managing the household and working as a community volunteer. “There was never a lack of effort, but things just didn’t go our way,” she said.
The 2015 earthquake was a turning point. Their newly completed home collapsed in the quake centered in Barpak, Gorkha. Worse still, she lost her youngest son, just one month and two days old.
Today, she lives in a modest house in Gangajamuna Rural Municipality-6, beside the Dhading River near Salyantar. Her only regular income comes from her husband, who sends home Rs 15,000 to 20,000 a month from Bahrain — just enough to cover the interest on their debts. She also receives a small stipend as a volunteer and grows maize, millet, rice, and seasonal vegetables.
Parbati’s education ended after she failed Grade 9. She married at 23 and gave birth to her son a few years later. With limited means, her husband went abroad in search of work, and she took on the burden of running the household.
Life abroad, however, proved difficult. While in Kuwait, her husband collapsed in a bathroom. Thankfully, he was saved by friends and rushed to the hospital. After years of hard work and little progress, she encouraged him to return to Nepal.
“We borrowed money and opened a shop in Kathmandu,” she said. But the venture failed. Despite investing Rs 900,000, they managed to recover less than Rs 60,000. Crushed by debt and struggling with illness, her husband left again — this time for Bahrain.
In Bahrain, he developed a severe allergy that causes swelling and other complications. Still, he continues to work, driven by the need to repay loans. “He planned to return after two years. Now it’s almost two years since he left in Bhadau. He says he’ll take leave soon,” she said.
Despite the pain and uncertainty, Parbati clung to hope. And now, with the unexpected windfall of Rs 10 million, she sees a new beginning. “I still can’t believe this is happening,” she said. “Maybe now, we can finally live a life without fear of debt.”
After paying taxes of Rs 2.5 million from the Rs 10 million prize received from Ncell, the remaining amount has now been deposited into Parbati Karki’s bank account. For her, this is an overwhelming sum — one she believes will finally ease the struggles of her life.
The first thing she plans to do is clear the long-standing debt that has burdened her family for years. “I used to wonder when we would be free of this debt and finally find some happiness. Now, with this gift, I can finally repay what we owe. I no longer have to carry a sick body just to pay interest,” she said with relief.
With the remaining money, Karki hopes to start a small business in Nepal together with her husband. “If we can invest this money wisely, life will be much easier going forward. Now, we will both work together and keep my husband in Nepal,” she shared.
Her son, who is currently studying in Grade 12, also remains a priority. His education is expensive, and Karki plans to use a portion of the money to support his studies.
With debt repayment, investment plans, and her son’s future education in mind, Karki is determined to make the most of the opportunity she never dreamed would come her way.
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