DHANGADI, MARCH 16

In view of the upcoming Holi festival, free foodstuffs were distributed to the Raji community of Bhuruwa in Bhajani Municipality, Kailali, today.

More than 50 Raji families still living a nomadic life received rice, lentils, cooking oil, and salt under the Habitat for Humanity programme.

Met Life Foundation provided the succour.

According to Habitat for Humanity Coordinator Punita Chaudhary, the aid was provided in view of the upcoming Holi festival.

'The community lives by catching fish, collecting honey and scouring the forest for food. As the Holi festival is at our doorsteps, we thought we could bring smiles to the faces of this tribal community, at least during this festival with our little support,' Chaudhary said. The Raji community celebrates all festivals celebrated by the Hindus. Though they used to live entirely in the forest earlier, they have been living in Bhajani Municipality for the past 13 years.

Each of the families received 30kg rice, 5kg lentils, and 5 litres of cooking oil, as well as salt. Janaki Raji, a local, extended her gratitude to the organisation for providing them support during the festival. Meanwhile, it's important to note that construction of two-room houses for the Raji families is under way in the province now under the chief minister safe residence programme.

Minister of Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives Dharmaraj Ojha said the Raji families of Bhuruwa would get their homes soon.

A version of this article appears in the print on March 17, 2022, of The Himalayan Times