Covid-19 Nepal: Deprived of job, thousands of domestic workers are rendered helpless

Nanu Bhattarai had been working as a domestic worker for the past four years. Before the prohibitory order in Kathmandu imposed to control the Covid-19 spread in the last week of April, Bhattarai, who has been living near Ratopul in Kathmandu, used to visit two families near her rented room to work as a ‘maid’. But, soon after the lockdown started, her employer told her not to come to work, adding they would call her later. But, they have not contacted her yet.

Bhattarai shares, “As the families where I used to work have senior citizens with chronic illness, I was told to halt visiting.” Although Bhattarai is struggling to make ends meet, she is positive about her employers’ decision to safeguard the health of their parents.