On September 28—Sugam’s birthday—he lost his mother in one of the worst floods Nepal has seen in a generation. 

It began on September 26 when Sugam and his mother, Savita, visited family in Panauti. Heavy rain started the next day, continuing through the night. By the morning of September 28, landslide risks became severe, and villagers rushed out of their homes for safety. 

Sugam had been staying with his grandmother, Shanta, nearby. Together they hurried to find Savita and Sugam's aunt. But before they could reach them, a landslide buried the house where Savita and her sister slept. Shanta, in a desperate attempt to save her daughters, was also caught in the landslide. Savita and her sister died, while Shanta was left paralyzed from the waist down. 

Sugam witnessed it all. He points out the exact spot to visitors, saying, "The landslide buried my mother here."

Unprecedented floods 

Sugam’s family members were among over 240 people who died after three days of heavy monsoon rains caused widespread floods and landslides in Nepal. More than 80,000 people were affected, with 10,000 homes destroyed or damaged and 50,000 displaced. At least 190 schools were also damaged, impacting 23,000 children. 

In recent months, other regions of the world—West and Central Africa and parts of Europe—have also been devastated by major floods. The rise in climate-induced disasters worsens poverty and illness risks, increasing the chance of family breakdowns. Children like Sugam, tragically, lose parental care.

Sugam finds a home at SOS Children’s Villages

SOS Children’s Villages Nepal, working with the government and NGOs, focuses on meeting the urgent needs of families affected by disasters to prevent family breakdowns. Sugam. left with no one who can care for him, is need of alternative care.

Sugam lost more than his mother. He also lost the chance to know his father, whose identity remains unknown. After learning of her pregnancy, Savita’s partner abandoned her, leaving her to raise Sugam alone. She returned to her village to give birth and later moved to Kathmandu for work as a house helper to support Sugam. 

Life in the village had always been hard for Sugam’s grandparents. His grandfather, Kancha, did heavy labor to make ends meet. Their home, rebuilt by a charity after the 2015 earthquake, was also swept away by the landslide. "The landslide took the house one organization built for us," Kancha says, grief-stricken. "And it buried two of my daughters." 

With his wife bedridden and no stable income, Kancha faced the immense burden of raising Sugam alone. The family’s financial situation is dire, with medical expenses piling up and their land damaged. 

For now, Sugam is staying with relatives. Alternative care should be the last resort for children in need of care. However, after assessing his situation, SOS Children’s Villages in Nepal determined that alternative care would be the best option for his well-being. In collaboration with local authorities, the process to bring Sugam to the SOS Children’s Village in Kavre has been expedited. 

As Savita didn’t have a citizenship certificate, Sugam lacks a birth certificate. SOS Children’s Villages is working with local representatives to secure his legal identity and rights. Sugam is expected to be under their care of SOS Children’s Villages in Nepal by the third week of October. 

*Name changed for privacy.