Died after working 19 years in Qatar

Sita Kumari’s husband, Kubir Singh BK, traveled to secure the family’s future, two decades ago. He came home to Nepal and visited his family every other year.

“He called and said he had bought an airplane ticket, one month earlier than we had expected,” she says.

In that call he also said it was his last trip home. He was done with Qatar.

“When he came home, it was too late, and he was put in a coffin.”

He had been sick as of recent, but kept working. At one medical checkup, the doctor said he had high blood pressure. If he missed one workday, the company subtracted two days from his paycheck. At one time, he fell ill on the job site and his coworkers drove him to the hospital.

“We spoke often but now when I called he didn’t answer,” the widow says. “Another person from Nepal, who worked at the hospital, called me and said my husband was in the hospital. I called his older brother and asked him to go find my husband at the hospital, but when he arrived he was already dead.”

In hindsight the family know that the company Kubir Singh BK gave 19 years of his life, didn’t even see so that he got adequate health care.

“They forced him to work even when he was sick and didn’t feel well,” the widow says. “It’s devastating. And now we are left with out financial support and I think everyone understands what that will lead to.”

Since Kubir Singh BK’s death, the widow and their three children, Sunita 19, Pabitra 14 and Kumar, who is 7, were forced to move and are now living in a small room in Pokhara.

The family has received $5,753 from the Foreign Employment Board, the employer sent $5,000 and the insurance premium was $10,800.

“We used all the money he sent home to build a house and pay for school. Our wish was to be able to offer our children a brighter future,” the widow says. “I will never get over that the company he worked for did not care for his health.”

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