Migrant worker
Nepal
In memory of

Yam Bahadur Thapa

1985—2020
Years
of
Age
35
World
Cup
Qatar
22
cardsofqatar.com
Migrant worker
Nepal
In memory of

Yam Bahadur Thapa

1985—2020
Yam Bahadur Thapa had worked in Qatar as a truck driver for ten years. Shortly before he died, he called home and complained of pain in his stomach. The certificate from the embassy states that he had a “heart attack”. - We never saw him during his last critical time. But before that he was fit and well. When he finally came home on June 19, 2020, he was in a box with 19 other dead workers. - We now know what it means to lose a breadwinner, but I cannot express in words what it means for the children to lose a father, or for me to lose my husband.
— told to the journalistic platform Blankspot
cardsofqatar.com

No money can bring her husband back

Yam Bahadur Thapa had worked in Qatar as a truck driver for ten years. Shortly before he died, he called home and complained of pain in his stomach. The certificate from the embassy states that he had a “heart attack”. - We never saw him during his last critical time. But before that he was fit and well. When he finally came home on June 19, 2020, he was in a box with 19 other dead workers. - We now know what it means to lose a breadwinner, but I cannot express in words what it means for the children to lose a father, or for me to lose my husband.

Told to the journalistic platform Blankspot

Yam Bahadur Thapa had worked in Qatar for 10 years. From the beginning, he used to travel home for a short vacation every other year.

“But the last few years he only worked and never came home. When I told him he should take a break, he responded ‘soon’,” says his wife, Uma.

When he finally did come home, on June 19, 2020, it was along with 19 other dead workers.

From the beginning of their 23-year marriage, they lived together in Nepal as a family. But when the children started attending school, the money wasn’t enough.

“It became our fate that he had to go to Qatar,” Uma says. “There was no money to make here.”

Yam Bahadur Thapa was a truck driver.

“His job, delivering goods was satisfying, the children could study and they did well in school,” Uma says. “But now that he is gone, we are all suffering. Now we know what it means to lose a breadwinner, and I can’t put into words what it feels like for the children to lose their father, or me, a losing my husband.”

At some point he started complaining of stomach pains, and spent his last four months in a hospital.

“He told me something about a lump in his stomach,” Uma says. “But I think he had leukemia.”

On the death certificate is says “heart attack.”

“We didn’t see him when he was sick, but before that he was in good shape and health so I think he must have gotten this life threatening disease in Qatar.”

Uma describes the situation as hopeless. The son is studying in India and the daughter just got married, which is a relief, but for Uma things look gloomy.

No money can bring her husband back, but Uma says they need financial help since she has no skills to get a job possible to survive on. Since Yam Bahadur Thapa’s work visa was expired, which makes the possibilities for compensation dwindle. Uma also found out that his work contract was also expired when he died so the only money they have received is $210 from the Nepali Foreign Employment Board and $1,670 from the employer.

“Because his work contract was outdated, we not received the $5,750 compensation and the insurance company says they can’t pay anything either.”

(23)

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