Ganga Maya gets social security finally

Gangamaya showing her citizenship card. Photo credit: Oxfam

“Finally, I will get the monthly allowance,” she said happily.

eventy-two-year old Gangamaya Tamang from Hagam

Sof Sindhuplachowk used to wonder why some people in her village were getting monthly allowance from the government, while she was not. She shared her concern at a community discussion center ran by Oxfam and Janahit Gramin Sewa Samiti.

At age 72, she realized that she was not able to receive government entitlements as she didn’t have her citizenship certificate. She had never realized that the document would be that important. She always thought that she could get citizenship through her father, but he was no more alive.

There was a cooperative in her village and a mothers’ group too, but she couldn’t be a part of it because she didn’t possess the proof of citizenship. At the discussion center, she came to know about the social security provided by the government through an elderly allowance. More importantly, she came to know that she could get her citizenship card with the help of her husband. Finally, Gangamaya went with her husband to the ward office in her area and got her national identity card for the first time. “Finally, I will get the monthly allowance,” she said happily.