The months-long strike involving blockades and protests called by opposition parties against Nepal’s constitution has caused severe shortages of petrol, diesel, gas and other supplies. An older child from our Hope Trust Nepal orphanage put to words her thoughts on how the economy-crippling strike has optimistically, taught her something new.

These are her words:
After the Nepali constitution was made known, some government officials and parties were not happy and did not approve it, and have called for a strike. Since September 2015, many problems started to surface. There were roadblocks near the borders between India and Nepal. There were shortage of fuel, cooking gas and food. This is the longest strike and crisis I have experienced.

Our home has run out of gas and we were forced to use firewood. I have far taken for granted the norm and usual way of cooking by cooking gas. Never have I ever thought of other means or ways to cook. With this crisis, I realised a bad thing turned out to be a good thing for me. It granted me an opportunity to learn cooking in another way. Sometimes we just need to distract ourselves with things that are familiar and things that are known. To see things clearly in our environment, I believe new ideas and opportunities arise.

This bad situation has turned out in a different way for me. Instead of getting angry and frustrated, it was an eye-opener and a blessing in disguise. I have learned a new way of cooking and it is not as easy as you think. It is difficult and time consuming but definitely a lesson worth learning.

How do I go about cooking…

I will pick the right amount of wood needed to cook and place them in the stove. Then, I put wet mud around the surface of the pot and pressure cooker and place them on the stove. I start the fire by using fruits skin and the leftover wood dust.

Once the pot is heated up, I put the amount of oil needed. When it is hot enough, I pour the vegetables and lentils into the pot and pressure cooker. Depending on the fire heat intensity, it takes about 40 minutes to one hour to cook.

When I first learned to cook with firewood, it took me half an hour to start the fire, as I had difficulty bearing the smoke which often gets my eyes teary.

Written by Sapana