The body of 33-year-old Yamuna Sunar, who had gone abroad in search of a better life for her family, was brought home three days ago after she passed away in Kuwait last month. Her brother, Gyanendra Sunar, received the body at Gautam Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa.

Gyanendra first learned of Yamuna’s death on March 6, when a member of the household where she was working as a domestic, called from Kuwait. The news left the family in grief. Yamuna had returned to Kuwait for foreign employment only last September.

At first, Gyanendra could not bring himself to tell her two daughters (nieces), who had been counting the days for their mother’s return and their father’s arrival from Malaysia, where he is currently employed. However, the truth could not remain hidden for long and Yamuna’s home in Kumakh Rural Municipality of Salyan soon fell into mourning.

Shortly after the first call, Gyanendra received another call from the Nepali Embassy in Kuwait confirming her death.

Yamuna had first gone to Kuwait three years ago as a domestic worker through a manpower agency. She returned home on leave after three years of work, but went back to Kuwait on September 11 last year to continue supporting her family. According to Gyanendra, she had been ill since December. The family was initially informed that she was suffering from pneumonia, which later developed into meningitis.

Gyanendra said the family had attempted to bring her back at the time but were told her condition was too critical for travel.

A weak economic background and concerns over the upbringing and future of her two daughters had driven Yamuna to seek employment abroad. Over the years, she had gradually improved the family’s finances, repaired loans taken for her foreign employment and household expenses, and had begun to restore stability at home.

“I thought my sister’s days of suffering were finally coming to an end. But now she is gone, who will these girls look up to?” Gyanendra said.

The repatriation of her body was delayed due to the ongoing conflict that started on February 28 after the US and Israel launched a war on Iran.

After a lengthy paperwork, her remains were finally brought to Nepal three days ago.

Yamuna’s husband has been working in Malaysia for the past three years. Their two daughters, aged 15 and 11, are currently living and studying at their maternal uncle Gyanendra’s home in Simta, Surkhet.

Gyanendra said the paperwork for the insurance payout following Yamuna’s death will be completed after the funeral rites. “It seems the process for the insurance claim can be initiated through the local municipality,” he said. “The Department of Foreign Employment has advised us to proceed after the mourning period ends.”

On Wednesday, the bodies of nine individuals who died in Kuwait, including Yamuna’s, were brought back to Nepal.