How Nepal’s electrical accident compensation system leaves survivors paying the price

In April 2014, an 11-year-old Sabita Thapa's life irrevocably changed while watching television at her Kathmandu home. Workers nearby were replacing water pipes, and an exposed 11-kilovolt power line ran close to her rooftop. A steel pipe came into contact with the live wire, and the resulting electric shock threw Thapa down. She remembers her mother pulling her back after workers alerted them.

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The pipe crushed half of my body. My mother pulled me back.

Doctors determined she had touched the live wire for about two seconds, a moment that necessitated the amputation of both her arms. Thapa spent six months in the hospital, enduring pain and confusion, initially believing it was a "long, painful, never-ending dream." The full reality struck her upon returning home and seeing her reflection, a moment where she felt "scared of myself."

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I thought it was a dream. A long, painful, never-ending dream.

Twelve years later, Thapa is pursuing a psychology degree, making jewelry, and attending therapy, aiming for self-sufficiency. However, the accident continues to shape her life and her family's financial stability. They live in a rented home, with her mother selling vegetables and her father driving for ride-hailing services. Their medical expenses have surpassed Rs5 million, a stark contrast to the Rs375,000 compensation received from the Nepal Electricity Authority, which was decided long before the full cost of survival became apparent. Thapa hopes for her parents' security, wanting them to be able to retire without worry.

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I was scared of myself. It was not me at all.