Sometimes an attentive ear, a simple pat on the back, and the reminder that they’re not alone in their struggle is all it takes to give someone the confidence to bounce back in life. And this is exactly what Sita’s story is about.Sita Bohara (name changed) lived in Bhimdatta Municipality, Kanchanpur, with her husband and three children. She and her husband both worked in the Nepal Police, and the family enjoyed a decent living. One day, her husband decided to resign from his job and start a business of his own. He bought a bus that operated on the Kathmandu route. Unfortunately, when the global COVID-19 pandemic hit, the government-enforced lockdowns to contain the virus severely affected his business, leaving the family in huge debt.To pay off the debt incurred from the bus, he decided to go to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on a visit visa for foreign employment. However, he fell into the trap of a broker and spent several days in a locked room without work and with no food to eat. When he finally found work, it was nothing like what had been promised, so he took out another loan and returned home.Still determined to support his family, he made a second attempt to work abroad and went to Saudi Arabia two months after returning from the UAE. But once again, he could not handle the work pressure and decided to return home.All of this had taken a toll on Sita’s mental health. The compounding debt, household and childcare responsibilities, and the pressure of earning caused immense stress, eventually leading to depression. Gradually, conflicts began at home, and her husband started staying away. His behavior, and the worsening household situation, made her suffer even more. She couldn’t sleep, felt anxious all the time, had frequent headaches, lost her appetite, and struggled to concentrate making her daily life extremely difficult.She was on the verge of resigning from her job when she met a psychosocial counselor mobilized by the Safer Migration (SaMi) Programme. They began discussing her household situation, and Sita shared her difficulties. The counselor assured her that their conversation would remain confidential, which helped her gradually open up. As she followed the counseling process, her condition began to improve. She decided not to resign and continued working. Her husband also started driving and contributing to the household income. Their debt started decreasing, and the household environment became peaceful.The symptoms she previously suffered from gradually started decreasing. She even received a promotion at work. A little encouragement and support from the counselor helped Sita get back on track. Now, she manages her household and performs her job with renewed energy. The SaMi Programme is a bilateral initiative of the governments of Nepal and Switzerland. The programme is implemented in partnership between federal, provincial, and local governments. Helvetas Nepal provides technical assistance to the programme on behalf of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).Prepared by Rajita Dhungana, Programme Officer – Planning, Reporting, and Knowledge Management, with support from Nirmala Malla, Psychosocial Counselor, Bhimdatta Municipality, Kanchanpur.