Dhruba was left facing both emotional and financial hardship following the death of her father, a British Gurkha veteran. With a grant of £1,000 from the Army Benevolent Fund (ABF) towards outstanding funeral costs, she was able to give her father the dignified farewell that he deserved.

Dhruba moved to the UK from Nepal in 2011 with her father, who had served with the 10th Battalion The Rifles, and her stepmother. Sadly, her stepmother passed away shortly after arriving in England.

Keen to build a future in the UK, Dhruba attended a sixth form college in Ashford, Kent, to continue her education. She later took on part-time employment before becoming her father’s full-time carer in 2017 as his health began to deteriorate.

Reflecting on her father’s life, Dhruba says:

“My father was a proud man. During his military service, he spent time in Malaysia and Singapore. As his health worsened, I wanted to care for him. We shared many happy years together, and he was also involved in the local community.”

After dedicating several years to caring for her father, Dhruba suffered a significant loss when he passed away in November 2025 at the age of 92.

His death left her grieving alone, with no other family members in the UK to support her. At the same time, she faced considerable financial pressures. There were outstanding funeral costs that she was unable to meet and, following her father’s death, her Carer’s Allowance came to an end. Without employment and with very limited income, Dhruba found herself struggling to cover both her immediate needs and the costs associated with her father’s funeral.

To help ease this burden, the ABF awarded a grant of £1,000 towards the outstanding funeral expenses, which enabled Dhruba to focus on grieving her father without the added worry of financial hardship.

Dhruba says:

“My dad and I wished for a dignified funeral. With your help, I managed it. It means a lot to me. Thank you so much for your help and support.”