A Child deprived
from Parents' Love and Affection : Bikash Maharjan
It is said that parents are the first
teachers of their children. Children's primary education is completed in their own home.
It is also said by some psychologists that how we demonstrate our behaviour is the result
of our first 6 years of socialization. A child develops his /her behavior within six
years. So that parental love, care, affection and guidance are the necessary things for
every child.
Bikash, an 8-year-old boy has been deprived
of parental love and affection. There have been many factors contributing to create this
situation. There was always misunderstanding between his parents, they used to continually
fight and as a result Bikash got hurt in his eyes and his eyes are damaged. His father and
grandmother were always against his mother and she had to accept whatever they said. She
had become the victim of domestic violence.
It was intolerable for his mother and she
could no longer stay with her husband and left home with her children. Consequently, they
were bound to live on the street, as they had no one to help in their crisis situation.
Luckily, they came in contact with SAATHI, a
non-governmental organization and asked for their help. Now, Bikash's parents are in the
process of getting divorced. So it has not yet been decided with whom the children will
be.
Thus, SAATHI referred Bikash to CONCERN
Emergency Shelter, as it has no shelter facility for the children. Bikash is not able to
give continuity to his school education. But still he aims to become a doctor. When he was
in the Emergency Shelter, he always used to remember her mother and he was emotionally
attached with her.
He went with his mother on 2056/4/6 from the
shelter. She had said that both of them had to be present on the court that day. After
four days she came alone and reported that Bikash is with his father and it was the
decision of the court.
It was found that Bikash is an intelligent
boy and also studies hard. We can expect his better future if he is provided love, care
and the proper education.
A Stone Quarry
Child: Nira Thakuri
We all accept that children are the pillar of
the nation and are the rulers of the future. However, are these children provided proper
guidance and care? If not, we cannot hope for the better world for tomorrow.
Surkhet is a well-known place of the western
Nepal. At present several governmental and non-governmental organizations in this area
have been working. However, Nira Thakuri is not receiving the attention from any of these
organizations.
Nira lives in Chinchu VDC ward no. 3, in her
uncle's house as she has no parents and no other family members. Her father died when she
was at the age of five and her mother eloped two years after her father's death.
Consequently, she became an orphan and helpless when she was a mere seven years of age. We
can imagine how difficult the life is for this small girl called Nira. Since the last four
years, she has been staying in her uncle's home. She is struggling only to satisfy her
hunger. She can singularly concentrate on the means in which to obtain money to feed
herself. Thus, she is involved in the stone quarry and sometimes she also sells maize.
Our country has signed UNCRC without any
objection but its realization is limited to paper. The reality can be seen from the story
of Nira. So, UNCRC has been a grotesque illusion that has to be realized not only by the
political leaders, child right activist but also by the every citizen of the
country.
A Child From
Reffered by LAAC: Raju Adhikari
Raju Adhikari, a six-year old boy is the son
of Lale Adhikari and Uma Adhikari. He is one of the children who has not been introduced
to the rights of the children. If anyone can not fulfill their basic needs, they are
unable to realize their other secondary needs. This also applies to the case of Raju
Adhikari.
Although his father is the only bread winner
in his family, he does not take on the responsibilities of a father and is used to
spending money on unnecessary things. Besides, his father is an alcoholic and comes home
drunk every night. Consequently, Raju and his mother many times have had nothing to eat.
So his mother started working.
On one occasion, as other days, his father
was drunk. His parents started quarreling and created a terrible situation; his father
tried to kill his mother. In such a situation, she could not fathom any other alternatives
except leaving her husband.
After that, she approached LAAC, a
non-governmental organization for support and also to get justice. Now, she has filed a
case against her husband in the court.
Then, Raju was referred to the Emergency
Shelter Home of CONCERN and his mother brought him there on 30th Dec, 2000. But he did not
remain in the center even for a day and escaped without leave. After a very painstaking
effort on the part of the staff to searching for him, he was found playing with the
children in Kalimati squatter area.
He was again brought to the center. Slowly,
he is mixing with other children and enjoying the facilities provided by the center and he
will remain there unless the case of his mother becomes resolved.
Kiran Pujari: Reunited
with his parents
Childhood is the initial period of life. In
this stage, if one is not well cared or not given attention, they cannot develop their
potentials to the maximum. Unfortunately, there are many children who are deprived
of parental love and care and from an early age they have to struggle for survival.
Kiran Pujari is one of those children who
have not been introduced to the rights of the children. He is a son of Sun Bahadur and
Heera Devi Pujari. He has three sisters and four brothers. He belonged to a very poor
family. His father was an army official but at present he is suffering from paralysis. His
mother is the only bread earner for the whole family.
Kiran says that he has to help in the
household chores. He never got a chance to go to school. His parents are unable to send
him to school even if they wish. His family can only think about satisfying their hunger.
Unfortunately, her mother got sick and could not go for work.
By looking at his situation he was brought in
the Emergency Shelter Home. He stayed in the center for some months and after her mother's
recovery he was reunited with his family and supported to enroll in the school according
to his wish.
Sita Nepali
Sita Nepali, an eight-year-old girl lives in
the bank of Bishnumati River with her parents and siblings. The environment in which she
lives is very polluted and unhygienic. She belongs to the very poor family. Both of her
parents are not able to earn for the family because her father is sick and the mother has
to look after the small baby. The bread earner in her family is only her elder sister.
Sita had an accident a couple of months ago
and she got hurt in her leg. Her family was not able to meet the requirements for her
treatment. Luckily, she was found by a foreigner and was brought to the CONCERN Emergency
Shelter, a place for displaced children, to support her in a crisis situation.
She was provided medical facilities, which
was her immediate need. Then she stayed there until she was completely recovered. Here,
the condition of Sita was not that much worst. The problem has arisen because of the poor
economic condition as well as her parents were not in the position to fulfill her
requirements.
Deepa Pradhan and Dipesh
Pradhan
Parental love and care is the basic necessity
for every child. However there are many children who are deprived from their parental love
from the childhood. It also applies in the case of Deepa and her small brother Dipesh who
could not feel the love and affection from their parents.
Deewakar, the father, works in Jawalakhel
Drinking Water Corporation and Gita, the mother is a housewife. Deepa and Dipesh used to
go to the school and were studying in class 4 and class 1. But they could not give
continuity to the school education because of the family problem.
Deewakar is an alcoholic and he used to spend
money only to satisfy his wish. He was an irresponsible father and he did not care for his
wife and children. Gita tried to control the drinking habit of her husband but she was not
successful in it rather it created an unnatural environment in their family.
Deewakar started throwing clothes, other
goods and utensils outside his home and tried to put fire on it. Deepa, Dipesh and their
mother were helpless and they had nobody to give assistance in their crisis situation. So,
there was no other alternative for Gita except leaving her home to protect herself and her
children from her cruel husband.
Then, she approached SAATHI, a
non-governmental organization to get assistance. As there was no shelter facility for the
children, Deepa and Dipesh were referred to CONCERN Emergency Shelter to provide support
in their crisis situation.
After being in the center for thirteen days
they were reunited in their family and their father and mother decided to stay together.
A Child Porter:Ravi Bhandari
A person below the age of 18 years is
considered as a child. It is the definition of child according to the UN Convention on the
Rights of the Child. However, in the Nepalese context those who are under the age of 16
are called children. According to the Children's Act, 'A child who has not attained the
age of 14 years shall not be employed in any work as a laborer. But is it really
happening? Of course not. Many children in Nepal are bound to work because they are the
main sources of the family income and there are children who work for them to survive.
Ravi Bhandari is also a child who is now 13
years old. He came to Kathmandu with his parents when he was 10 years old. After some
months, his mother left home and she did not return. Then, his father too left home in
search of his mother. Unfortunately, both of them never came back. Being the parents, Ravi
was alone and helpless. He had never thought that he would encounter such a situation.
Then, he could not decide what is right and what is wrong for him. He left home and
started living on the street. He had difficulties to fulfill his basic needs.
One day, he met an accident when a stranger
ordered him to remove the poster from the wall. He fall down from there. Then a friend of
that man helped him to be recovered. Ravi then started working as a domestic worker in his
house. He was treated well by that man and was also send to the school. But later, he was
accused of eating something without the permission of others. Then, he left that home.
Ravi started working as a tempo conductor and
since two months he is working as a child porter. He is not satisfied by his profession
and says that the expense per day is more than his income even if he works hard. He is
able to earn RS. 30 per day but needs more than that not because of other reasons but only
to survive.He is very interested in studies and he also comes for NFE classes in CONCERN.
He does not want to go back to his hometown Mahendranagar, as there is nobody to support
him. He has developed negative attitudes towards his parents as he found both of them
irresponsible towards him.
He is now 13 years old. But he has
experienced the hardships of life. He says that his future is now depends on his own fate.
