1.6 Differences between street children in Kathmandu and Lalitpur
The condition of not all the street children living in Nepal’s major towns and cities is the same. The structure of the town/city, facilities availed as well as the population play a vital role in this variation. Some towns/cities may be equipped with more facilities, where lifestyle and eating habits may be completely modern. These conditions determine the lifestyle of street children also. We need not go too far. We can see a huge difference between the lifestyles of the street children in Lalitpur and Kathmandu.
The general feeling seems to be that all street children are of similar nature. When most people hear about someone living on the streets, they tend to assume that they must all have the same attitude and nature. But it has been found that their situations vary according to the place where they live. According to JAFON’s findings, there are around 200 street children in Lalitpur. It has been estimated that there are nearly 800 street children in Kathmandu alone. Among them, 400 are in the contact with JAFON. It is quite surprising that there is such a drastic difference in the number of street children in these two cities. The children in Lalitpur are generally cleverer and more educated than the ones in Kathmandu. Comparatively, children have more access to opportunities in Lalitpur. Likewise, their eating habits also differ. The children in Kathmandu get to eat two to three meals a day. They also receive food at programs and campaigns organized by various organizations.
Interestingly, the Lalitpur children visit Kathmandu less often, whereas the Kathmandu children visit quite Lalitpur frequently. Due to scanty availability of plastic in Kathmandu, these children are found to be going to Lalitpur.
Comparatively, there are more street children-related organizations in Kathmandu than in Lalitpur. Even the media seems to support the Kathmandu children more. These children come into contact with various individuals.
The Lalitpur children are found to be in constant touch with their families, whereas the Kathmandu children are not so keen to be in touch with their families. Most small children, who come to Lalitpur, are from nearby villages. Therefore, it’s not hard for them to stay in touch with their families. If they have Rs 20-50 in their pockets, they can travel home anytime. During the festival of Dashain[i], most of these children visit their families. There are some children who despite being ignored by their family visit their parents often. Some children are supporting their families by collecting waste plastic. In some cases, the whole family has taken up this work. A number of other parents have become street vendors.
The condition of not all the street children living in Nepal’s major towns and cities is the same. The structure of the town/city, facilities availed as well as the population play a vital role in this variation. Some towns/cities may be equipped with more facilities, where lifestyle and eating habits may be completely modern. These conditions determine the lifestyle of street children also. We need not go too far. We can see a huge difference between the lifestyles of the street children in Lalitpur and Kathmandu.
The general feeling seems to be that all street children are of similar nature. When most people hear about someone living on the streets, they tend to assume that they must all have the same attitude and nature. But it has been found that their situations vary according to the place where they live. According to JAFON’s findings, there are around 200 street children in Lalitpur. It has been estimated that there are nearly 800 street children in Kathmandu alone. Among them, 400 are in the contact with JAFON. It is quite surprising that there is such a drastic difference in the number of street children in these two cities. The children in Lalitpur are generally cleverer and more educated than the ones in Kathmandu. Comparatively, children have more access to opportunities in Lalitpur. Likewise, their eating habits also differ. The children in Kathmandu get to eat two to three meals a day. They also receive food at programs and campaigns organized by various organizations.
Interestingly, the Lalitpur children visit Kathmandu less often, whereas the Kathmandu children visit quite Lalitpur frequently. Due to scanty availability of plastic in Kathmandu, these children are found to be going to Lalitpur.
Comparatively, there are more street children-related organizations in Kathmandu than in Lalitpur. Even the media seems to support the Kathmandu children more. These children come into contact with various individuals.
The Lalitpur children are found to be in constant touch with their families, whereas the Kathmandu children are not so keen to be in touch with their families. Most small children, who come to Lalitpur, are from nearby villages. Therefore, it’s not hard for them to stay in touch with their families. If they have Rs 20-50 in their pockets, they can travel home anytime. During the festival of Dashain[i], most of these children visit their families. There are some children who despite being ignored by their family visit their parents often. Some children are supporting their families by collecting waste plastic. In some cases, the whole family has taken up this work. A number of other parents have become street vendors.
But things are different for the Kathmandu children, who come to the city from various districts of the country. It is harder and costlier for them to travel back and forth in order to go home. So only a few children are able to visit their families. Until some time ago, the street children in Kathmandu and Lalitpur were not able to visit their families because of the conflict between the State and the Maoists. They feared that they would be abducted by the Maoists or detained by the police in suspicion of being a Maoist. Regardless of where they come from, the Kathmandu street children are a little behind when it comes to keeping in touch with their families.
[i] 15-day long Hindu festival, which is also the national festival of Nepal, usually celebrated in the month of October