Introduction
It took me nearly two months to complete this booklet. The children involved in it have worked very hard. Sometimes, we had to run after them to interview them; at other times, they refused to tell us their full stories. Some did not want to share their personal experiences with us. It was challenging to extract true stories from the children. But it was not impossible, especially given the interviewer’s background, who himself used to be a street child.
What wasn’t particularly easy was to follow these children in their daily activities in order to take photographs for their stories. For instance, we sometimes had to go to the streets at midnight to take their photographs. Sometimes, they were high on dendrite, which made it harder for us to get their consent for photographs. Furthermore, they complained that one or the other organization took photographs of them almost every day, using them for their own benefit, and they did not do anything for the welfare of street children. But, in this case, they were willing to have their photographs taken after it was explained to them that they were needed for the organization which was supporting them; that they would, in the long-run, benefit the street children in some way; and that their organization was run by someone who, like them, once used to live on the streets.
When other organizations came to take their photographs, they often gave them some money, bought them good food and clothes and promised to do something for their future. They made similar demands with JAFON.
We were in need of several action shots of the same person. We needed the photo sessions to progress smoothly. We also needed the photographs to be as natural as possible. For this purpose, we trained 30 street children and street youths in photography at a one-day workshop. 10 best trainees were selected, and seven of them took photographs related to their friends’ daily activities. During the process, we came across a street child, 14-15 years of age, who was preparing a flag for a Maoist program. However, Maoist cadres prohibited us from taking photographs of him.
Two street children were actively involved in the preparation of this booklet from the very beginning. The booklet project was explained to them very clearly, in the presence of the author, editor, photographer and organizations providing financial assistance.
This booklet should be helpful in doing a comparative study between the condition of children who have lived on the streets for 10 years and the new street children. How did the 10-year Maoist People’s War affect street children? How were they and their families compelled to spend their life on the streets due to the conflict between the State and the Maoists? What are the dreams and aspirations of street children? What and how are their daily activities? What was their condition during the various movements, closures and curfews? This booklet shall answer some of these questions, which, we believe, will be of help to organizations that want to work for street children.
In a span of nearly 20 years, Rs[i] 300 million has already been spent in the name of these children, but the problem has not yet been solved. Some 8-10 years ago, it used to be reported that there were 5000 street children in Nepal. The same figure is still being used. The number of street children should have decreased over the last 10 years because the number of organizations working for them has quadrupled during this period. Funds have been invested in the same proportion. It is clear that there has been no change in the planning policy related to street children. Otherwise, why are organizations still using the old and outdated figure? A study conducted by the Central Child Welfare Board, in collaboration with street children and organizations including JAFON, collected the detailed information of 740 children. But this data is incomplete in itself. It is difficult to tell by how much the number of street children has increased or decreased in these 10 years.
We want to tell national and international organizations wishing to work for the welfare of street children that we need a correct and a long-term work-plan in favor of the street children. Radical changes are needed in the existing investment policy and plans. Money is a necessity for every individual, organization and country. But in the absence of the right policy and work-plan, no investment will be effective, regardless of how big the amount is. Therefore, organizations working for street children should focus on the development and implementation of a common work-plan concept.
It took me nearly two months to complete this booklet. The children involved in it have worked very hard. Sometimes, we had to run after them to interview them; at other times, they refused to tell us their full stories. Some did not want to share their personal experiences with us. It was challenging to extract true stories from the children. But it was not impossible, especially given the interviewer’s background, who himself used to be a street child.
What wasn’t particularly easy was to follow these children in their daily activities in order to take photographs for their stories. For instance, we sometimes had to go to the streets at midnight to take their photographs. Sometimes, they were high on dendrite, which made it harder for us to get their consent for photographs. Furthermore, they complained that one or the other organization took photographs of them almost every day, using them for their own benefit, and they did not do anything for the welfare of street children. But, in this case, they were willing to have their photographs taken after it was explained to them that they were needed for the organization which was supporting them; that they would, in the long-run, benefit the street children in some way; and that their organization was run by someone who, like them, once used to live on the streets.
When other organizations came to take their photographs, they often gave them some money, bought them good food and clothes and promised to do something for their future. They made similar demands with JAFON.
We were in need of several action shots of the same person. We needed the photo sessions to progress smoothly. We also needed the photographs to be as natural as possible. For this purpose, we trained 30 street children and street youths in photography at a one-day workshop. 10 best trainees were selected, and seven of them took photographs related to their friends’ daily activities. During the process, we came across a street child, 14-15 years of age, who was preparing a flag for a Maoist program. However, Maoist cadres prohibited us from taking photographs of him.
Two street children were actively involved in the preparation of this booklet from the very beginning. The booklet project was explained to them very clearly, in the presence of the author, editor, photographer and organizations providing financial assistance.
This booklet should be helpful in doing a comparative study between the condition of children who have lived on the streets for 10 years and the new street children. How did the 10-year Maoist People’s War affect street children? How were they and their families compelled to spend their life on the streets due to the conflict between the State and the Maoists? What are the dreams and aspirations of street children? What and how are their daily activities? What was their condition during the various movements, closures and curfews? This booklet shall answer some of these questions, which, we believe, will be of help to organizations that want to work for street children.
In a span of nearly 20 years, Rs[i] 300 million has already been spent in the name of these children, but the problem has not yet been solved. Some 8-10 years ago, it used to be reported that there were 5000 street children in Nepal. The same figure is still being used. The number of street children should have decreased over the last 10 years because the number of organizations working for them has quadrupled during this period. Funds have been invested in the same proportion. It is clear that there has been no change in the planning policy related to street children. Otherwise, why are organizations still using the old and outdated figure? A study conducted by the Central Child Welfare Board, in collaboration with street children and organizations including JAFON, collected the detailed information of 740 children. But this data is incomplete in itself. It is difficult to tell by how much the number of street children has increased or decreased in these 10 years.
We want to tell national and international organizations wishing to work for the welfare of street children that we need a correct and a long-term work-plan in favor of the street children. Radical changes are needed in the existing investment policy and plans. Money is a necessity for every individual, organization and country. But in the absence of the right policy and work-plan, no investment will be effective, regardless of how big the amount is. Therefore, organizations working for street children should focus on the development and implementation of a common work-plan concept.
When it comes to wanting to learn a skill, there is huge difference between the interest demonstrated by the children who have been living on the streets for 10 years and the current street children. This booklet should help concerned individuals and organizations to study these differences. If a work-plan is developed according to this study, appropriate steps could be taken to resolves the problem. The other notable fact highlighted in this booklet is that the street children now are more educated than the ones in the past. Many of these children did not want to study, so they left home and came to live on the streets. What is important to understand here is that street children are not particularly interested in education. Instead, various skill development training opportunities should be provided to them. However, this is not to say that educational irrelevant. The number of street children who want continue their studies is also not less. We are only suggesting that equal emphasis should be given to both education and skill development programs.
[i] Short for rupees, the currency of Nepal (US$1=Rs 78, as of February 2009)