Foreword
This booklet has presented the daily activities, lifestyle and future plans of the children and youths living on the streets in a factual manner. I feel that it will touch the hearts of those individuals who are curious to know more about street children and street youths.

The author has not only included stories but also used research approach to present factual data related to street children. He has found out the various reasons why children come to the streets; he tells readers what the future plans of these children are, and explains the differences that exist between street children living in different towns and cities. He also includes a list of organizations working for street children. I believe the information provided in this booklet, as well as programs that have participation from former and current street children and street youths, will prove useful for governmental and non-governmental organizations in designing their programs related to the rehabilitation and socialization of street children and street youths.

Any study and research will only prepare a basis and an outline for social transformation. If organizations working for social transformation do not embrace or adopt the research results, then its publication alone will be limited to academic work. Academic exercises cannot yet be deemed to be popular in an under-developed country like ours. Therefore, the responsibility to execute the tasks, as pointed out in this booklet, is now on our shoulders.

I would like to commend the author’s hard work involved in presenting the reality of street children and street youths before the readers. I wish for the success of this publication.

Shiva Prasad Poudel
For the Executive Director
Central Child Welfare Board[i]
Harihar Bhawan, Pulchowk, Lalitpur
9 February 2007


Preface
When I first met Rewat Raj Timilsina, the author of this booklet, he was not only very young but also more mature than his age. I believe his own life experience made him mature at a young age. I had the opportunity to do some social work with him and also to get to know some of his friends and well-wishers. If only our State was aware enough, I feel it could do something substantial with the energy, enthusiasm and determination of young people like Rewat.

In Rewat’s commitment towards the street children, there is no artificial flavor. His commitment springs out from his own life experience. Like his first book, Sadak Jindagani[ii] , this booklet, too, covers all aspects of the lives led by street children, together with additional facts and experience stories.

Through its facts and findings, this booklet has come up with ideas that could be helpful for organizations working for street children, in designing effective programs and plans for their smooth operation. The issues raised by the author are simple and straightforward. Had the writing followed a development-oriented[iii] and an academic style, the experiences of street children may have, once again, catered to the luxurious meetings and seminars of intellectual and development-based circles. But I am pleased that this has not happened.

The biggest strength of the author is that, apart from writing books and reports on street children’s experiences, he works tirelessly for their welfare. This booklet contains many reflections of his personal experience. I also feel that this booklet is a summary of experiences and facts.

Prahlad Kumar Dhakal
Friends of Needy Children (FNC)[iv]


Acknowledgment
Jagaran Manch Nepal (JAFON) would like to thank the Niwano Peace Foundation, Japan for their help in publicizing the facts about street children and raising awareness in society through a project named People’s Documentation Project for Peace in Nepal. We would also like to thank SHAPLA NEER[v], which has been providing financial assistance to Hamro Sansar[vi], where this booklet was written. Our thanks are also due to Hari Krishna Dangol, Kumar Rai, Gopal Gorachandra, Raju Maharjan, Raju Lama, Bishal Lama and others for their frequent advice and suggestions while writing this booklet.

We are very grateful to Ms. Masako Tanaka, the co-coordinator of People’s Documentation Project for Peace in Nepal, for her active involvement in the documentation process from the very beginning. This booklet is the realization of her dream, and we are just a medium.

We had originally planned to include real-life photographs in this booklet. For this purpose, photographs had been collected from various national and international sources. But for various reasons, the photographs could not be included[vii]. However, we would like to thank all our national and international friends who supported us by providing cameras. We also thank two street children, who were actively involved in the production of this booklet from the very beginning. Similarly, our heartfelt thanks go to all the street children and street youths for sharing their personal stories with us, for allowing us to take photographs of them and for being willing to be interviewed. The publication of this booklet was not an easy job. But we are extremely happy that we succeeded in publishing it, having overcome several obstacles. We would like to thank everyone else who helped us during the course of publication of this booklet.

Rewat Raj Timilsina
Chairperson

Jagaran Manch Nepal (JAFON)

[i] Central Child Welfare Development Board (CCWB), www.ccwb.gov.np
[ii] Street Life
[iii] This is supposed to have a negative connotation here, as there is a general feeling in Nepal that development organizations do not do much in terms of the real work they are supposed to do.
[iv] Friends of Needy Children (FNC), www.fncnepal.org
[v] SHAPLA NEER (Citizens’ Committee in Japan for Overseas Support), www.shaplaneer.org
[vi] SHAPLA NEER withdrew its support from JAFON in 2007
[vii] Although the booklet does not contain the photographs, they have been included on the website.