1.7 Dreams
Every street child wants to lead a reputable life like any other person in society. But when the time and circumstances do not go in their favor, they are compelled to live on the streets. However, they also cherish dreams of earning name, fame and money.

- Most street children and youths want to become drivers.
- Others want to become artistes.
- Some want to set up fabric businesses, restaurant and retail business.
- They want to become cooks.
- They want to do house-wiring.
- They want to become plumbers.
- They want to get involved in the production of agricultural goods.
- They want to go abroad to earn money.
- They want to set up social organizations to help their friends on the streets.
- They want to join service.
- They want to join the army.

However, they do NOT want to join the police or hold low-income jobs.

Most notably, today’s street children appear to be more educated than those of the past. While most of them can read and write, there are some who come to live on the streets after passing Class 8 to SLC[i].

This indicates that they are more in search of skills and opportunities rather than education. But it would be important to place an equal emphasis on education.

[i] School Leaving Certificate, mandated by the government at the end of tenth school grade

1.8 Life after street
Although they may have lived on the streets some time ago, some street children are leading a different life now. This is because they are capable or have access to better opportunities, among other reasons. The list of young people, who were once street children but are now leading a successful life as any other citizen, is very long. Some of these children receive help from organizations so that they are able to quit street life and lead a successful life. It would therefore be inappropriate to say that organizations have not contributed to their success, but no to the extent of transforming their lives completely.

Many organizations have been set up to work for the street children of young age. But not much interest has been demonstrated towards these children. In some cases, children stop receiving help after they reach a certain age. This kind of help may benefit the street children temporarily, but not in the long run. But there are some examples of children who have transformed their lives as a result of the help they received when they were young. When such children enter adulthood, they leave the street to begin a new life. In many cities, there are examples of former street children leading reformed lives. Such youths have taken up various professions; while most have become drivers, others have joined garment business, government service and the army. Some are even holding good positions in private companies. Similarly, some are associated with organizations working for street children or have set up similar organizations.

2. Jagaran Manch Nepal (JAFON)
2.1 Establishment
There are now many organizations in Nepal working for street children. Jagaran Manch Nepal (JAFON) is among them. JAFON was founded on 8 April 2000 by Rewat Raj Timilsina. This organization is different from other organizations in various respects. Likewise, its operation also differs from that of others. Timilsina is a former street child himself. That is why JAFON’s campaign has a particular significance.

The story of JAFON would be incomplete without a mention of Rewat Raj Timilsina. The story of his street life is long. His struggle from the streets to the successful life he now leads is a source of inspiration to many. His struggle is linked with JAFON and many street children associated with this organization. Timilsina is originally from Siraha. He left his house when he was 7 years old because of family dispute. His parents quarreled and started to live separately. Thereafter, his mother took him to Birgunj for his studies. In those days, she was a teacher in Birgunj. While in Birgunj, Timilsina made friends with the city boys. He was more interested in movies and entertainment than in studies. He started hanging out with boys his age, watching movies, wandering at night and not returning home. He deviated from studies.

Four years later, Timilsina entered Kathmandu with eleven other boys, expecting to earn money in the capital city. On the first day, the boys stayed in Dhalko[i]. His friends knew a junkyard, where they could exchange waste tin and plastic for money. For every kilo, they made Rs 12-15. Timilsina worked there for six months. Then he left Dhalko and moved to Bagbazar[ii]. Thereafter, he started living on the streets. He spent almost 12 years of his life on the streets. He has many bitter experiences of his street life.

Through his friends, one day, in 1992, he ended up in CWIN, which works for street children. In those days, CWIN was working on a play with the Aarohan Theatre Group[iii]. 12 youths were needed for the play, for which Timilsina was also selected. Aarohan trained them for a month, and they prepared a play on street life. They play was titled Mahanagarka Anagarik haru (Non-citizens of the Metropolitan). Directed by Mr. Sunil Pokhrel and acted in by street children, including Timilsina, the play was staged in various places. Timilsina stayed with CWIN for almost a year, after which he started living in Gwarko[iv] with other friends. After some time, Timilsina moved into a hostel for street children, which was operated by the same Aarohan Group. During his stay there, he got a job as trainer in a program called ‘Child to Child’, which was related to child rights. He then left the hostel and did this work for 10 months. After that, he moved to Pokhara for to work as the chief filed officer at the Child Welfare Society.

He had the opportunity to work with several organizations working for street children. However, he and his friends were not happy with the way some of these organizations operated. One day, they felt that they could start their own organization. In 2000, Timilsina set up an awareness group for the welfare of street children, together with former street children friends. In the same year, Timilsina solely established JAFON. Presently, Timilsina is fully involved with this organization.

JAFON is a social organization operated by former street children, who spent more than 12 years on the streets. The organization has been operating its programs throughout Nepal and making an effort to create an environment where there will be no more children on the streets. Presently, it is operating various programs for the street children in Kathmandu and Lalitpur. It has its offices in Kumbheshwor, Lalitpur.

At first, the JAFON office was in Anamnagar[v]. The story of struggle of this newly established organization is memorable. Its first objective was related to waste management. Its other objective was to create employment opportunities for street children and to save the remaining money for the welfare of street children. This work was initiated by two street youths. They went from door to door to collect waste materials. During the first few days, they were involved in the waste management of seven houses. This number has now increased to 400 houses, in which 12 youths are involved. This program is still running under the leadership of JAFON, providing employment opportunities to several street youths.

[i] A place in Kathmandu
[ii] A place in Kathmandu
[iii] Aarohan Theatre Group, http://www.aarohantheatre.org/
[iv] A place in Lalitpur, Kathmandu’s neighboring district
[v] A place in Kathmandu

2.2 Hamro Sansar (Our World)
On 11 December 2004, JAFON started Hamro Sansar, a home for street boys. A house was rented in Kumbheshwor in order to set up the home. The boys who live here are provided with different opportunities. The program is supported by SHAPLA NEER, which was founded by Japanese citizens, who contributed their savings to the organization. For the last 12 years, SHAPLA NEER has been supporting various community development projects and programs for street children. Due to their support, it has been possible for Hamro Sansar to accommodate 30-40 street children and street youths in Kumbheshwor. Along with accommodation, Hamro Sansar provides various facilities, including health services, television for entertainment, musical instruments, sporting facilities, affordable and healthy canteen, saving facility, non-formal education classes, cleanliness and hygiene arrangement and the operation of an internal junkyard in order to prevent the children from being cheated (as they are cheated by other junkyards). The canteen and junkyard were started with a view to making the organization self-sustained. Hamro Sansar is operating many other programs, including programs to motivate the street children and other programs relating to skill development, driving license, citizenship, legal service and art.

Hamro Sansar occupies two floors with eleven rooms. One of the rooms is allocated for the office. Another room is allocated for entertainment, where the children watch television. Then there is a separate room for non-formal education, where the children are taught. Three rooms are used as bedrooms; two of the bedrooms are for smaller children and the third one is for grown up children. There is a separate room where they keep their belongings. Likewise, separate rooms are allocated for kitchen and dining. There is also a staffroom.

Hamro Sansar provides them with bathing soap. Medical facilities are also provided. The boys generally get ready for breakfast at six in the morning, although some of them oversleep. The working boys leave for work after breakfast. They come back to Hamro Sansar for lunch in the afternoon. They buy food with the money from their own earnings. The Hamro Sansar canteen serves a meal at Rs 25. Most of the boys have now got into the habit of buying food with their own income.

Hamro Sansar has its own rules and regulations, and the children staying here have their own lifestyle and daily routine. After they have dinner at six in the evening, they go out in search of waste plastic until 11 or 12 at night. Then they come back to Hamro Sansar for sleep. They wake up early and go out again in search of junk materials and waste plastic. They sell the collected materials to the Hamro Sansar junkyard. Then they go for a shower. After showering, some of the boys watch television while others play the guitar and start singing. Some boys also play the carom- board[i].

There is a problem of drug addiction among some of these children, who are not able to get over the habit. They consume dendrite and other intoxicating items even during daytime. Drug addiction is a serious problem amongst the street children. The Hamro Sansar children, who are addicted to drugs, have not been able to quit drugs in spite of counseling.

Children and youth ranging from 8 years of age to 26 years live in Hamro Sansar. However, the children below the age of 17 have a majority. Some old boys leave Hamro Sansar and the new ones come in; this trend goes on. Despite the facilities Hamro Sansar provides, it is sometimes hard to stop them if they want to leave. They come and go as they wish. But for many boys, Hamro Sansar has become a home. Once they come here, they do not want to go anywhere else. They enjoy living here. They bond with other boys, share friendly conversations and enjoy the company of each other.

[i] Visit http://www.carromuk.co.uk/carromboard.html for details on what this game is and how it is played

3. Stories of street children and street youths
Though the stories presented in this section are real life stories, the real names of the characters have been replaced by the names of their favorite stars in order to protect their identity and safeguard their future. Likewise, their addresses, too, have been changed.


3.1 Amit – Escape from abduction
My name is Amit Dhungana. I am 17 years old. I am from Bungmati, Lalitpur. I started living on the streets since 1999. I was 10 years old at the time. It was because of my friends and my cousin that I started living on the streets. They used to come from the village to Lagankhel and Jawalakhel[i]. They earned some money by gathering passengers for tempos[ii]. They also brought me along with them. When I realized that money could be earned in this manner, I teamed up with my cousin and started working for a tempo, gathering passengers. After some time, I became familiar with more people and got to know the work better. Then I liked this job even more. My interest in studies declined, as I frequently bunked classes and often walked alone from Bungmati to come to the city. Sometimes, I even walked all the way back home at night. As I did more work for the tempo, I got to know some tempo drivers well and eventually became a conductor. At the beginning, I used to return home at night. Later on, I saw that the conductors usually slept on the streets. Most of them were boys my age. We got along with each other and shared common interests. Therefore, I also started to sleep on the streets. At first, my parents scolded me for not returning home. They told me off for not concentrating on my studies. But I could not mend my ways.

While working as a tempo conductor, I began to know many people at the restaurants in Lagankhel. By this time, I had started growing fed up of my work for the tempo; I fancied working at a restaurant, so I joined a restaurant in Lagankhel, where I washed the dishes and cleaned for a few months. But I did not like this work, so I became a tempo conductor once again. In the meantime, I happened to meet some boys on the streets, who were into collecting waste plastic and selling it for money. I joined them and started earning money. But street hooligans troubled us. They took away our money. They caught small boys like us and made us wash their clothes. We had to face many hardships on the streets. As we didn’t have warm clothes, we couldn’t sleep at all during the winter. Eventually, I was fed up of street life and wanted to return home.

I finally returned home after four years. My parents were happy to see me. I was also pleased to be reunited with my family after such a long time. I had friends in the village. I went out to play with them. My parents were urging me to resume my studies. One day, the Maoists abducted a group of students, who were returning from school. When I heard about this incident, I was so frightened that I left home without informing my parents. I came to Kathmandu, where I started living on the streets again and continued collecting waste plastic.

After few months, I returned home. But my parents had left the house by then, probably due to fear of the Maoists. So I came back to the city, to the same old street and same old work. But I am now with Hamro Sansar.

[i] Lagankhel and Jawalakhel are places in Lalitpur district
[ii] Small three-wheeler vehicles common for traveling, particularly in Nepal and India

3.2 Biraj – Maoists at the school
My name is Biraj Bhatta. I have been living on the streets for five years. I used to live in my village. The Maoists often came to our house, and so did the government’s men. We were scared of them, which was why my parents left the village and came to the city. I followed them.

One day, I had gone to the forest to collect firewood with my parents. I had climbed a tree to chop some wood when I noticed a group of people approaching me. They were clad in an army uniform and were carrying arms. They were Maoists. They ordered me to get off the tree. I was very scared but did as I was told. When I got off, they told me that I had grown up, so I should go with them. They also talked to my parents. In fear, my parents agreed to let them take me away. They warned us not to tell anybody in the village about the incident, threatening to kill us if we did. They said that they would come to get me the next day and left.

I went to school the next day. I told my teacher and classmates about our encounter with the Maoists the previous day. By that time, a number of Maoists had arrived in the school premises, to take some students with them. They also told me to join them. Quietly, my teacher called me near her and advised me to tell the Maoists that I would go with them the next day. I told them as I was advised. When the Maoists were still talking to other students, my teacher helped me slip out quietly, and I went home. I was very scared. After I told my parents about what had happened, we all went to my aunt’s[i] house. My parents stayed there. But I didn’t feel like staying at my aunt’s house due to fear. Then I met a driver I knew and asked for a ride in his vehicle, without seeking permission from my parents. I slept in the vehicle. When I woke up at 4 the next morning, we had arrived in Kathmandu.

After arriving in Kathmandu, I went to my aunt’s[ii] house in Lalitpur and started staying with her. I went to Lagankhel frequently, where I got acquainted with tempo drivers and conductors. Eventually, I started working as a tempo conductor. Thereafter, I left my aunt’s house and started sleeping on the streets.

Few days after my arrival in Kathmandu, my parents also came to the city. Now they live in Lagankhel and work as laborers at a marble factory there.

Life was fun in the village. I got to go to school and have a good time with my friends. I loved the food cooked by my mother. But we have to work very hard here. I want to become a driver. Let’s see what happens.

I used to live in Lagankhel. But for the last three months, I have been staying at Hamro Sansar in Kumbheshwor.

[i] More specifically, father’s sister
[ii] More specifically, mother’s elder sister

3.3 Shree Krishna – Nowhere to go
My name is Shree Krishna Shrestha. I am 22 years old. I am from a village in Rolpa district. I left my house at the age of 13. I had to leave my village because of the Maoists.

Our family was very poor. My parents used to work as daily-wage laborers. We had to travel a long distance to buy goods. My parents used to work as porters for others, traveling long distances on foot. I used to go with them and help carry the goods. With the little money they earned, they had to meet all the household expenses. We did not get to wear new clothes even during Dashain. There were many problems at home. Some people from our village went to the city to make money. My parents often spoke of neighbors who brought back a lot of money from the city.

One day, my parents sent me to the city with a neighbor. They wanted me to earn some money. I also felt that I could earn something in the city. We walked for two days to come to Pokhara. The journey was long, and it was very difficult for me to walk. We couldn’t find much food on the way, so we walked on an empty stomach. By the time we arrived in Pokhara, my legs were aching badly. In Pokhara, I got a job of a dish-washer at a hotel. They gave me two meals a day. I needed to work very hard, but they didn’t pay me. During my stay in Pokhara, I met some boys my age. They told me that more money could be earned in Kathmandu than in Pokhara. So I also felt tempted to go to Kathmandu.

One day, I took the night bus to Kathmandu. They didn’t even ask me for the fare. Maybe it was because I was little. The next morning, I arrived at the new bus park in Kathmandu. But I knew nothing about the city, as it was my first visit. I was confused. I went looking for work around the bus park hotels and finally got a job at one of those hotels as a dish- washer. At first, the hotel owner treated me well. But later on, he started abusing me. He gave me the food but not the money. He said he would pay me when it was time for me to return home. Slowly, I got to know Kathmandu and also a few people.

After some time, I escaped from that hotel and I started working for another hotel in Lagankhel. After I worked there for some months, they also treated me badly. This hotel was like a hub for drivers and conductors of most vehicles. I knew most of them. I went with one of the drivers I knew and started working as a tempo conductor. When I was doing this work, I got to meet with many young conductors like me and boys who slept on the streets. As a conductor, I couldn’t find a place to sleep. The driver took the tempo home with him, which meant that I couldn’t sleep inside the vehicle. I ended up sleeping on the streets, together with other friends. I saw that these boys were earning money by collecting and selling waste plastic. This looked like an easy job to me, so I also started collecting plastic. I have been doing this work for eight years now.

After coming to Kathmandu, I missed my parents very much. So I once went home, covering a journey of two days on foot. My parents were thrilled to see me after such a long time. One day, six Maoists came to our house and told me to go with them. I refused. They threatened to kill my parents if I didn’t go. I feared for my parents’ lives, so I went with them. They tied me up for four days without telling me the reason. They even beat me up and didn’t feed me properly. On the fourth day, they released me on the condition that I would not leave the village. When I returned home, my parents advised me against staying in the village. Once again, I returned to Kathmandu via Pokhara. I could not find an easier job. I resumed the same old job of collecting waste plastic and returned to street life with my friends. I wanted to become a driver. But one needs a citizenship certificate in order to obtain a driving license. I didn’t have a citizenship certificate. I couldn’t have gone back to my village to have my citizenship certificate made, and I couldn’t have it issued from Kathmandu.

Street life is full of hardships. The police as well as hooligans trouble the street children. They take away even the little money that these children make. One must bear all kinds of weathers, heat and chill, while living on the streets.

At the beginning, I felt like returning to the village because of the hardship in the city. But I couldn’t possibly go back since there were chances that the Maoists would abduct boys like me. I had nowhere else to go other than the street. So I continued to live on the streets.

3.4 Motay – Caught in the middle
My name is Motay Magar. My real name is something else, but all my friends call me Motay[i], and I also like this name. I am 18 years old. My home is in Sindhupalchok district. I have been on the streets for two years. I was 16 years old when I entered the city.

My parents were engaged in agriculture. I used to assist them in the fields. I also went to school. On the way to school, I often ran into the Maoists as well as the State army. The Maoists told us boys to join their force. The army asked us if we knew any Maoists in the village. Sometimes, the army even suspected us of being Maoists and searched us over. Some of my friends escaped to the city because of this fear.

One day, I was working in the fields with my parents. Some Maoists arrived in the scene and said to my parents, “Your son is a young man now, so we shall take him with us.” My parents tried to object. “Fear not,” they said. “We won’t recruit your son into the Maoist army. We want him to cook for us.” I went with them. My parents could do nothing to stop them from taking me away. Although I was I was meant to cook for them, they made me a porter. I worked as their porter for two months.

One day, I was walking with a group of Maoists through the jungle. It was evening. On the way, we encountered the army. Then there was a big clash between the two parties. I ran away and came to Lagankhel. I started working at a hotel in Lagankhel. But it was a lot of hard work. Sometimes, I worked as late as 11 at night. I just ran away from there, without even asking for any money, and started working again as a porter on the streets. Then the street became my home, where I slept at night. I met other street children and, in their company, I started collecting waste plastic. I also worked as a tempo conductor. While I was collecting waste plastic, some of my friends brought me to an organization, which happened to be Hamro Sansar in Kumbeshwor, Lalitpur. Hamro Sansar became my new home.

Sometimes, I remember my times with the Maoists. They taught me how to use a gun. Whenever I carried a gun, I felt like killing all the rich people and steal their money. I miss my village now. I fondly think of the moments spent with friends, our fishing trips and our picnics. But I am on the streets now. Things are not so enjoyable here.

(Five months later, Motay Magar left Hamro Sansar. His whereabouts are unknown. This story is based on our conversations with him when he was here.)

[i] Motay means fatty

3.5 Rajesh – Harassment by mother
(Rajesh Hamal is slightly different as compared to other street children. Although he had a proper home, he was driven to the streets for various reasons. He has studied up to Class 5 at an English Boarding School and can express himself well. He is of very simple and kind nature. His eyes appear to be watery most of the time. Although he looks like a drug addict, he says smoking is his only addiction. He is good at talking in a very loving and innocent manner.)

My name is Rajesh Hamal. I am 13 years old now. I left my home two years ago. I was 11 years old then. At first, I studied at the AIMS Academy in Lagankhel and later joined the Namuna Machhindra School. I have studied up to Class 5. But I dropped my studies while I was in the fifth grade. Then I left home and started working at a hotel in Thapathali, Kathmandu. My father was a tempo driver, and my mother worked in the fields. My elder brother was very naughty since he was young, and my younger sister was very little. My mother didn’t seem to like me at all. She often beat me up and filled my father’s ears with things that weren’t true about me. Then my father hit me with a belt.

When I was 5, I was hit by a tempo. My mind has been slightly disturbed since that accident. I feel something is wrong. The villagers and my neighbors said that I had lost my mental balance. I did not feel like working. I was often lost in thoughts. My mother told me to get out the house. So I left one day. But now, I miss my family. We are very poor. There are many problems. We can’t earn money.

I worked at the hotel in Thapathali for some months. The hotel owner agreed to pay me Rs 700 per month. I slept at the hotel. The owner paid me during the first few months but later stopped giving me any money. I left the hotel one day but made sure that I got my money back with the help of my elder brother’s friends. By this time, I had lost touch with my studies, and I had left home. But I spent the money I earned at the hotel on my sister’s education.

When I was working at the hotel, the owner gave me a place to sleep. But after I left, I had nowhere to sleep. So I started sleeping on the streets. I still remember my first night on the streets. There were some bed-cots at the Lagankhel bus park. I slept there, along with many other boys. Then I started collecting waste plastic for money. I also started doing drugs in the company of my friends. I still remember the first time I tried dendrite with my friends. One day, I saw my friend consuming a can of dendrite near the street. Quietly, I stole his can and ran away. He saw and chased me for long. Then I went to a corner and poured the dendrite on a milk packet. After tasting the dendrite, I could not feel or remember anything. The intoxication of dendrite was so strong. I was addicted at once. I started having it every day to feel high. Its addiction is so strong that once someone starts consuming dendrite, it’s hard to get over the habit. Dendrite is easily available at shops, so anyone can buy and try it.

I love music. My favorite song is “Euta Manchhe ko Maya le Kati Pharak Pardachha Jindagi ma”[i] by Narayan Gopal. I love it because I feel this song tells a great story of love. I like such songs. I like to sing songs like “Kasle Dela Dag Batti”[ii]. I know the songs by Udit Narayan Jha and Raju Lama. One of my senior brothers at Hamro Sansar, where I am staying now, teaches me to sing. He sings well. Whenever I hear him sing, I also feel like singing. I always wanted to be a singer. But how can people like me ever become singers? I also want to learn to play the guitar.

Before coming to Hamro Sansar, I was into drugs like marijuana and hashish, but I have got over that habit now. However, I can’t do without smoking. I find it very difficult to quit smoking, especially since I developed this habit when I was young. My mother used to smoke, and I was used to inhaling the smoke of a cigarette. Later on, I was tempted to try it – one puff and I was addicted!

I have acted in a Nepali movie named 'Basanta Ritu'[iii]. I knew a film artiste when I was working at the hotel in Thapathali. He came to the hotel frequently. I also got to visit his house several times to deliver services. One day, he asked me whether I would be interested in acting in a movie. He added that I should go with him, if interested. I got excited. I told him I was interested and went with him. Eventually, I played the role of the younger brother of actor Shiva Hari Paudel, who is a garage mechanic in the movie. In the same movie, I played the role of a child who is into dendrite. For this, I had to sit on the footpath, acting like I was consuming dendrite from a milk packet with the help of the outer cover of a ball pen. The camera shot me. But I wasn’t allowed to consume real dendrite – I only had to pretend like I did. It was then that I got to know stars like Rajesh Hamal and Jal Shah. They have probably forgotten me by now. But if I see them again, I shall certainly speak with them.

It has been a year since I came to Hamro Sansar. I don’t feel like going to the streets anymore. While living on the streets, we had to peep through a television shop to watch television. But here in Hamro Sansar, there is a television for us. I watch the television a lot. Every time I see film heroes and heroines dancing on the screen, I want to be like them.

In the past, there were times when I did not take a shower for months. But after coming to Hamro Sansar, I shower every week. They give us bathing and washing soaps. I play carom-board in the afternoon. Sometimes, my friends come home with drugs secretly, and I feel tempted to have them again.

Nowadays I don’t feel like going out too often. I spend my days at Hamro Sansar. Sometimes, if I am able to borrow Bale Dai’s[iv] bicycle, I cycle to Baudhha[v], where my grand uncle lives. He is very old. I feel happy when I meet him. He always asks me about my health whenever we meet. He is also poor. I love him. Sometimes, I also go cycling to Thapathali and Thamel. I enjoy going around the city. It makes me happy to see different kinds of people, big buildings and shops. But I feel sad when I see street children. My heart goes out to them. Life is harsh on the streets. Many people look down on street children. The police also trouble them. Even vehicles seem to be driven in such a way that they might run over these children. When I see such sights in the city, I feel terrible.

When I worked as a conductor, I was able to save Rs 5 a day. During the day, I worked for the tempo, and in the evening, I went to an organization called Ganses Nepal to deposit my daily savings. The ladies working there helped me with the deposit. I had managed to save Rs 1500, but I spent the money on medicine for my father, when he fell ill. He is still ill. He can’t work. My mother sells maize in Mangal Bazaar[vi]. I get worried when it rains. I don’t know why, but I miss my parents when it rains and tend to worry about many things.

Our old house was in a village called Dhunge Kharka in Lalitpur. Nowadays, I often think about the village. The memories of my village make me happy. We stole plums and berries to have fun. Whenever we attended wedding parties, we ate until we were stuffed. Not only that, we hid some food in our pockets and had it for lunch at school the next day. We even stole sweets from the party, when no one was looking.

Life at Hamro Sansar is good. A few days ago, when our Sirs[vii] purchased a computer, my friends and I were very happy and felt proud to see that our organization too had a computer of its own. I like staying here. Everybody loves us. But when we get scolded sometimes, I feel like crying. This doesn’t happen often, though. Everything else is fine. But my heart is not always happy, as you can never tell what will happen when – life is uncertain.

Reference

CWIN (2002), Glue Sniffing: Among Street Children in the Kathmandu Valley, CWIN, Kathmandu

[i] A popular Nepali song, whose literal translation is: a person’s love can make much difference to one’s life
[ii] Literal translation: who will light my funeral pyre
[iii] Spring season
[iv] Dai is the Nepali word for elder brother; Bale is a Hamro Sansaar staff member.
[v] The area in Kathmandu where the Bauddha Nath stupa lies
[vi] Now a touristy area in Lalitpur, where the famous Patan Durbar Square is
[vii] Reference to Hamro Sansar staff