To better understand my stay in Nepal you should have
a look at the website of CPCS (Child Protection Centers and Services: http://www.cpcs-int.org/ ), and read the
books published by its founder, Jean-Christophe Ryckmans, one of the most
fascinating persons I have ever met and a dear friend.
« L’avenir au bout de la
rue » - 2007
« Street children of Nepal
During one month, my mother and I volunteered in the
different CPCS centers in Kathmandu , home to
big and small street children, with stories to tell and unforgettable moments
to share. We stayed in Baluwatar, in an apartment with 4 other volunteers: Jean
François, Marieke, Lisa and Kevin. As Lisa said, the six of us were meant to
be, no one else. What a pleasure to share one month with them, interesting
conversations, difficult moments but most of all many many funny moments!
Working in the different Centers
To work in Baluwatar with the small boys (6-12) and
boys Elite group was pure enjoyment. Puran runs the center with a gentle but
firm hand, teaching the boys that it is possible to make it outside of the
street. We played karamboard, cards, badminton, ping pong, made drawings,
origami or any other activity that they enjoyed. One day we also organized some
games with the boys; an apple in water and sweets in flour, potato on a spoon,
rope pulling (tug of war)… The boys were in different teams: Cobra, Tiger,
Lions. Their faces were lit up with excitement as their team would win points.
The Lazimpat girls’ center is the home to small girls
as well as young women abandoned by their parents or without parents at all.
Their stories are similar to those of the boys but they are even more fragile
and exposed to abuse than the boys. They love drawing and are very concerned
with being beautiful. One day they decided to make us beautiful too. We got nail
polish, oil in our hair, some makeup and traditional Nepalese dresses. They
even tried to teach us the dances that go with the clothes… I will always
remember their laughs!
Dillibazaar is the biggest of all the CPCS Centers. It houses boys from 12 to 18 years of age, has a shelter, a rehab program and
school boys program. The principle of CPCS is that the child itself chooses
what he wants to do. When he is ready to go to rehab, he commits to the rules
of the program and the CPCS staff help him. When a rehab child follows some
classes, he gets educational tickets with which he can buy different things
like soap, games or even soccer shoes. In fact, football is one of the
favourite activities of the boys in Dilllibazaar, and they could play it for
hours. It was more difficult to connect with these boys as they were older and
adolescent and I’m not such a good football player… However, after a while,
when we got to know them better, we are able to discuss more as their English
was quite good.
In Siphal, at the end of an alley surrounded by trees
and monkeys, the CPCS clinic cares for the wounded and hurt. The best food is
served here as the children have to get better quickly. Some had a cold,
others a leg wound they got during soccer practice or fighting in the street.
Others again had AIDS or were drug addicts with serious injection wounds. These
children have had to face the cruel reality of the street or are facing it
every day. Many children still have their parents who are unable to take care
of them, or are so attracted by the liberty and the money that they
choose voluntarily to live on the street with a gang of other street children.
In the clinic the activities were calmer than in the other centers; play memory,
karamboard, take pictures, make bracelets or even cut my hair. Siphal Clinic is
45 minutes walk from Baluwatar, where we live. One day, walking through the
alley to reach the clinic, some monkeys attacked us, to steal our biscuits. One
even grabbed our legs. We started running and screamed out loud to scare them off.
They were attracted by plastic bags is what we learned afterwards…
Dashain is one of the most important festivals in Nepal
We were quite lucky to have been there during this
period as everyone celebrated and the children had days off from school so we
could spend more time with them. Some children also went home to their families
during this period, highly encouraged by CPCS whose aim is to reunite the small
ones with their families whenever possible. In Dillibazaar, the largest of the
centers, we did the Tika ceremony and celebrated with all the children with
delicious food and activities.
(CPCS asks us not to publish any pictures of the children on the web, but I will gladly show you some when I get back)
(CPCS asks us not to publish any pictures of the children on the web, but I will gladly show you some when I get back)
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