In the past few years, the number of Nepali workers exiting the nation in lure of foreign employment has increased drastically. With spouses living apart from each other and either of the spouses not living with the children, relationship among such family members has been adversely affected and the impact of this sour relationship have severely affected future of children.

 

Eleven-year old Pradip Khadka of Manpur, Dip Pokhari is one of such victims where the spouse taking the responsibility of parenting children at home elopes away with someone and the parent abroad also neglects responsibility towards children.

 

While he was a small kid, Pradip father flew to Kuwait for employment leaving him and his elder brother, Pravin, in care of their step mother. After staying few years with them, their step mother Namrata Khadka eloped away with another man, stranding both brothers. Father also stopped providing for their living and education forcing both brothers to take care of themselves.

 

Pravin left home to wash dishes at a hotel in Ramechhap's Lubhughat with the younger following his footsteps some weeks later, after it became hard for him to meet ends at home. "I walked from Nepalthok to Khurkot. I stayed at Khurkot Police Station and washed the police uncle's dirty dishes," he said while sharing how he was forced into earning a living for himself due to his irresponsible parents. After working for a week at the station, the Police finally put him in a vehicle bound for Sindhuli instead of handing over the kid in custody of safe hands.

 

Pradip's journey was like from pillar to post. Though he yearned to reach Sindhuli with fairy tale expectation of getting good place to stay and delicious food to eat, life became even harsh for him in Sindhuli bazaar. Unable to get any job around, he ultimately was forced to beg to meet his needs. Hungry, exhausted and on the verge of collapse he was rescued by Khed Bahadur Thapa Magar from the river bank of Bitijor-3 on June 21.

 

Thapamagar found Pradip with tattered clothes on his back that were not only dirty but also drenched from head to toe. "He tells me to take him to his father" Thapa Magar said. "He repeats the mobile number 9841202549 and says that it was the number that his father used three years ago" he added. But when the number is called, it is picked up by an unidentified man who claims that he is not Pradip's father.

 

As of now, Pradip lives in Bitijor-3 VDC and grazes cattle. And although the kid shies away when approached by strangers, he tells his story to anyone who is able to comfort him. "There is no one at home to go back. All the relatives that I know of are living in Kathmandu." He doesn't remember the exact date of leaving his home but does say that he used to study in Grade 3 at Shree Krishna Baneshwor School.

 

Similar story of helplessness is shared by Tej Bahadur Purwachane of Bhuwaneshowri-3 who is left without a family or guardian after his father ran away with another woman whereas his mother had abandoned him in his early childhood. Sindhuli has presence of organizations like Plan Nepal and Save the Children, but such organizations have also failed to rescue children that have been abandoned by their own families.

 

Concerns for the number of such children in the district become more acute considering the fact that the district is one of the top most districts with foreign employed residents.