welcome

News & Events



30 Sep 2010
A story of a labor struggling for EDUCATION

A story of a labor struggling for education

 

I (chairperson of ACCESS) encountered with Mr. Prem Bahadur Budthapa when I went to his school namely Mahankal Janajagrit High. Sec. School, Mahankal VDC, Kathmandu to form a child club. Significance numbers of students studying at this school are labor. We formed a child club at this school to strengthen and mobilize child labor for their interest and benefit through child club. He was chosen as president of CAC club with consent from his fellow mates. Then he thanked his friends for choosing him and shared his life story with all of us.

 

Before he joined this school, he was a domestic child worker. His employer denied him an education the only thing he asked in return of his service. He was in total dark and fear that he was leaving the employer home without acquainting where to go and what to do in this self centered city. This boy determined to walk on uncertain path just in hope of gaining knowledge/ education which he believed could drive him and his mother out of suffering and isolation.

 

He spent many days and nights in the open air with empty stomach. Fortunately he got a waiter job in a restaurant where he has to work from evening to late night. He is happy that now he goes to school in the daytime. Though the life is still hard, he is happy. I was again touched by his life when he opened a secret about most of the time he came to school in the morning with bare stomach. He earns NRs 3000 a month that hardly satisfies his needs. He lamented for not being able to support his mother back in the village.

 

He is an over age student. Being 20 years old, he can’t be categorized as a child. Though our major objective is to support child labor, we have decided to support him because our action is guided by need and nature of situation not by set rules made in a confine room.

 

Mr. Budthapa was sent at the age of 14 to Kathmandu by his only surviving mother to escape from dire poverty. Acchham district, the birthplace of Mr. Budthapa was one of the most remote and underdeveloped place of Nepal.

 

Now ACCESS provided sponsorship to Prem Bdr. Budthapa.

 

"When I heard the confirmation of my sponsorship for my education, I couldn’t believe at first because I even in my wildest dream couldn’t imagine that such a best thing could happen in my life. I wholeheartedly thank Mr. Naren King for sponsoring my education. Once again thank you so much."- Prem Bdr. Budthapa.