Kathmandu, November 8

National Centre for Children at Risk, Bhrikutimandap, has been counselling street children, along with their parents, who earn their living begging on streets in Kathmandu Valley.

Santosh Chandra Adhikari, NCCR spokesperson, said most of the children who begged on the streets were not orphans and were encouraged by their parents to do so.  “We’ve also found out that most these children are from Indian villages,” he said, adding that children rescued from the streets were being sensitised on the evil of begging.

The NCCR has so far rescued 52 boys, 45 girls from different areas, including Kesar Mahal, Durbarmarg, Sundhara, Old Bus Park, Gaushala, Pashupatinath, Tribhuvan International Airport, Koteshwor, Jawalakhel, Kalanki, Swoyambhu, Thapatali, Balaju, Balkhu and Lokanthali.

Adhikari said most of the children who begged on the streets were compelled by their parents to earn money. “We have been working to rehabilitate these children. But the parents exploit the innocence of these children and send them back to the streets,” he said. Adhikari said they had also asked the Indian Embassy to take care of such children and parents.

Tarak Dhital, executive director at CCCWB, said that the board had been councelling children as well as their parents. “Although we convince the children not to beg on the streets, they resort to begging on the streets again under parental pressure,” added Dhital.