9 children rescued from 'illegal' child home in Pokhara

POKHARA: A total of nine children were rescued from the New Vision Children Home in Pokhara that was being operated without license.

The District Children Rights Officer Badri Prasad Wagle informed that five boys and four girls were rescued on Monday.

The District Child Welfare Committee had time and again directed the Child Home to work according to the protocol.

The shelter was found unsafe for the children due to its internal conflict, lack of economic plans and foreigners staying there, the committee added.

The children rescued have complained that they had to work beyond their capacity and used to get beaten by the caretakers.

In their previous inspection, the Committee found 12 children in the Child Home but they were able to rescue only nine children.

The Committee said that they are searching for the remaining children.

Seven of them were previously kept at the CWIN Child Helpline and two were at the Shakti Samuha. But three of the children have been handed over to their relatives and preparations are underway to handover the remaining three to the Himali Child Welfare Forum.

It has been learned that Jyoti Gurung, manager of the New Vision was previously dragged into a controversy. Jyoti and her husband had opened the Everest Children Home in the same place three years ago but was forced to shut down due to lack of funds.

According to the latest statistics, there are 63 children homes in Pokhara sheltering around 1,456 children (687 boys and 787 girls).