Kathmandu, December 14:

The government has identified at least 1,500 children from Humla living in shelter homes in Kathmandu. The children were brought to Kathmandu by agents over the period of many years. The agents had assured the children’s parents of educational opportunities in the capital city, according to data collected by the District Child Welfare Committee (DCWC), Kathmandu chapter.

Forty-one children have been reintegrated with their families by a satellite office under the coordination of Dhan Bahadur Lama, the president of The Himalayan Innovative (THI) and a Humla-based organisation Umbrella Nepal, said Gyan Bahadur Lama, the secretary of the DCWC, Kathmandu. Lama said they are coordinating with local authorities in tracking down the children’s parents.

According to DCWC, Kathmandu, 184 children from Humla are being sent homes. Most of the children were once rescued from other shelters and are currently living with Umbrella Nepal and Voluntary Service Nepal.

Dharma Raj Shahi and Pur Shahi of Dandafaya village -8, Humla, have come to Kathmandu to take back their sons. They had sent their sons to the capital in March.

According to Pur Shahi, they sent their sons along with Dal Phadera, a local from Humla, with a hope that they would be admitted in schools opened for poor people in Kathmandu. “The schools in Humla are not regular. We thought we were fortunate to have sent our children to Kathmandu,” Pur said.

The two boys will, however, live with Umbrella Nepal and continue to do so till the end of this academic session, said Gyan Bahadur.

Birkha Bahadur Mahat, former chairperson of the District Development Committee, Humla, said the locals of Humla lack knowledge about the situation of orphanages and shelters in Kathmandu. “Being the remotest region of the country people there are often lured into better things.”

According to records at the District Administration Office (DAO), Kathmandu, 306 children were brought to Kathmandu by Himali Orphan Child Development Centre on May 2005 and 16 were taken to the Michael Job Matriculation School in Tamil Nadu, India, with approval from the DAO, Humla.