Himalayan News Service

Dhadhing, May 1:

The seven-month-long famine in Dhading district has hit Chepang children badly, with nearly all of them suffering from severe malnutrition.

According to research by a local NGO, FOCUS-Nepal, most of the malnourished Chepang children are suffering from diseases of the stomach, skin and eyes.

Due to the compulsion of eating anything for survival the children are suffering,

said Rajaram Sitaula, member of FOCUS-Nepal.

Chepang children in Jogimara, Dhusa, Benighat, Mahadevsthan, Gajuri, Pinda, Thankre and Goganpani VDCs have been especially hit. It is the lingering famine that has led them to suffer thus.

The economic condition of the about 15,000 Chepangs living in the district is abysmal. The Chepangs, who live on about 5 per cent of the total land area of the district, have neither land registered in their names nor any movable assets.

For the last seven months, the Chepangs have been relying on wild fruits, fish and so

on. Sources said that the famine is likely to continue for another two months.

Whatever maize the Chepangs have managed to have sow on patches of land here and there won’t be sufficient, said Sete Chepang of Orbang. “Due to shortage of food, I am anyhow managing to feed all five members in my family by working in others’ fields, begging and gathering wild fruits,” he said.

Sete’s three children are suffering hunger pangs all the time. A worried Sete said, “As my children are being treated by faith-hailers, I am worried whether they will get well or not.”

Although numerous NGOs are active here, claiming to work for Chepangs’ uplift, nothing has changed, said local social activists.

School for the Chepangs’ children is out of question. All their energies are directed towards gathering food, seeking shelter and clothing.