Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, June 22:

There has been an enormous response to the photograph published in today’s edition of The Himalayan Times of a woman and her three sons compelled by circumstances to live on the streets and fend for themselves. In response to their plight, many came forward to pitch in and do their bit for the four.

Thirty-two-year-old Indira Paudel had come to Kathmandu from Doti with her three sons Paul, 13, Samuel, 12, Isaac, 4, for Paul’s eye treatment only to find her relative’s house locked. She had been living on the streets for the past six days when our photographer captured her story on film.

Her woes did not begin a week ago. After her husband Govinda left her for another woman, she had been working as a maid in her locality to feed her family for the past three years, she said.

Indira came to THT office premises where she was given the amount donated by staffers of THT, Annapurna Post and APCA Nepal. Founder principal of Radiant Readers’ Academy Boarding High School, DK Dhungana and TK Dhakal of FP Advanced International Model School gave Rs 1,000 each, PABSON provided Rs 2,000, and she collected Rs 7,000 during her brief visit to THT premises.

On the initiative of the chairperson of Alliance for Children Welfare, they have been sent to the Child Protection Home, Shipal, a branch of Nepal Children’s Organisation (NCO).

NCO’s deputy director Bal Krishna Dangol said the NCO would serve as a transit home for the family. On behalf of the Sauhrain Sewa Kosh (SSK) Indira and her sons will be given the necessary health check-ups, said managing director of Himal Dental Hospital and an SSK representative, Rajendra Bhatt.