Upon entering the home, a warm smile immediately greets you. Wearing a thrilled expression, nine-year-old Binita Pariyar, with her loud and clear voice, calls out to other children as she moves forward to the threshold.[break]
Sapna Pariyar explains that Binita is very social and quite an extrovert which makes her eager and happy whenever a guest arrives at their doorstep. Following Binita, a group of children rush out to the porch with cheerful and inquisitive looks on their faces. Like Binita, there are nine other children who have been living under Sapna’s guidance and shelter.
Social worker Sapna, now 30, did not set out to dedicate her life to the children but her circumstances rose out of compulsion. The story goes thirteen years back when, like many young people, she came to the capital from her hometown Lamjung in search of better prospects. But things turned out to be different from what she had anticipated. Left in despair when her husband abruptly left her without even an explanation when their child was just one year old, Sapna realized that she had found her calling.
“I believe that the unexpected twist of fate turned out to be the factor that made me stronger than I was before,” says Sapna.
This particular incident that occurred in her life motivated her even further not to lose hope and work to contributing to the society. “I was a helpless person at that time, so I thought that maybe I could be of help and support to someone who is even more helpless than me.”
Sapna came across a few children who were left to be on their own in her hometown. She was sad to see that kids who had not even figured out how to take care of themselves were left alone to survive. The thought of them on their own made her realize that she at least was in a better position and able to take a few kids under her care rather than leave them out on the streets.
Having initially worked as a volunteer at Helpless Colony Orphanage, an organization that supports orphan kids, Sapna had honed firsthand skills of taking proper care of children by understanding their psychology and building a rapport with them. She then initiated to open the Innovative Social Centre to become a guardian for destitute and orphan kids which is now a home to ten kids who are aged between three to twelve years.
The kids who live with her now have come from as far as Gorkha, Narayanghat, Chitwan, Lamjung as well as Kathmandu. Sapna sees no difference between her own 11-year-old son Sudarshan Pariyar and the rest of the kids. “The children are living together as brothers and sisters,” says Sapna.
Three-years-old Suman Shrestha, who is originally from Khotang, seems timid as compared to the rest of the kids. As Sapna carries him and places him over her shoulder, she explains that due to his shy nature, he prefers to talk less and is usually by himself. Shrestha’s mother is a waste collector who couldn’t afford to take care of him and was glad when Sapna took him under her care. The other children have similar stories. Some have lost their parents while a few had been abandoned.
Sapna talks about how a single trip away from the city leads her to witness many such orphan kids. “For those whose guardians are living in poverty or whose parents are no longer alive, the situation is really grim.” So she believes that though it is a small effort from her side, providing children to live in a family environment can help build a secure future for them.
The rented one-flat house where Sapna lives with the kids echoes of laughter as they are busy playing. Exhausted with all the running around, they devour warm soup that Sapna prepares for them. Sapna’s primary and fulltime job has been to look after the kids as from the time she wakes up her responsibilities start. From making meals, to preparing to send them off to school, the lady alone has been fulfilling the responsibility of a fulltime mother.
The kids too turn up to Sapna to share all the details that they go through as they have found a mother figure and a companion in her. Four-year-old Nikhil Pariyar, who is ready to play outdoor, struggles to tie up his shoelaces and comes up to her and says, “Mummy, I can’t tie the lace. Can you teach me again?”
Photo:The Week
Her own journey has not been easy. Due to lack of funds, facing everyday has been a challenge for her. The kids are enrolled at the Three Star Boarding School located in the area, so taking care of daily expenses, the house rent of Rs 7,000 and school fees sum up to be overwhelming for this young mother. With no other jobs to provide her with financial backing, Sapna sustains the whole family by the amount she manages to collect throughout the day.
“The house owner has been kind enough to rent me the whole house for lesser amount,” says Sapna. Neighbors provide me water through tankers when I need it and pay for the electricity bill. I get donated clothes and monetary support from individuals and a few organizations on request,” says Sapna.
The humble strong-minded lady who prefers low profile has managed to put up with any situation that comes through. “I’m content for having at least come this far. They call me their mother, so that in itself is an achievement for me as that brings me a sense of satisfaction,” says Sapna.
Despite the struggles, Sapna believes that it is just the beginning and intends to continue working for the kids and expand her home to welcome more kids who are in need of support. She aspires to provide for and educate at least one child from every district in the future who is in a dire situation.
Though making ends meet has been a huge challenging factor for Sapna, she moves ahead with an undaunted spirit. Dearth of financial security has not deterred her determination. In fact, she has come out stronger and takes each day as it comes as the happiness of the kids which she describes as her extended family is what matters most to her.
The writer can be reached at nistha.rayamajhi11@gmail.com
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