It was a hoarse voice of a boy around eight years of age. He kept begging me and touched my feet while I waited for the micro to take me home after the long day of shopping. As soon as his fingers touched me, a strange feel came over me. [break]
It took just a second for me to fall in love with the poor child. I gave him a ten-Rupee note, expecting him to buy a packet of biscuits and fill his empty stomach. As the micro started, I felt satisfied. At least I could help him. I was very happy.
But unfortunately, it didn’t last long. I was stunned and my eyes could not believe what I saw. The child was smoking with his friends.
If only something could be done for the awareness of such children! How many hidden talents God might have blessed them with? And what a bad luck, not theirs but the country’s which is silently ignoring all these happenings. What a big price people have to pay for being born in a poor family. Poor children or poor we?
The black body, stained teeth, rough mannered child, that boy, I can guarantee, wasn’t only a prey to cigarettes but also drugs and other harmful stuffs. He wasn’t wrong.
Not only food, the boy also lacked good care and good luck that could blossom into a good future and better life, and the best of all – Education. But what can he do to himself? Nothing but harm himself and everyone.
Being superstitious, we often blame the bad karma of those poor children. We keep on looking for such reasons and letting these children destroy their lives.
"Oh, leave it. He’s responsible for such a fate. It’s the result of all his bad karmas," one tends to say.
Nepal is a poor country with rich citizens. We have a government which is weak and fails to look after its needy children. It’s strange how everyday, an unlimited number of people leave for holidays with their families, donate a good amount at temples.
For me, there can’t be anyone more foolish than them who donate millions to their gods. I don´t understand for what purpose my god requires money? To cure people´s selfishness or for a budget plan to improve the condition of the poor?
Ten people with Rs 100,000 each can be more than enough to start an organization for such children. Yes, rich Nepalis are not only blessed by Goddess Laxmi but also have intelligence granted by Goddess Saraswati.
We are a talented lot when it comes to handling money. We can waste a good amount on entertainment but never for some basic needs of those poor babies.
I’ve been given everything; in fact, more than what I require: Wonderful loving parents, a beautiful home, friends, teachers, and all my additional needs to entertain and enjoy myself.
I think if only I could share or give a corner, a part of my happiness, to that child, I would be glad. Time and again, I ask myself if I can do something.
But I’m helpless. What can I do, apart from feeling bad for them, sharing my sadness with my family, giving some money and regretting after the misuse? I often dream about my future.
The day I finish my studies and get a job. The moment a dependent student will turn into a successful parent to those poor orphans and then I promise never to expect or ask help for those poor children. I pray from the bottom of my guilty and sorry heart to be blessed with an answer to the question: Poor children or poor us?
The writer is a 1st year student of Environment Science.
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