It was Basnet’s visit to Nepal Bal Mandir (Nepal Children’s Home) near her Elites’ Co-Ed School in Naxal that made her realize how bitter a life children like her were living.[break]
Basnet was an average student, and she was the only one to fail the SLC exam in her batch from the school. The one year gap that she had after failing SLC provided her with adequate time to serve as a volunteer at Bal Mandir that shelters and provides for poor and orphan children from various parts of the country.
Without her knowledge, she had developed an inseparable bond with the orphan and destitute children, instilling in her a vague resolve to work for their cause in the years ahead.
Two years later, she passed her +2 examinations from Xavier International Academy, Kalopool. All her friends flew abroad for higher studies. Her family wanted that she too follow suit. After all it was a matter of prestige in her family circle to send children abroad. But her inner callings would not let her to do so.
Instead, she studied Bachelor in Social Works (BSW) at St. Xavier’s College, Maitighar.
Basnet was little mischievous by nature since childhood. Once, she along with two other friends bunked classes during her second year of BSW only to be caught by her teachers. This earned her a one year suspension from the college, bringing a turning point in her life. She came up with the idea of establishing a kindergarten to materialize her long cherished dream to work for the cause of orphan and destitute children.
INSPIRATION
While a BSW student at St. Xavier College, Basnet was required to do field study as a part of the studies.
Basnet was among students assigned to visit Women’s Cell in Kalimati Police Station, where she came in contact with then Inspector Mira Chaudhari some six years ago.
Upon her request, Inspector Chaudhari once took her to visit to the only women’s prison in the country —Janana Women’s Penitentiary-- in Central Jail, Tripureshwor.
What moved then 20-year old Basnet the most was the pitiable condition of tender aged children living with their inmate mothers.
She met a one-year-old child living with his inmate mother, who was recently transferred there from Sindhupalchowk.
It was then that she made a clear resolve to do something for the cause of such children.
She went home and consulted the same evening with her parents – Purna Bahadur and Sarita – about taking care of the child. She was more than happy to find her parents not averse to her idea though they reminded her that it would invite her big headache.
JOURNEY AHEAD
Basnet was just 20-year old when she set up a day care center for such children. Along with her friends, Juni Shrestha and Ammu Pokharel, Basnet took an apartment on rent at Bhatbhateni, with a contribution of Rs 10,000 from each. Three of her relatives too contributed Rs 10,000 each for the cause.
She then went to Central Jail to ask for the children who could be looked after at her day care center. She was, however, dismayed to find that no one would believe her.
Jail officials said, “How can we believe a girl who is barely 20 years old is up for this task?” Inmate mothers also has similar doubts.
Nevertheless, the then jailer Rishikesh Dhungana appeared supportive to her endeavor. He went in person to see the apartment she had taken on rent to run the day care center for the inmates’ kids. After being fairly convinced, the jailer suggested that she register an NGO to start her venture. He also helped her establish communication with inmate mothers in the jail.
As per the suggestion, Basnet registered a NGO, Early Childhood Development Center (ECDC), and embarked on her journey in social service. There were in total seven children in the jail then.
Basnet and her friends used to bring the children to their rented apartment in a taxi at 10 am and drop them back to their mothers in the jail at 4 pm. The children were happy to be at the day care center.
Basnet’s journey ahead was not easy given the paucity of fund. The number of children began increasing, leaving her unable to accommodate all of them. Basnet moved to two other places in the following six years before she finally took a house on rent in Chapali, Budhanilakantha.
In the meantime, she also began running residential homes for such children fearing that the children would not be properly cared for once they are given to some orphanages. As per the existing regulations in Nepal, prison authorities allow inmate mother to keep children with them until they are six years old. Once the children are above six years of age, they are sent to various orphanages including Bal Mandir. “But I found that the children were not properly cared for in the orphanages. This made me decide to care for them myself,” she adds.
SOURCES OF FUNDING
Basnet, who is called Pushpa Mamu by the children, recalls that it was nothing but her determination and the support her family provided her that brought her organization to the stage it is in today. She hardly forgets the day when she had to sell her own jewellery to feed the children.
“When there was serious fund crunch, I would knock the door of my parents,” she says. “I am lucky that my parents always stood supportive to the cause I am involved in.”
What is peculiar about ECDC is that it never sought funds from INGOs though some generous foreigners have lent their support to it.
“Once we start receiving funds from INGOs we need to abide by their unnecessary terms and conditions,” she says. “We want to run the organizations on our terms.”
Things, however, witnessed some changes after the ECDC first drew media attention in 2005. Some philanthropic individuals came up with support, though meager, to help her meet the funding needs. She does not forget to mention the name of late Chandra Gurung of WWF, Nepal, Aunt Marleys and Mira Chaudhary for their generous support. Inspector Chaudhary, who was later transferred as in-charge of Balaju Police Station, provided her with a total Rs 101,000 that police seized from gamblers in the area.
FUTURE PLANS
Sustainability of any organization depends largely on sources of its funding. Realizing this fact, Basnet has arranged trainings to small children to produce various artifacts like paper bags, key rings, greeting cards, and paintings during their leisure time after school.
According to Basnet, the ECDC earned a sizeable amount by selling New Year Greeting cards and Christmas cards this year.
“We provide this training to the mother of such children after they get released from jail and keep them with us for as least a year,” she says. “This will not only help them learn livelihood skills but also makes their reintegration with the society smoother.”
In the past six years, some 30 inmates’ children have already left the ECDC after receiving proper care in their early childhood. The ECDC now shelters 37 children. Buoyed by the success of her endeavor over the years, Basnet now plans to expand the areas of her social work. “We plan to take care of the children of inmates serving jail terms outside Kathmandu Valley as well,” she says.
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