Let it Begin!
05/30/2012
The idea of Nepal, with its spectacular peaks and varied peoples is romantically alluring. Scenes of trekking and hopping over to India filled my mind when I first found out I was going to Nepal. However, as I prepare to depart these are the furthest things from my mind. Instead my thoughts are occupied by how I can learn more about the issue of child slavery and exploitation in the Dang district and within the Tharu community in Nepal. Additionally I am very nervous. While I have over 5 years of experience working on issues that affect children all of this experience took place in Central America. Moving to a new continent is a daunting task. I believe that children have the same needs everywhere. The right to education, the right to healthcare, the right to family and most importantly a right to innocence. It is this innocence and ability to consistently grow in difficult situations that draws me to their plight. It is what has drawn me to this new continent.
The chance to make even a tiny impact on an issue as reprehensible as child slavery and exploitation is bewildering. With only a summer I have been trying to become as prepared as possible before I arrive in Tulispur. I have been reading the 5 year plan of my host organization BASE and thinking of the ways that I can help them in their fight to end Child Slavery. I know that my ideas will probably change radically when I get on the ground. The field has a way of changing the best laid plans. Yet, this is why I love field work, it pushes you around and makes you question everything you know, but it also picks you up and lets you know you’re making an impact.
Over the next 3 months I hope that you will join me on my journey to Tulispur, Nepal and back again. Over that time I hope that we can all learn more about child bondage and the waves of change that are taking place in Nepal. I, as your humble blogger, promise that the entries will be colorful, noble and heartbreaking. I also hope that you humble reader will give me your opinions and feedback on this blog. As a first time traveler to Nepal and first time blogger any advice or comments will be appreciated. I will leave it here for now. As I have not actually left yet I do not have a lot to say, except thank you for joining me on this journey and I can’t wait to touch down in Kathmandu in 5 days.
Posted By Alex Kelly
Posted Jun 24th, 2012
1 Comment
iain
June 24, 2012
Look forward to reading the blogs, and also seeing how you and Rachel will cope with this tough issue. You’re working for an organization – BASE – that has pioneered a bottom-up approach to these issues and already made a huge impact of this problem. And, as you know, they do have an ambitious plan to end forced child labor completely. That will take years, but the plan is in place and our job is to help them realize it. So you won’t be working in a vacuum!