When Pema was asked how far he had
to travel to come to DNC, he didn't answer because he didn't understand
Nepali language. He is from one of the remotest part of of Nepal.
His father explained that they had to walk 3 days by foot to come
to a helipad, had to wait 2 days for the helicopter which comes there
once a month. Then they took a bus to kathmandu and finally arrived
to DNC. His father Sonam Anjang Tamang said that the cost of the travel
was altogether 5000 rupees ( $ 68.5) which was of greater concern
for a poor farmer from western part of Nepal. We found that he had
borrowed the money from his fellow neighbours and was uncertain how
to repay it.
Pema was born with severe bilateral clubfoot. He got his first
medical treatment as an operation of his right foot. He will be
having his next operation at the age of 7. He has been given a specially
designed shoe by the hospital which he has to wear until the next
operation.
Due to illiteracy in his village, most of his friends avoided him
because of his inwardly bent foot.
"Don't come here, someone with legs like yours cannot come
with us" were the words Pema received from his fellow friends
due to his disability.
In DNC he will be getting some basic education, after which he will
be enrolled to school where he will enjoy his new friends and a
new life.
He has improved his Nepali language and finding DNC a cozy place.
He misses his family.
Umesh Sahi, was found
in streets of Swyumbhu V.D.C, in a village 25 km away from kathmandu
by his now parent Mr. Nanda Dev Karki who is a student in kathmandu
from the same village. He found Umesh and his other friend Ranjan(9)
roaming in the streets. Mr. Karki with the help of local police, Swyuombhu,
inquired about them and found no information about where they are
from and about their parents.
Mr. Karki with the help of Police brought the kids to kathmandu in
search for placing them in the orphanages. Luckly he found a place
and kept both the kids to that orphanage. The next day he got an emergency
call from the orphanage, later he found that the orphanage officials
found that Umesh was without a club foot and they didn't keep disabled
chid, which was unknown to them at the beginning as Umesh was wearing
a shoes and looked normal.
Mr. Karki after hearing the name of DNC, came to us and luckly the
kid got a place in DNC.
At present he is getting some basic education in DNC, he is very young
for schooling, so he will be enjoying some months in DNC and later
will be admitted.
He doesn't know who are his real parents and neither do us.
Naina has just been admitted in DNC. His brother
in law who escorted him here has left for home in Far western Nepal,
so Naina is feeling a little lost. She had to travel a week to come
here.
He was born with twisted legs and had a terrible life in his village,
one of the remotest part of Nepal.
He wasn't lucky enough to have education as the only school in his
village was 7 k.m away from his home and he could not walk. He was
even deprived from basic medical treatment as there are no hospital
where he could go for treatment.
He had no option than to lay down in his bed a dark room. One
day his father heard about DNC from a friend of DNC and brought
Naina here after a long week journey.
At present Naina has been given primary treatment and the doctors
have suggested for an operation after few months.
Even he misses his parents, he enjoys his new friends and his
new bed where he stretches himself.
He loves drawing and singing.
Sanjay Tamang is 8 years old boy from Dhading who is
at present been taken care at DNC. When he was brought in the
beginning to DNC his both legs were extensively burnt exposing
the infected shin bones. A few days delay would have led the
infection grow much worse and the only cure to this would be
cutting his legs off. We found that at the age of 2, when his
was left alone in the house and his parents away at work in
the farm, he fell into the open fire place and had a terrible
accident.
This type of incident mostly occurs in remote villages. Sanjay
lost half of his 4 fingers and due to excess burn now doesn't
have both his feet. At home he was even deprived from initial
treatment as the local health post was far from adequate.
He was immediately
admitted to H.R.D.C, a hospital in Banepa for physically challenged
children. He went through an immediate plastic surgery in his infected
legs. Later after his wounds healed he was given specially designed
shoes to walk. The moment he was given his new shoes from the hospital
lab, sanjay started to run. Everyone who saw him happy had no words
to describe their happiness. He was like a bird which stretching its
wings for the first time flying in the open sky after 8 most terrible
years. He was a happy child afterwards.
Now at DNC, he is happy with his new friends. He enjoys school at
the centre itself and loves to watch movies, especially animated.The
smile in sanjay's face tells the happy ending of his miserable story.
He is a wonderful child and loves to eat. His birthday is on January
24th.
Chirinjivi Khanal is 9 years old boy from Balkot, Argakhachi
who came to DNC with his father in search of help. He has a
twisted right feet and his father who couldn't afford his treatment
came to DNC for help. Looking at his financial condition many
other factors Chirinjivi was given admission to DNC. He was
taken to H.R.D.C hospital for checkup. The doctors suggested
a surgery and he was immediately admitted. After a week a team
of doctors suggested to postpone his surgery for a year.
He will be operated after some month's time. At present,
he is enjoying his school, Shree Sharda Ma.Vi near airport,
Kathmandu. He is fond of games, especially cricket. He wants
to become a teacher and wants to help children like him. He
misses his sister. His eyes tells a lot now then what he encountered
in the past.
SUNITA DANGI
Age : 15
Admitted to New Life in 1999 aged 10
Sunita is from a very poor farming family in a rural area of
Nepal who had no financial resources. At the age of 9 months
she received very severe burns to both of her legs and had no
access to medical care. In 1999 when she came to New Life at
the age of 10 she received surgery necessitating a below knee
amputation to her left leg and her right leg is severely deformed
from burn injuries.
She now uses an artificial leg and is able to walk well without
the aid of crutches.
Sunita attended school before she came to New Life and is
now in class 9. She will remain at school for another 2 years
to finish her education. With sponsorship she could receive
vocational training and further education.
KAMALA PUN
Age : 8
Admitted to New Life in 2002 age 6
Kamala's family lives in very difficult social circumstances
in a rural area of Nepal. Kamala had polio which has severely
affected her right foot. Her mother and father have no land
of their own to grow food. They are general workers, working
on the land or as porters for other people. They could not
afford any schooling for Kamala and had no access to medical
services. Kamala now attends school in class 3. She is very
lame but can walk without the aid of sticks or calipers.
Amar comes from Bajura in the far west of Nepal where his
family work on the land and could not afford treatment. He
has post polio syndrome. Following surgery to correct inversion
on both feet, he is now walking well. He is in class 4.
