Orphanage Reality in Nepal

COUNTRY: Nepal
PROGRAM: GapBreak
PROJECT: Teaching
WRITTEN BY: Brendan Dennis

How do you cause an erratic stampede of very loud Nepali children? You shower them with more sporting equipment and stationary than they’ve ever seen in their life. Perhaps we spoiled them, more likely they are deserving of being spoiled.

The group has split in two, leaving Ben, Aidan, Vanessa and myself at an orphanage in Baktapur. In the village, we tried to avoid blatantly bathing kids with gifts so as not to distort our image as guests in their village. Here though, it seems so much in need. We have a total 13 kids, sleeping in 2 rooms. They eat 2 meals per day; we’ve seen some of them eating left overs off of the floor when they are still hungry. Half of the kids have only been in school one year and are older than seven or eight years.

We have an eleven year old who still reads in grade 1. The washing well brings up yellow water, and they only have two sets of clothes; one for school and one for home. Some of them are too young, or sick, to properly control their bowels, so a few times we have ended up with big stools lying around the place in the orphanage.

Arriving here was like being repeatedly punched in the face by reality.

They didn’t have any toys at all when we arrived. The ‘father’ spent 15 rupees (20 cents) on a kite for them and they were ecstatic. It was like a special treat for them. You could only imagine how they reacted when we arrived home one day with skipping ropes, soccer balls, badminton, colored pencils and juggling balls for them all. It was nothing short of chaos. Very happy chaos.

We have settled in and very much warmed up to the orphanage. The kids, as well, have warmed up to us. Our main function is to just give our energy and attention to them. They just want to be touching you or playing with you and it doesn’t really matter what you play. It seems as though most of them just want to know that you’re willing to give them your time. We spend a lot of time lifting them and throwing them around while every part of them goes limp except for their smiling face.

Our other main function is generally just to be furniture for them. At one point this literally meant letting one boy climb all over me for half an hour until he found a comfortable position to sleep in. Apparently, the position he chose was standing up with his head and arms resting on my lap. For this we affectionately named him ‘Sleepy,’ and he lived up to this name by occasionally falling asleep in surprising and inappropriate locations; including sitting up while everyone around him was loudly singing one of those incredibly annoying Nepali folk songs.

It is the first time we have come across a real language barrier. Nobody in the building speaks English. We have managed a net total of 2.6 conversations with everybody. It is draining at times, especially when you add it to having to always be happy around them, and always running and tickling and picking them up. It is very hard and tiresome, and we are finding ourselves counting down the days until we can relax in Kathmandu.

Though, regardless of this, we feel like we can be proud of ourselves. It is rewarding to know that we have made a meaningful connection with them in such a short time. We also know that we are the first tourists they have met, so it is nice that they will remember us in a special way… which it feels like they will.

Both groups are painting the orphanage. As well as this, the kitipur orphanage is renovating one of the bathrooms (they had the luxury of a separate bathroom for themselves; I won’t disgust you by describing ours). The others say their painting is going really well. Their kids have a much higher English level so they have been able to get the kids involved a bit in their painting. They say the kids love them all and say so very frequently.

As it comes to a close, however, I get the feeling we are all excited to come back to Kathmandu and relish in our last few nights together before we go off and do our separate things. I’ve unfortunately realized, after being separated from half the group that I care about all of them a lot and I don’t have much time left with them. Though, I’m sure our last days together will be amazing… as all our days are.