Children of the Slums- Aishworya Shahi
Donation protected
Six members, One room, One Bed, One Blanket.
One of the largest slum areas in Nepal is located no further than in Sinamangal area, Kathmandu, The capital. Dingy houses, overcrowding, insanitary conditions, absence of basic amenities like water supply, drainage and sewerage and proper disposal of garbage are some of the perceptible features of this area. More concerning, however is the social and educational poverty that is housed by this slum.
Aishworya Shahi, a 12 year old of the Sinamangal Slum area is the sole breadwinner for her family of six. She’s the eldest of 4 siblings. Every morning, after waking up, she heads to the nearest vegetable market with her brother and helps clean the vendor stalls. Upon cleaning the stalls, the vendors give her anything that’s left of their vegetables. She brings what she gets back to her community. Going door to door, she sells those vegetables. On a single day, the most she earns is around 100 rupees. A 100 rupees for a family of 6. It’s been two years since she’s been selling vegetables, but things went really south since the lockdown. Her father lost his job due to the pandemic and her mother cannot work as a home laborer anymore because of arthritis. Her father has tried to kill himself multiple times because of the burdensome debt he has accumulated over the years creating an even more toxic environment for Aishworya and her siblings to grow in. The entire family has been relying on her for the last 7 months. Their room is their kitchen, their living room and their closet. They sleep sideways to fit themselves in their singular bed and keep their guard on for being flooded with the lightest of rainfall.
Around the first week of September, Feed the Hungry Nepal, a youth initiated non profit organization, provided Relief Kits to people in Sinamangal Slum. During this endeavour, we came across an old woman along with a little girl who we would later know as Aishworya Shahi, the savior of her family. Later that event we visited their residency; we quickly realized Sinamangal Slum needed us. That Aishworya is not an isolated situation, her family’s situation is one among many in Sinamangal Slum and All of us need to come together to help them.
Childhood is for playing and learning, right? Not for Aishworya, who is constantly burdened with the responsibility to hold her family together. And not for other children of this decrepit slum.
Currently, there are hundreds of children going through similar difficulties whose lives are in the line. This GoFundMe is set up by Feed The Hungry Nepal to help the Aishworyas of the Sinamangal Slum.
40% of the raised funds will go towards Aishworya’s education and her parents’ medical treatment.
60% of the raised funds will be used to develop Children’s Kits for other children in similar predicaments in Aishworya’s community.
There is a local government school that most of the children in the slum go to but due to their families economic predicament, most cannot always afford items needed for their education. We want to help them secure at least some essential materials that they require. Thus, the Children’s Kit was designed. The kit includes some chocolates and fruits in addition to educational necessities to give these precious children a sense of childhood that we’ve all taken for granted.
This Children’s Kit will include-
4 Dozen DOMS Pencils - Rs 312
4 Dozen Notebooks - Rs 672
1 Dozen Erasers - Rs 42
1 Dozen Sharpeners - Rs 42
2 Sketchbooks - Rs 50
1 Sign-Pen - Rs 20
1 Pencil Box - Rs 45
Chocolates - Rs 50
Fruits - Rs 150
Total: Rs 1383
*The prices of the above items went through a thorough quota bid.
We were touched by Aishworya’s and these children’s resolve during such trying times and we hope you have it in your hearts to help these gems in any way you can; just as we have.
Supporting “Stories that matter”, a digital undertaking of recognition by Kathamanch [https://instagram.com/kathamanch?igshid=496y9w7kk5h7]
A relief project is being planned to serve this community in coming days.
One of the largest slum areas in Nepal is located no further than in Sinamangal area, Kathmandu, The capital. Dingy houses, overcrowding, insanitary conditions, absence of basic amenities like water supply, drainage and sewerage and proper disposal of garbage are some of the perceptible features of this area. More concerning, however is the social and educational poverty that is housed by this slum.
Aishworya Shahi, a 12 year old of the Sinamangal Slum area is the sole breadwinner for her family of six. She’s the eldest of 4 siblings. Every morning, after waking up, she heads to the nearest vegetable market with her brother and helps clean the vendor stalls. Upon cleaning the stalls, the vendors give her anything that’s left of their vegetables. She brings what she gets back to her community. Going door to door, she sells those vegetables. On a single day, the most she earns is around 100 rupees. A 100 rupees for a family of 6. It’s been two years since she’s been selling vegetables, but things went really south since the lockdown. Her father lost his job due to the pandemic and her mother cannot work as a home laborer anymore because of arthritis. Her father has tried to kill himself multiple times because of the burdensome debt he has accumulated over the years creating an even more toxic environment for Aishworya and her siblings to grow in. The entire family has been relying on her for the last 7 months. Their room is their kitchen, their living room and their closet. They sleep sideways to fit themselves in their singular bed and keep their guard on for being flooded with the lightest of rainfall.
Around the first week of September, Feed the Hungry Nepal, a youth initiated non profit organization, provided Relief Kits to people in Sinamangal Slum. During this endeavour, we came across an old woman along with a little girl who we would later know as Aishworya Shahi, the savior of her family. Later that event we visited their residency; we quickly realized Sinamangal Slum needed us. That Aishworya is not an isolated situation, her family’s situation is one among many in Sinamangal Slum and All of us need to come together to help them.
Childhood is for playing and learning, right? Not for Aishworya, who is constantly burdened with the responsibility to hold her family together. And not for other children of this decrepit slum.
Currently, there are hundreds of children going through similar difficulties whose lives are in the line. This GoFundMe is set up by Feed The Hungry Nepal to help the Aishworyas of the Sinamangal Slum.
40% of the raised funds will go towards Aishworya’s education and her parents’ medical treatment.
60% of the raised funds will be used to develop Children’s Kits for other children in similar predicaments in Aishworya’s community.
There is a local government school that most of the children in the slum go to but due to their families economic predicament, most cannot always afford items needed for their education. We want to help them secure at least some essential materials that they require. Thus, the Children’s Kit was designed. The kit includes some chocolates and fruits in addition to educational necessities to give these precious children a sense of childhood that we’ve all taken for granted.
This Children’s Kit will include-
4 Dozen DOMS Pencils - Rs 312
4 Dozen Notebooks - Rs 672
1 Dozen Erasers - Rs 42
1 Dozen Sharpeners - Rs 42
2 Sketchbooks - Rs 50
1 Sign-Pen - Rs 20
1 Pencil Box - Rs 45
Chocolates - Rs 50
Fruits - Rs 150
Total: Rs 1383
*The prices of the above items went through a thorough quota bid.
We were touched by Aishworya’s and these children’s resolve during such trying times and we hope you have it in your hearts to help these gems in any way you can; just as we have.
Supporting “Stories that matter”, a digital undertaking of recognition by Kathamanch [https://instagram.com/kathamanch?igshid=496y9w7kk5h7]
A relief project is being planned to serve this community in coming days.
Organizer and beneficiary
Shrinkie Maharjan
Organizer
Ramraj Pokhrel
Beneficiary