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VOL. 27, NO. 42, July04 , 2008 (Ashadh 20 2065 B.S.)
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Volunteerism Matter
An initiative of two foreign youth volunteers to resolve the miseries of the displaced people
By ABHUSHAN GAUTAM
Ever since the political situation of Nepal has exacerbated, the number of convoluted societal issues namely- poverty, unemployment, child labor too has alarmingly increased .Thanks to these miseries, the influx of foreign aids and resources into our country, for the abatement of this cause has escalated dramatically.
Quite analogous to this context, two foreign youth volunteers are currently working as active ‘crusaders’ against social miseries, availing in the capital city of Kathmandu.
Israeli Zakee Aleem, 24, graduated from Wesleyan University in the U.S. with a major in International affairs and Hizarg Kenan, 22, a Syrian national. Both of them speak English and Hebrew very well but manage their way out from the locals here with their broken Nepali accent. This disability has not deterred them yet, from their active involvement in these social service activities.
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River pollution: Harmful effect |
Their recent project is concentrated along the shores of Bishnumati River in the locality of Balkhu. Although this small piece of land belongs to the government, large numbers of migrant workers - estimated 1200 – have illegally inhabited this area.
Many attempts have been made to evict them, but all in vain the shorelines are swarmed with temporary dwellings- made up of wood and ram shackled rusty-tinned roofs covered with plastic sheets - that are flooded every year by the monsoon rains. The dire poverty surrounding this place is quite well reflected as one passes through the potholed streets lined with open sewers, holding breath against foul stench diffused by islands of garbage, floating restlessly on the murky river.
The sanitation and hygiene of people is seriously deteriorating. The denizens here have no provisions for waste management, electricity or potable water. Consequently, the slum has become a breeding ground for mosquitoes, flies and scavengers, providing safe haven for communicable diseases like Cholera, Malaria and Tuberculosis. Mass Screening Camps conducted by the health officials of Nepal Red Cross Society, revealed nearly 79 patients of Cholera and 36 Tuberculosis ones for the month of May. Since these diseases can easily be transmitted, such cases are expected to rise in the next few months.
Zakee and Hizarg have been conducting health camps every month in this area, in association with The Red Cross Society. However, no improvements have been observed, as the locals then were blindly relying on ORS (Oral Dehydration Solution) sachets and trusting the efficacy of capsules being provided to them. Now the team has comprehended a loophole in their agenda. Hence, they are now focusing more on the root causes, trying to eliminate them through practical and cost-effective remedies.
With much of the allocated funds already utilized in health screening camps, the team is still daring to install water filter jars in every tenth house-to be shared amongst the members of the assigned family groups. Construction of ground water pumps and wells is underway with the help of the occupants here. This has been done to prevent contraction of diseases by the usage of infected river water. A new committee has been set up, comprising of the locals themselves; that monitors and regulates various sanitation and cleanliness program throughout the community. Moreover, health awareness camps are also being carried out every six months.
It is still a matter of irony, however, that despite all these spear-headed and relentless efforts, the team seems to have lost much more than what they have gained so far. Now, the people heavily rely on the funded resources. They have developed a laid-back attitude and a dependent mindset.
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Growing population: Pressure on water |
Much of the earmarked funds for future projects are now being coughed out to re-fulfill the increasing demands for new water jars and medicines. For the worse, the team itself has come under the scrutiny and allegations of the police officials, for promoting illegitimate settlement.
Confused by this conundrum, Zakee laments, “What else can we do? As we have reached so far, many hopes of the locals here are beamed on us. We need to consider the plight of these poverty-ridden, helpless migrants. Since the Nepalese government is quite lethargic with such issues, seemingly, the responsibility of their rehabilitation is likely to be in our hands even though our financial reserves are depleting now. The same government is nagging on us and expecting us to quit all our activities! ”
However, Inspector Hari Baral bleakly states, “We have no such intentions of disrupting their relief programs. Our only concern is that a legal consensus has to be reached between them and the government officials.” To some extent the statement of Inspector Hari is quite justifiable. Instead of having let the population to thrive in such a prohibited and polluted land, the volunteers should have initially pondered on the issues of re-habilitation and re-settlement of the migrants, to a different but a safer place. Then, an accord could have been signed, unanimously by both the factions (the government and the team) ultimately leading to a lawful as well as philanthropic relief program.
But, again it wouldn’t have been as easy as it sounds now, in a debate-torn country like Nepal. In fact, everyone would agree that the project could have taken years to materialize if the relief program had been carried out in the aforementioned manner. But let me remind you again, it is due to the lack of such a pressure from our side that the government has always remained apathetic to these issues….
(Gautam is a student)
