The Nepali Florence Nightingale, Dilsobha

It is hard to believe that in Kathmandu there live some extraordinary kind souls who have vowed to work to their last breath for the betterment of the depressed, exploited and the neglected sections of the society. Surprising though it may appear, the fact is that there are certain creatures who are already on the move to accomplish the social jobs they have recently undertaken. What is more surprising that these kind souls have embarked on this path promising that unless forced they will not seek any sort of donations, in kind or in cash, for the continuation of the pious jobs in which they have engaged themselves presumably for ever. All that one needs is the prevalence of a strong will well within oneself, one can accomplish miraculous jobs of social nature. It is not for nothing been said that if there is a will, there is a way.

One such personality has come to our notice through Annapurna Post dated December 14.

She is Dilsobha Shrestha, a resident of Kathmandu that is close to Soaltee tri-junction who is all set to do jobs that others love to hate. She is doing a job that should have been done by the close relatives of the men concerned whom she is taking care of. The social job she has been doing should come as a matter of utter shame for the sons and the daughters of those destitute now taking shelter in Dilsobha’s house.

Shame on those belonging to Nepali society who enjoyed blessings of the parents while young and clung to the parents until they came up to their age. Upon achieving a new height in the society they forgot that whose blessings and parental care brought them all to the present status deserve their care at time of the old age. However, some rotten eggs of the Nepali society have forced the Nepali version of Florence Nightingale to proceed in this direction.

Dilsobha is herself a lady badly treated by the contemporary Nepali society. She was simply abandoned by her merciless husband for not being able to give birth to a son. The duffer husband must be aware of the fact that the women do not determine the birth of a son or of a daughter but that totally depended on the sperms of the male partner. Such fools are abundant in Nepali society. Dilsobha did not lose her composure but instead decided to go in for such a job that not only kept her engaged but in the process supported those who needed her at the most. Now that Dilsobha in her private residence has managed to nurse some ten old-age female folks who have been abandoned by their own once nearest and dearest kith and kin.

Not only this Dilsobha only recently brought with her a just abandoned born male kid from the banks of Bagmati river in Sanepa. The just born who was counting his last and perhaps would have been declared dead had it not been to the kindness of this lady that the boy is now six months old and that the lady has declared the kid to be her heir apparent.

Those who have seen Dilsobha’s endeavor and vigor say that she will not settle for less than engaging herself to this job until she counts her last breath. It is for nothing that this kind soul has groomed a wish inside her hearts to allow her newly adopted son to become a Medical Doctor hoping that one day the small kind upon coming of age will toe his mother’s line to the benefit of the poor and the neglected ones.

What is not surprising therefore is that Dilsobha’s private residence is not like that of the one among the crowd of the many mushrooming NGOs that claim to have been working for those whom Dilsobha in effect is doing at the moment. The money spinning NGOs should take Dilsobha’s non-profitable acts as lessons and embark on the process so kindly initiated by the lady. Hers is a simple building and the rent she earns from her building is what in essence is being spent on the upkeep of the destitute currently housed in Dilsobha’s house. What is more than reassuring is that Dilsobha has in her possession some good amount which she wishes to spend on the noble cause and further promises that if the money in possession becomes less then she would join any job that keeps her going.

We don’t know whether this event deserved to be penned in this column or not but what is for sure is that such rare events and that too which are full of compassion have got to be highlighted so that the persons engaged in such pious jobs get full encouragement. After all, as members of the same society, what else we in this paper would do other than to encourage such "distinguished" lady. We did what was expected of us as men involved in this profession.

While we salute Dilsobha from the very core of our heart for her splendid contribution to the Nepali society, we equally wish to condemn those men in the fake NGOs who have opened this shop only to amass wealth in the name of those whom Dilsobha is taking care of.

Thanks Dilsobha!

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