I’ve been working on a photo story on the street children of Katmandu, but, now, I quit. Because: a. I haven’t seen the kids I want to shoot for a while. B. I don’t know Nepali, making it impossible for any type of cooperation/coordination and I can’t afford/waste the time of a translator indefinitely. C. Every photographer who comes to Kathmandu, or any third world country for that matter, does a story on the homeless children (they exist in the “developed” world too, why don’t they get coverage as well? not exotic enough?). Therefore, I shall share with you what I have:
These kids are seen everywhere, especially around tourist areas. If you are of western descent you will surely be approached by a dirty kid with a sad face, holding out his hand begging for money in the most pathetic voice he can muster.
After only a few hours of spending time around them, I realized they are kids, first and foremost. Only secondly are they in a terrible situation. They are always laughing and playing outside the eyes of their clientele (the tourists).
The nasty, sometimes unrecognized aspect of these kids is that they huff glue, all day, all the time. The few of them that I had the chance to interview say they huff to stay warm. One kid, Thulo-bi, 10 years old (top portrait and above picture to the left) said he huffs because of “tension”. I don’t doubt this answer is subconsciously common to many, if not all, of the kids.
All the kids interviewed said that the glue they buy is bought with money solicited from tourists. The glue is bought from a number of local stores and it seems that anyone will sell to them. Once bought, the whole group shares with each other. At Basantipur, a popular tourist area, I saw a few Nepalese people stop by and give food and water. The kids also talked about a hostel where they have a place to sleep and eat. So, it sounds like help is available, but knowing Nepal and its dire financial and political situation, I am sure it is quite limited.
I apologize for my terrible, if not sketchy, journalistic dedication. Bad journalism aside, I’ve learned that yes, help is definitely needed, but information on where to help is equally important. Helping by giving money directly to the kids produces results quite opposite the original intention. Giving money to an organization centered on this problem is probably a much more positive direction. However, I’ve recently read a newspaper article (Feb. 15 – 21 edition, Nepali Times) about rampant misuse of funds in these organizations/orphanages. So, maybe, as it usually is, mending the source, or origin, is the answer. Poor communities, unemployment, expensive or bad education, political strife, and a fierce, competitive global market are conceptually the real problems, but, as I tend to do, I am digressing into things far above my head. So, to keep things simple: peace, love, and please save the children. I quit.
Roberto, nice work. I have just this last week gained good internet and found your shit, looks awesome. email me back.
Chris Murphy
Would you like to help me build a bouldering wall for these kids? I would like to entice them, using bouldering as a vehicle, into a different life. Your images could help.