Global Poverty

For this assignment, I spoke with my early childhood contact in Nepal. I wasn’t able to establish contact with the other one, who is in Ireland.

                                                      Poverty in Nepal

Ellen: Can you tell me what the poverty level is like in Nepal?

Nancy: It’s hard. Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world. We always hear there has been progress made towards alleviating poverty. However, I don’t see any progress here in Kathmandu. Over 30 per cent of Nepalese live below the poverty line, which is measured to be US $12 per person/per month. Most of the people live in rural areas where it is difficult to reach and help them.

It’s a complex problem because there is a definite caste system. You are either upper caste or lower caste, and if you are lower caste, you really have no possibility of improving your life.

Ellen: Do many of the lower caste children attend school?

Nancy: Unfortunately, poverty-stricken families are very often obliged to send their children to work rather than to school. Because of this, the poverty cycle continues into the next generation...and on and on it goes. I was recently told that one quarter of the children in Nepal are engaged in some kind of family or wage labor.

Ellen: Do you work with any of these children?

Nancy: No, sorry to say. The children who attend my school tend to be from upper caste families only. I’ve noticed there isn’t a lot of sympathy on their parts for those less fortunate, either. It’s sad.

Ellen: Do you try to instill empathy in the children you work with?

Nancy: No. We’re not allowed to interfere with the ways things are. We are told that quite strongly during training. The school organization controls what we teach, period. We either comply, or leave.

Ellen: What are your thoughts on that?

Nancy: I need this job. It pays well. However, during the summer, I will be volunteering in an orphanage here in Kathmandu. In that way, I can help make a positive change for some lower caste children. I’ll tell you more about that later but have to get to school now.

Ellen: Sounds great! Thanks for the chat!

I always enjoy chatting with Nancy and this time was no exception. I was surprised to find there were such clearly defined castes there. It must be really hard to work with children and not be able to work on empathy - to see them dismiss others as being beneath them.

I am looking forward to hearing about her work at the orphange!

                                                            Nancy

                                                             Schoolgirls in Nepal