Nation»
No govt assistance for handicapped children
- Family struggling for sustenance
MAKWANPUR, DEC 23 - Of seven children, one son and two daughters of Dil Bahadur Balami, 42, are physically challenged. His two-year old daughter, Nani Maya Balami, and two sons: Mahin Balami, 12, and Dambar Bahadur Balami, 16, were born with physical defects.
A pathetic house near the local stream is the sole property of the family and all members except the three have to toil for the whole day to eke out a living.
"It has been a Herculean task to supply the daily needs for our children, though we do not rest even for a single day," said Shanti Maya Balami, the mother of the seven children.
Mahin Balami has less of a problem compared with his brother and sister as he can move about on his hands. His sister and brother however cannot move at all.
Mahin Bahadur is a second grader at the local Jana Priya Secondary School. While the rough path to the school is just 30 minutes walk for a normal person, it takes Mahin an hour to crawl all the way to school, according to his parents.
"Though physically challenged, Mahin is an intelligent student and is usually at the top of his class," said Ramesh Lamichhane, the school headmaster. What worries Mahin most is that he may have to discontinue his schooling due to poverty.
"Most often I can’t do my homework as I lack stationery. I am not sure whether my parents will send me to school next year," said a sad Mahin.
Ironically, this family, living at a suburb of Hetauda, the district headquarters is not receiving any government allowance meant for the physically challenged.
"Two children lie as still as logs at home and the one more from the same house crawls all the way to school. Where are the government employees channelling so-called allowance for the physically challenged ones when the family is deprived of it?" questioned Basanta Dahal, a local.Posted on: 2003-12-24 04:51
Headlines
Advertisements
