It is not just the youth who are extending their helping hands, even children left orphaned by the quake are doing all they can to help their friends through difficult times.
Fifteen-year-old Arjun Roka was seen helping his new friend, Rohit Ghale, solve a math problem. Likewise, Gopi Bhatta was surrounded by four other children of his age, and together they were reading a passage from their English textbook. Bigger children were helping smaller ones brush their teeth and do the dishes. Similarly, a few bigger ones were seen preparing the smaller ones for school.
The group consists of seventeen children, including four girls. The children are from various places and had not known each-other before the earthquake. However, after coming into contact with the Children Welfare Committee, they have been staying together at a temporary emergency center in the district headquarters of Gorkha.
Arjun was a fifth grader at a school in Chitwan district before the earthquake. He had come to visit his ancestral home at Simjung-4 of Gorkha district with his mother. He lost both his parents in the earthquake. Being the only child he was left alone to fend for himself. His uncle was planning to send him to work in India. He, however, refused and ran away from the village. He thought all he could do to earn a living was to either work as driver's assistant or wash dishes in hotel.
After the loss of his parents, he had thought he would never be able to go back to school. But he has been able to continue his studies after coming into contact with the Child Welfare Committee. He is currently studying in grade six at Shakti Higher Secondary School in the district headquarters.
Nepal Youth Foundation has been taking care of sixteen other children like Arjun in coordination with the District Disaster Relief Committee (DDRC), Women and Children Office and District Children Welfare Committee. They are provided with tents, food, education and even security guards.
Chief of the Foundation Deepak Pant said, "We take in children only on the recommendation of the children welfare committee. If their numbers go up, they will stay in Gorkha, or else, they will be moved to other district".
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