Their world turned upside down when Tirtha Khadka, the father, who was working as a security guard in Qatar, had died under a suspicious circumstance on August 18 last year. The body was flown home on November 23. [break]
Ever since the tragedy, Sumitra, the mother, is struggling to provide for the five daughters and two sons, who are all under the age of 17.
Shortly after Khadka´s death, Khotang Social Service Center had offered Rs 1,64, 650 to the family. A few more local philanthropists had chipped in, too.
A few katthas of land the family possesses provides them for not more than three to four months.
"Had they not received some charity, they would have become a total destitute by now," says Tuki Maya Bhujel, a neighbor. "It still bleeds my heart to see Sumitra running from pillar to post in search of any menial work."
Though the children have been enrolled at public schools -- Janasewa Secondary School and Janachetana Primary Schools -- in the same VDC, their teachers say that they are as good as drop outs because they have to support their mother to eke out a living.
"They appear only during the exams. As to my knowledge, last year they attainted just around 20 classes," says Raj Kumar Khadka, a teacher.
"To be brutally honest, I hope the minor ones need to be handed over to orphanage or someone should come forward to adopt them," adds Khadka.
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