Her 11-year-old brother, Karan Kami has also dropped out of school. He stays idle and waits for his sister to bring him food back home.[break]
The two Dalit children have been following this routine for a month. After their parents´ death, the two were looked after by their grandmother, Dhan Mati Kami. However, the children have been left to fend for themselves after she lost her life to diarrhea in July.
A decade ago, their father, Jogi Kami died of HIV/AIDS. Two years later, their mother, Gyanu too died of the same disease. The children don´t even know the cause of their parent´s death. “I´ve been told my father worked in Bangalore. Once he returned home with a severe illness and soon passed away,” Sumitra said. “Grandmother said that mother too died due to lack of treatment.”
Jogi, who had gone to India as a laborer, had contracted HIV. Despite their parents´ death, the children, however, are HIV negative.
“I came to Mahendranagar market last week,” Sumitra told Republica, “No one was helpful.”
With help from her neighbor, Bharati Singh, Sarita has been seeking financial assistance from Kanchanpur District Administrative Office, Public Health Office, Family Planning Office and various other organizations.
“Only after the Chief District Officer calls an all party meeting, the assistance will be thought of,” Sumitra quoted the Administrative office saying. “They didn´t say when the meeting will take place.” “Other offices too said that they lacked budget. I´m tired of running to offices,” she said.
Sumitra, who daily carries a pen and an exercise book to write the names of possible patrons, is equally worried about her studies. “It makes me sad when I see friends come and go to school,” Sumitra said.
“My uncle who works as a laborer in India said he´d for a job in a hotel for my brother and asked me to marry. But I refused as I am young,” said Sumitra. “Even if I don´t find help, I´ll clean dishes and send my brother to school. I won´t let him to go to India to work as a laborer.”
A study shows that 39 non-governmental organizations in Far Western region spend more than three billion rupees in HIV sector.
Sumitra and Karan are eighth and sixth graders at Bejnath Lower Secondary School. “The school has not taken fee,” Nabin Dhami, the school´s teacher said. “Sometime we´ve provided them with exercise books and sometimes pen.” The two, who have been studying in the school since class one have never flunked. According to the school, Karan has always stood third in his annual exams.
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