Through my travels, I noticed the sense of curiosity from the children. They beamed with delight as they came up to me and wanted to practice their English. They were so grateful just to be having a conversation with me and it was hard not to be moved by their joy, but equally difficult not to ponder what their future might hold.
When we visited Kaluram’s home, I was able to spend some time with his children – his daughter Susma who is 14 years old and Anita who is 11 years old and his 8 year old son named Biplab.
As I watched them play knuckle heads from 5 small rocks and elastics made out of rope Kaluram made himself from reeds, it reminded me of the similarities of how I would entertain myself at home and play with my brother and sister when I was their ages.
I learned about the daily life of what it is like to be a child in Nepal. Kaluram’s children would start their day at 6 am by washing their faces and brushing their teeth outside at the water tap they share.
As the eldest child, Susma would sometimes have to help with agricultural work in cooking, planting or harvesting. When I was there, she was harvesting kidney beans on the family land. As the second child, it is Anita’s responsibility to help her parents around and inside the home, by cleaning utensils and washing clothes.
I learned that only 73% of children go to school in Nepal, and there are less girls then boys. Susma, Anita and Biplab are fortunate to be able to attend school and they only need to walk a short distance from their home.
When we asked the children what they wanted to be when they grew up, they all had the desire to help other people. Susma told us that she wants to be a nurse, and both Anita and Biplab want to be teachers.
As I reflect on my time in Nepal, I have learned an incredible amount of development at a grassroots level. Experiencing daily life first hand really put things into perspective. It was eye opening to see the daily adversities first hand relating to food insecurity, harsh weather conditions, isolation of villages and issues around conflict and peace.
It was wonderful to meet amazing partners from Caritas Nepal and to see their dedication to the people of their country. They were warm and welcoming and visiting the programs highlighted their great knowledge and expertise of what they do in helping improve the lives of thousands of people.
Two weeks before entering Nepal, I was nervous about my journey in a foreign country. But as I was saying goodbye to the last community and the staff at Caritas Nepal, I felt sad to leave the people that welcomed me like family.
Although I have now left Nepal, my memories will stay with me a lifetime. By sharing my stories and experiences, I hope that I can inspire others to take action and support the work of Caritas Australia in helping eradicate extreme poverty.
As I reflect on my time in Nepal, back in the Caritas Australia office at my desk in Alexandria, Sydney, I cannot help but ponder on a quote we have displayed on our office wall. Solidarity is neither “you” nor “I” but “Us”. I feel lucky to have experienced this unique opportunity and I look forward in sharing the stories of Kalruam and his community during Lent this year.
Elizabeth Pappalardo, Caritas Australia's Fundraising and Events Officer, travelled to Nepal last year to research our Project Compassion feature story. This was Elizabeth's first trip outside of Australia. Over the last week, Elizabeth took us on her personal journey witnessing extreme poverty first-hand and seeing what a difference sustainable development can make.
Watch Kaluram’s story and the explore the work of Caritas Nepal on our Project Compassion website.
Read Elizabeth's first blog entry, Stepping into the World of the Unknown »»
When we visited Kaluram’s home, I was able to spend some time with his children – his daughter Susma who is 14 years old and Anita who is 11 years old and his 8 year old son named Biplab.As I watched them play knuckle heads from 5 small rocks and elastics made out of rope Kaluram made himself from reeds, it reminded me of the similarities of how I would entertain myself at home and play with my brother and sister when I was their ages.
I learned about the daily life of what it is like to be a child in Nepal. Kaluram’s children would start their day at 6 am by washing their faces and brushing their teeth outside at the water tap they share.As the eldest child, Susma would sometimes have to help with agricultural work in cooking, planting or harvesting. When I was there, she was harvesting kidney beans on the family land. As the second child, it is Anita’s responsibility to help her parents around and inside the home, by cleaning utensils and washing clothes.
I learned that only 73% of children go to school in Nepal, and there are less girls then boys. Susma, Anita and Biplab are fortunate to be able to attend school and they only need to walk a short distance from their home.
When we asked the children what they wanted to be when they grew up, they all had the desire to help other people. Susma told us that she wants to be a nurse, and both Anita and Biplab want to be teachers.
As I reflect on my time in Nepal, I have learned an incredible amount of development at a grassroots level. Experiencing daily life first hand really put things into perspective. It was eye opening to see the daily adversities first hand relating to food insecurity, harsh weather conditions, isolation of villages and issues around conflict and peace.
Two weeks before entering Nepal, I was nervous about my journey in a foreign country. But as I was saying goodbye to the last community and the staff at Caritas Nepal, I felt sad to leave the people that welcomed me like family.
Although I have now left Nepal, my memories will stay with me a lifetime. By sharing my stories and experiences, I hope that I can inspire others to take action and support the work of Caritas Australia in helping eradicate extreme poverty.
Elizabeth Pappalardo, Caritas Australia's Fundraising and Events Officer, travelled to Nepal last year to research our Project Compassion feature story. This was Elizabeth's first trip outside of Australia. Over the last week, Elizabeth took us on her personal journey witnessing extreme poverty first-hand and seeing what a difference sustainable development can make.
Watch Kaluram’s story and the explore the work of Caritas Nepal on our Project Compassion website.
Read Elizabeth's first blog entry, Stepping into the World of the Unknown »»
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