©Ghar Sita Mutu 2008
Nepal is a south Asian country of 29 million struggling with poverty and political instability. The per capita income is just $322, and there is no government safety net for citizens. Not nearly enough charitable organizations operate in this country, where so many people are in need. Children and women, in particular, are vulnerable in this society.
Countless children live on the streets of the capital Kathmandu, having run away from indentured servitude or been abandoned by parents. Education is not compulsory and only families who can afford to do so send their children to school. Children as young as five are indentured.
The status of women is low in the society, contributing to frequent abuse and abandonment of wives and children. Women and girls in families often receive fewer resources in terms of food, medical care and education. Only 35% of females are literate, compared to 63% of males. Girls as young as 13 may marry, although the norm is 16. Many women have two or three children by the time they are 18, and often are without a husband.
Few employment opportunity exist for women, with the main source being low-
