Children’s home Sunaulo Pravat Bal Griha in Kathmandu, Nepal
For this children's home ChildRight is partnered with the Nepalese Foundation Voice of Children (VOC). This organisation is known as reliable and professionally and even won an award from the European Commission for their work for the benefit of street children, the fight against paedophilia and improper adoption (sales) of children from children's homes. VOC created a plan for the group of children, taking into account the possibilities of each child personally.
To manage this organizational the right way ChildRight established in 2010 a support group (SPB). This support group consists of volunteers and others who have been involved in recent years in the children's home. Together we ensure that the 47 children in the orphanage are assured of a safe shelter, food, medical care and education.
For the information of the Board of ChildRight Fund and to account for the state of affairs in recent months, hereby follows a report of the events in the children's home.
Organizational structure
The children's house, according to the Nepalese rules, is operated by a local NGO. All NGO’s regarding to children's homes in Nepal are under the control of the Social Welfare Counsel. The SWC visits year the children’s house and performs a so-called audit. In the past year the outcome of this investigation was very positive.
The NGO meets monthly under the leadership of president Biraj Basyal. The manager Bala Giri and the local representative of ChildRight Fund attend these meetings. In the sponsor contract conditions are included for the actions of the NGO and the obligations with regard to informing and advising CR.
The coordinators of ChildRight Fund regularly visit the children's home for this project. They do this at their own account as a contribution to the project. Here follows their last report.
Visit and research
As a ChildRight-coordinator we have visited the children's home many times. The last time was in March 2010. This time we got some disturbing messages. At our arrival in Kathmandu we were informed by our ChildRight Fund representative that the two children who are living independently, Anil and Shiva, had told him that Bala had large payment debts at the greengrocer and with the school. He would also often play cards with his friends in the house, use drugs and went to the casino in a hotel. These messages were very disturbing. We have spent the entire week with conversations and research.
The next day we went directly to the children's home. Everything seemed to be normal. We were welcomed and the children looked well. Bala was not present, because he was visiting his sick mother in Pokhara. We have verified that: his mother was operated. We had the opportunity to talk extensively with the children and the didi's. There were no disturbing stories: some complaints about lack of new clothes and about the broken washing machine. The children confirmed the visit of friends, who came to play cards. In the afternoon we went to the school to determine whether there were regularly payments. The teacher (the new director was not yet present) told that there were no problems with the payments. We agreed to come back the next day to talk with the accountant. The school would provide us with written information.
The next day we visited the children's house again and we have also went to the room of Anil and Shiva. We asked, of course, how they got the information about the late payments because the school gave a different story. They held firm on to the truth of their information. Shiva works several hours at the school and he received no salary, because SPB did not pay.
We didn’t have time to talk to the greengrocer. Anil and Shiva also confirmed that often friends came around. They told that they didn’t get the promised money from Bala for their rent and their school. We assumed that it would be possible that they wanted a kind of "revenge" on Bala. In Nepal, anything is possible.
The next visit to the school provided a written statement of all payments that Bala had done. It looked fine: there was only a very small amount of "late payment".
Once again we visit our representative and tell him about our findings. He doesn’t know who he can trust anymore. In the afternoon we made an appointment with a member of the NGO.
He confirms the visit of friends to Bala. Now it's not so unusual that Bala receives friends, but during a visit to the house he felt that they were not good friends.
Days after we meet Bala in the children's home. He makes a good impression. We confront him with the stories and with the possible payment debts. He denies that there are late payments. We ask him for all bank statements. We get them a few days later. We check random accounting and receipts. No disturbing affairs were found. We demand that Bala's wife, who according to the children visits the children's home regularly and by her actions is not very much loved, will not be allowed in the children's house anymore. He asked whether we can go to his house to tell her this. He totally agrees, but Bala's wife does not do what he says. So we told her that she is not welcome anymore to play manager in the children’s house. She is very docile, will not do it anymore, and understands it all, Then we get something to eat from her. Noodles.
When we start talking about his friends he hesitates to confirm their visit. He is clearly not open.
Afterwards a conversation follows in Thamel with Biraj, the chairman of the NGO. He gives no bad information about the children's home. We agree with him that late payments of rent, school and greengrocer in the future will go directly through him. Bala gets than just money for the other affairs after consultation of the accounting accountability. He agrees with that. According to him there are no rent arrears.
We meet, together with our representative, an important and influential person. This person also has connections with our NGO. We tell him about our findings. We decide to ask Anil and Shiva to join our conversations and later also to invite Bala. Then we can discuss everything together. Anil and Shiva come and they confirm their story again: Bala is messing around. The interview with Bala will not happen.
Although the stories are not really worrying, we decide to have temporarily a manager beside Bala to run the children's home. After half a year he can tell us his findings. We know than for sure if everything goes well. The payments to the greengrocer, in consultation with Bala, will be looked into. Thus our plan of action before we step back in the plane.
Progress Action Plan
Wim has conversations with Bala and the greengrocer. He is accompanied by his Nepalese colleague. They can’t solve the issue: Bala claims to have paid nearly everything, while the greengrocer denies this and "proves" this with rags of paper from his pocket. Bala has always let his payments be signed off: the greengrocer claims that that happened under pressure and appears not to have know what he signed off.
It takes some time before we have a good temporary manager. His name is Bharat Badal and he has experience with children's homes. He speaks English fairly well. He has very good recommendations. We introduce him so to the NGO in an email to Biraj. Biraj does not accept a temporary manager. He wants everything, even dismiss Balas, but does not want a temporary appointment of Bharat. In subsequent mails, he puts Bharat down. He blames him to be a Maoist. It turns out that Bharat belongs to a "hostile" network for him. This is Nepal.
In an NGO meeting Biraj insults our very representative. He decides not to go anymore. We continue to support our new temporary manager.
On our request Bharat goes to the children's home: on behalf of ChildRighFund and not on behalf of the NGO. He has an appointment letter from us. When he arrives there, Bala calls Biraj. He comes directly to the house, tears the letter and throws him out.
Bharat undertakes various actions. He talks with the NGO members and they say it is a good thing that he is temporarily manager. They stand behind him. However, they have not the power to put forward their position in the following NGO meeting. We consult intensively with our people in Nepal and decide to send a letter to the SWC containing the request for checking the house and to enforce the appointment of Bharat. The CDO is also informed by us. We involve the SWC, because the reaction of Biraj is exceptional and because it increases the suspicion that something is not right. Bharat brings many visits to the SWC to support the letter. The SWC decides to investigate the matter.
In the meantime Bala emails all his acquaintances in the Netherlands and Belgium with the story that ChildRightFund gives no more sponsormoney. He tries to raise money. So the stories begin about the shortcomings of ChildRightFund. Also Biraj takes similar actions. Bala succeeds to cash in € 1000,-.
The SWC has already visited the children's home and stands behind the temporary manager Bharat. Now Biraj also must accept this temporary manager. The SWC has also had a conversation with Biraj as president of the NGO and pointed his responsibilities out to him.
New management
At the beginning of August Bharat started. Bala wasn’t there anymore: according to messages he is gone and has taken the last sponsor money. Also clothing and inventory was minimized. This is a large financial loss for the house. Shreekanta also left with Bala. This confirms that Bala functioning was absolutely wrong and fraudulent. The police investigates his whereabouts.
When Bharat arrived Bala's wife was there. She first tried to chase him away in a rude manner. That didn’t work. When he told her of the support of the SWC and of Biraj, she calmed down. Bharat sleeps now sleep in the children's home. The older children Anil and Shiva help him excellent.
During this process we have received many e-mails of children. They asked us for help, although this was strictly forbidden by Bala. Later it transpired that pressure from Bala on the children not to talk with us and others was immense. The mail traffic with our Nepalese network was very intensive.
The following email from one of the children DD. 7 August 7th 2010 is an example:
Respected frits,
Thank you a lot. I and all the children are happy now. Thank you very much.
how are U? I hope u are fine there.He is a nice person. I like him very much.i hope now the hostel will run nicely.please tell to joke hi from my side.keep on touching . THANK YOU VERY VERY MUCH.
In May is an old volunteer also travelled to Nepal. His findings have helped us to make decisions.
Future
The children's house works again. The messages about the approach and the functioning of Bharat Badal are excellent. The coming time there will be a lot of attention for the reorganisation of the NGO and sorting out the finances. Fortunately we have the full support of the sponsor.
According to the report of an eventful time,
Frits and Joke Bakker
