Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Why shut down Bal Mandir ?

I have been getting links for some of my articles on my blog [see comments]. Some of those comments has less to say about the post on my blog but to focus more on the negative sides of the management of Bal Mandir. They provide me links to support, why and what they are saying. There is no doubt that, it is managed by corrupted people but more than that Bal Madir, is a children's home [an orphanage] although, those comments have hardly anything to do or to say about the conditions and children.

It mainly gives me the picture and idea that how corrupt people are in the management body and how uncontrollable things have become, as if I am not aware of it.

I could not help thinking about the suggestion by some people on some site and thier respective blogs, that Bal Mandir, should be shut down for good.

The fact is, its a social organisation an NGO; which work for the benefit of children. Non of a single person on the management body, owns it or they got the organization as an inheritance from their parents. Then how come those people have become indispensable from their exiting position ? What makes them unshakable ?

These people seem to be ignoring the core fact, that Bal Mandir, is a children's home. Not a single site or blog have any complain from children's side and can give any links to support it also, I mean children being so uncontrollable and making all the trouble to run it. They have not created any problems to operators or care takers or donors. Yes some times when government bans adoption to foreigners, they might face financial crisis, which again raise another question in itself, making people to think hard; does Bal Mandir, or any other orphanage gets its running cost, solely from those adoptions ? is the adoption is given only to raise funds for the orphanage to run ?

The big question is, how come people who are sucking blood from needy, orphans and abandoned can remain in the position and yet are indispensable ?

Why close Bal Mandir, for 20 - 30 corrupt people in management and some in staff body ? Nepal Children’s Organization, takes care of about 600 children nationwide ? Bal Mandir, or any such orphanage, exists because there are always needy, orphans and abandoned children around the country not because of the few corrupt people in the management.

If Bal Mandir, gets closed, people will think that the children were responsible for this kind of closer; instead of the management body who are the main reason for such closer. But again my questions here are:

  • What makes them indispensable ?
  • Why new management could not buzz them off ?
  • Is Bal Mandir, is what they got as a dowry ?
  • If this poor management is what triggering the buzz in the market that it should be shutdown, then why this management should be holding the chair ?
  • Why these social workers are acting like blood suckers ?
  • Is not there any body to control this kind of irregularity ?

People, who ever are the one who are saying that, Bal Mandir should be shut down; they are grossly ignoring the fact that, its a children's home. Does non-profit organization mean that one is not expected to achieve any goals, but can grab as much as one can ? The one who ever are raising this voice is also ignoring the fact that, this is Nepal. Every thing here is in total mess, due to deep rooted corruption, look at the political scenario, socio-economics, economics as whole, industry, education sector and list goes on. I bet they will also argue that Nepal as a whole country, also should be dismissed and merged in any neighbouring county who ever is ready to accommodate us from any side as they wish.

I also would like to give my suggestion here in the jungle of opinionated people. Why not make those names public and make them go through the public humiliations, not only locally but nationwide. Expose them on every possible Internet connection, hampering their future endeavours also. Why not make them feel bad until their bone aches, so that they not only feel humiliation but it will discourage the others in line too, who are waiting to do the same, when they get any chance in future.

If Bal Mandir, gets closed, its again the children, who bear the burnt of the closer not those corrupt people. After some time, some body has to accommodate them and the donors also remains the same. If any body change in the reforms condition it will be the people in management; so why not reform the management now ? There must be better way to sort out this problem that the idea of closing Bal Mandir ?

Is shutting down Bal Mandir, or any other such orphanages is the only solution to the deep rooted corruption ?

7 comments:

  1. No one is suggesting that NCO's children's homes and schools be closed.

    PEAR & Pound Pup are simply arguing that Nepal Children's Organization should be dissolved, and the homes and schools should continue under different management:

    "Nepal Children's Organization should be dissolved as well, and its homes handed over to an organization with a less unsavory reputation. Perhaps Next Generation Nepal or the Umbrella Foundation."

    http://poundpuplegacy.org/node/48144

    Henry

    P.S. -- Al Jazeera has a new programme on NCO/Bal Mandir:

    http://english.aljazeera.net/programmes/101east/2011/09/2011920125119853524.html

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  2. Thank you for the comments and please read the lines where it argues ".....Nepal Children's Organization should be dissolved, and the homes and schools should continue under different management:"

    I am sure we would not argue on the meaning of word dissolve and reform, do you think we should ?

    Thank you once again for the information and also link about Aljazeera

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  3. No, but cant help to wonder why your management did not do anything when you could do this ? instead you ( Mitrata Foundation ) backed off from the 5 years contract of management, fearing the image tarnish. It really makes me wonder and scream why ?

    Thank you for the link, I think i have read this link on my earlier article. but this article makes me sad, specially did not think they were talking about the Bal Mandir also. I thought it only focued on mushrooming orphanage around the city but not the Bal Mandir.

    ReplyDelete
  4. That Lonely Planet article reminded me of this tourist package.

    Bal Mandir tourism:

    13. Tag: Kathmandu: Begegnungstag

    Am Vormittag besuchen Sie das Bal Mandir, das größte private Waisenhaus- und Schulprojekt in Kathmandu. Auch für Ihre Kinder kann eine Begegnung mit den benachteiligten Kindern dieser Welt, die hier ein neues Zuhause und eine qualifizierte Schulausbildung bekommen, zu einer wichtigen Erfahrung werden. Nachmittags bleibt noch einmal Zeit zum Bummeln und Einkaufen in den quirligen Basargassen des Thamel. Ein traditionelles nepalesisches Abschiedsessen mit Folkoredarbietungen beschließt dieses nachhaltige Reiseerlebnis. (F, A)

    http://www.fernost-entdecken.de/reisedetails/Nepal_privat_-_mit_Familie_oder_Freunden_2523.php


    The Lonely Planet author put it best:

    On Orphanage Tourism

    "Finally I wanted to talk about orphanage tourism. Over the years I have seen and met a lot of people who talk about wanting to visit an orphanage in Nepal. Somewhere along the way I think we have romanticized the idea of children in poverty particularly in rural settings. This is truly disturbing to me. The first thing I want everyone to remember before they visit a children's home is that it is these children's home. These are really people with real hopes, real desires, real dreams, just trying to go about the business of growing up. THEY ARE NOT TOURIST ATTRACTIONS Treating children as tourist attractions is dehumanizing. I know my kids found it degrading and upsetting. The kids in children's homes have been through a lot. Either they've lost one or both parents, or they are refugees. In either case they have gone through enough without foreigners coming in and remarking to themselves about the conditions in which they live or their physical appearances. Everest is a tourist attraction, Pashupati is a tourist attraction, Boudha is a tourist attraction, anyone on this cite can give you a list of tourist attractions for your itinerary, a children's home should never be thought of a tourist attraction."

    http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?threadID=2032255&start=0&limit=1000

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  5. Thank you for this one, as this one speaks in volume. Links or comments which come in other language which I do not understand only makes me go hahahahaha; but I like this last latter and agree that orphanage can not be tourist attractions. The one who wants to argue for its pros, must be indirectly involved in selling or in their own language for adoption of orphans arguing, "what else could be good for them ?"

    ReplyDelete
  6. Nepal -- Paper Orphans documentary posted on the web:

    http://pearadoptinfo-nepal.blogspot.com/2011/10/paper-orphans-documentary-posted-on-web.html

    The Bal Mandir kidnappings are a big reason so many of us don't trust NCO's Executive Committee.

    Henry

    ReplyDelete
  7. Jil Walter, nice to know you found my blog and post very informative.

    ReplyDelete