Why has Child Rights Hero Nominee • Pages 68–85 Indira been nominated? Indira Ranamagar

Indira Ranamagar has been nominated for the 2014 World's Children's Prize for her 20-year struggle for prisoners' children in Nepal. Indira grew up in extreme poverty and had to fight to be able to go to school. Even as a young girl she knew that she wanted to help other people who had hard lives. Indira has built up an organisation called Prisoners Assistance Nepal (PA), which has rescued over a thousand children from cramped, dirty prisons. The children end up there because their parents have been sentenced to time in prison and nobody else is able to take care of them. When Indira rescues child­ Jungle girl’s stubborn ren, they are taken to one of PA's three children's homes. There they get an education school struggle and a safe childhood. They also learn agricultural skills Indira’s feet slip in the mud on the narrow path the jungle to graze. Searching and how to take care of ani­ between the rice fields. She is six years old. Naked for edible mushrooms and mals. PA runs a children's roots to take home. She even home called Jankuri outside and barefoot, she gathers firewood in a big basket found two crabs in the river, Kathmandu. Children from on her back. and lit a fire and cooked them. the surrounding villages are Two older girls walk towards Indira on the path. Indira knows it's important allowed to attend the to work hard. Not to be lazy. school too. They are wearing blue school uniforms and their She likes working and learning Indira lobbies politicians hair is in long, shiny plaits. When they get to new things. People in the vil­

AN BJERKE and authorities to make pri­ lage rarely call her Indira. She H Indira on the narrow path they push her and she sons more humane. Many has two other names instead. prisoners come from very falls over. The girls laugh loudly and walk on. One is Kanchi, or little one, hOTO: JO poor families. Indira and since she is the youngest child PA teach them to read and ndira gathers the firewood that is hurting her and in the Magar family. The other write, so that they can up again. She is in pain. making her cry. name is Niguri, which is the manage better, and take I But it isn't the cuts on her All day, she has been run­ name of a jungle fruit that is better care of their children feet that hurt – the ones she ning around the village as covered in curly hair. Indira when they are released gets from walking barefoot usual, helping everyone. has a shock of wild, wavy hair from prison. on soil and stones. It’s some­ Fetching water and wood. on her head. She's the only TEXT: EVA-PIA WORLAND p

 thing else, something inside, Taking cows and goats into person in the village with

68

Hi mum! Roshina visits her By the time she is ten years mum and little brother old, Indira can read and wri­ in prison. She lives at a te, and she knows that she can children's home run by learn almost anything. Indira and Prisoners Assistance. “Of course I can!” Nobody can tell Indira that there are some things she just can’t do because she’s a girl. Like ploughing the fields, for example. “Of course I can!” says Indira, and pulls the plough just as well as the strong boys. She draws strength from her pure stubbornness and often turns out to be even stronger than the older boys. She beats them at football. A teacher has heard about Indira, and persuades her parents to allow her to start wavy hair, so she is a bit diffe­ open straight through. The Instead, Indira hangs over school. Her brother saves up rent. Here, hair is meant to be floor is covered with old rice her brother’s shoulder while for her school fees by selling straight and smooth and easy sacks. he’s doing his homework. bananas. The teacher thinks to tie back in shiny plaits. For dinner they eat rice. And she begs and begs and she should start in Year 4. Indira doesn't like being called Almost always rice, but now begs. He gets annoyed, but Indira doesn’t agree. Year 5 Niguri, but she tries not to let and again Indira’s mother she keeps ask­ing. Finally, he suits her much better, so it is it get to her. brings a few soya beans from gives in and starts to teach decided. But there is no money the field. She hides them in her letters and numbers. for a school uniform or school­ Sleeping with the cows her clothes. Indira learns fast. She re- bag. Indira just wears her She doesn’t see her mother and Indira’s two older brothers peats everything, and writes tunic. father during the day. They go to school. She wants to go letters in the sand. The brothers That remains her school work for other people in the too. She wants to learn to read also teach some of the adults uniform throughout her fields, to support the family. and write, and wear a lovely in the village at home, and years at school. They can’t When they come home in the school uniform. At the Indira listens intently while even afford pens or crayons. evening, they often find Indira moment all she wears is a tunic chopping vegetables or cook­ She has to strain to remember among the cows, where she made from prickly sackcloth. ing rice. He reads out stories everything that the teacher likes to sleep. Indira nags and nags and of famous men and women in shows them on the chalkboard, “Kanchi,” sighs her mother, prays to God. But there isn’t history, who have done good and as soon as they get a break “now let’s go home and wash enough money. And she is a things for others. Indira she sits down on the ground off the cow poo again.” girl. There’s no point in pay­ absorbs everything, and for­ and writes everything in the The family have a simple ing for schooling for girls, since gets nothing. Now she knows sand from memory. That’s house on stilts. It only has all they do is get married and that she wants to be a person why she never has time to walls on two sides, so it’s wide look after children anyway. who helps others. play with the other children. At lunchtime she has to run home and move the animals to a different pasture. She has The first photographs of Indira to do that every morning, lunchtime, and evening. Indira gets on well at school. She is particularly gifted at maths. Within a year, Indira is the best in the class and she gets a scholarship. And she has much higher grades than tho­ se two girls who pushed her over. She forgave them a long time ago. But she will never excuse injustice. 

69 Indira wasn’t allowed in the kitchen ndira didn’t have many friends at school. She was poorer I than most, and belonged to a lower caste than the other children. The caste system was banned in Nepal a long time ago, but it still exists nonetheless. When Indira comes to prison with the children to visit, the mums have made food People are divided into different for the children and they eat together. groups, called castes. People who belong to the lowest castes are often treated badly. “One time I went to a girl’s house,” says Indira. “Then her mother came and told me I Indira wants to help the poor must not go into the kitchen. Since I belonged to a lower caste she thought I was ‘unclean’, Wherever Indira Ranamagar goes, people recognise her. dirty, and I wasn’t to touch any­ “Namaste Aama,” they say, which means ‘good day, mother’. Street thing to do with food or the kitchen. It felt so horribly unjust. children, politicians, and rich businessmen. They know that she rescues It made me both sad and angry.” poor children from prisons. In a caste system, there are When she approaches in her shining white sari, it’s hard to believe that loads of rules that affect people’s lives. What jobs they Indira once ran around naked in the jungle. That she once couldn’t read are allowed to do, for example, or write. But Indira herself will never forget the poverty of her child- or who they can marry. As hood. That’s what drives her to help others. soon as you are born you belong to a caste, a group, which has either high or low hen Indira was teacher. At one school, Indira Then Parijat asked Indira value. If you are born into a seventeen, she met Parijat, a well-known to start working with her. low caste, you belong to it for W left her village author who wrote a lot about “I was scared the first time your whole life, and you can to continue her education human rights. Parijat thought I went into a prison,” says never move to a ‘better’ caste. in the capital city, Kath­ it was wrong that people were Indira. “I thought the priso­ There are people who are man­du. She worked hard put in prison for protesting ners were dangerous, but I born with no caste at all. doing other people’s clean­ against the injustices in socie­ realised that they were people, According to the old way of ing and laundry, so that she ty. She also wrote about how just like the rest of us. Most of thinking, casteless people are could afford to go to school. bad the conditions were for them were extremely poor worthless. They are extremely She also worked as a prisoners, and visited prisons and couldn’t read or write.” poor and have jobs like empty­ to give out food and clothing. Indira began visiting prisons ing toilets, or sorting waste. every weekend when she didn’t They often have to beg to sur­ Wants to help others have school. She ran courses vive, and are also called ‘the One day, Parijat asked Indira to teach people to read and untouchables’ because they what she wanted to do with write, and she donated clothes are seen as unclean. They are her life. and food. She was shocked not allowed to drink from the “I want to help others,” rep­ that so many children had to same wells as others, or eat at lied Indira. “Especially those live with their parents in the the same tables. who are as poor as I once was.” dirty, cramped prisons.

70 Dad's cell.

Waiting for dad. Bye dad!

Here he is!

Indira has come along with two brothers so they can visit their dad in prison. Indira wants to help the poor

“It’s a terrible environment child lying there, sleeping. It’s children’s homes, tries to find long time, it also delays their for children,” says Indira. a little girl who is going to a place for Anjali. But nobody development. Indira studies She tried to find places for change Indira’s life. has space for the girl. at secondary school, and Anjali the children at various child­ The girl is three years old Indira decides to take care comes with her to her lessons. ren’s homes, but it was hard. and her name is Anjali. Her of Anjali herself. She is also Anjali makes Indira work The children’s homes were father has just been put in pri­ disappointed with the child­ in a different way. Instead of also overcrowded with poor son and her mother is dead. ren’s homes. They rarely give rescuing children from pri­ children. Anjali curled up and went to the children the love and care sons and taking them to sleep outside the prison to be as they need. Indira has realised children’s homes, she starts to The first child close to her father as possible. that the prison children need take care of more and more Indira is twenty years old, She doesn’t have anyone else. even more love and security, children herself. Eventually, and on the way to visit a pri­ Indira, who has already hel­ since they have often been she has so many children that son as usual. At the prison ped so many children to move through bad experiences. If she has to start her own gate she stops dead. There is a from prison to different they have been in prison for a children’s home. Later, she

“Choose me or the children” Indira with her daughter Subani, and Anjali, the first When Indira had three children from prisons that she took girl she took care of. care of herself, she met a man and they fell in love. They got together, and they had a daughter called Subani. Indira con­ tinued her work at the prisons, and sometimes Subani came with her. Her husband thought she spent too much time on the prison children. And that there were too many children in the house. “You have to choose now,” he said. “It’s me or the children.” “It wasn’t a difficult decision,” says Indira. “He had no respect for my work. So I realised that he didn’t really love me. I chose the children, of course.”

71 starts schools and farms all over Nepal. Today, it is 22 At Indira’s children’s years since Indira found that home, the children are encouraged to get little girl sleeping outside the plenty of exercise. prison gates. Anjali is an adult now, with a family of her own. Indira has managed to save over a thousand child­ ren from prisons, giving them a safe childhood and an edu­ cation. 

Girls shouldn’t cycle? Forget it!

Indira is not only known thought it was fun. And children. Indira believes it’s for rescuing children from good exercise. She has important for childen to prisons, but also as the won lots of competitions use their bodies and get first woman to compete in and inspired other girls to exercise – cycling, running, mountain bike champion­ start competing. Now it’s and swimming. ships in Nepal. When she much more common to “When your physical started cycling, lots of see girls on bikes in Nepal. fitness improves, your people thought girls Several of Indira’s children’s confidence grows with it.” shouldn’t cycle at all. But homes have mountain Indira ignored that. She biking courses for the Many people in Nepal used to think that girls shouldn’t cycle. Indira ignored that. Subani’s hundreds of little brothers

Subani, 17, is Indira’s biological daughter. She has grown up with several hundred younger brothers and sisters. “I’ve never felt jealous of the other children,” she says. “They feel like my real siblings. Of course I sometimes wish I had more time with my mother, but I understand her work and I am so very proud of her. Wherever we go, people praise her.”

Indira and Subani. Indira’s daughter Subani loves playing for the children in the children’s home. 72 All the children come running down from the children's home to meet Indira, who gives them all a hug. All children have light inside them “I called the children’s home out­ side Kathmandu Junkiri, which means firefly,” explains Indira. “When I was a child, I always followed them. I felt that every being, every person, every creature that is alive has light inside it. We have to find that light in every child! That’s what we do here. That’s why we called it Junkiri.” Grow your The worst ones own with pride walk free There are animals and The people who are actually in vegetable patches at all prison are not the worst offen­ of Indira’s children’s ders,” says Indira. “Most of them homes. are poor people who have per­ “Animals and nature haps stolen food to survive. They are good for you,” says might also have been talked into Indira. “When the committing a crime for some­ child­ren get to tend one else, in return for money. The children at the children's home and school animals, they grow as wash their own clothes. Poverty is the real villain. The people and learn to take other criminals, the ones that responsibility. And to earn money from dodgy deals grow crops is to grasp and take advantage of people, the meaning of life. It they always walk free. instills respect for natu­ “I am so incredibly angry that re. The children discover this happens in my country! that they can sow a tiny Nepal has so many resources, seed and make it grow, and wonderful people. We could and then their vegeta­ become a fantastic country if bles will be enjoyed by we all played our part.” everyone. ‘I grew this!’ It’s a great feeling.”

Indira and Prisoners Assistance • Run three children‘s homes, two • Run programs allowing children to schools, and youth programs on go to school during the day and stay organic agriculture, arts and crafts, with their mothers in prison at and more. night. They also educate mothers in • Support girls in villages to enable prison up to Year 5 level and give them to go to school. They are also them vocational training. given bikes, since they often have a • Support prisoners who have been Boys at Indira's long journey to get to school. released, so that they can be reuni­ children's home • Search for relatives and support ted with their children. clean out a water them to take care of the children. • Speak out for the weakest in society tank. • Make sure that children get a chance and fight for prisoners – especially to visit their parents in prison. women and their children – to be treated in a fair and humane way. 73 Nima OTO: JOHAN BJERKE Nima’s world is a dark concrete courtyard sur- rounded by high walls. PIA WORLAND ph - A building on one side has a series of narrow TEXT: EVA openings. It’s an old  stable, which now houses ten prisoners in every stall. Nima knows there is another world outside the walls, but he can’t remember what it looks like.

hen Nima is two years old, his W mother dies. The only person who can take care of him is his father. But he is in prison. Nima is taken from his home village to his father, in prison in the capital city, Kathmandu. Many other children live with their parents in prison. The children play with one another. They make balls out of old socks, and play volley­

“When you’re painting a thangka you have to concentrate very hard,” says Nima. “If you’re not concentrating you might as well go home, or so says our teacher.”

Nima Rima, 15 Wants to be: An engineer. Hobby: Drawing. Favourite reading: Science Nima a few years ago, when he had been living at Indira's children's magazines. home for several years. Favourite film: Spiderman. Likes: Doing new things. Makes me angry: When people don’t return things they have borrowed. 74 grew up in prison ball and football. But Nima often sits and wonders what is with a high fever. The prison needs to get to a proper hospi­ rarely joins in. He likes wat­ outside the walls. He hears doctors don’t have any medi­ tal straight away. ching the men play chess and noises from outside, but he cine and his father is really “When Nima is well again, he loves drawing. doesn’t know what is making worried. he could come to my He draws and draws, but he them. In prison all the days It’s dangerous for Nima to children’s home and start is never satisfied with his look the same. Days become live in the prison now. It’s school,” she suggests. Both draw­­ings. He always throws weeks and months, and even­ cramped and dirty, and every­ Nima and his father think them out and starts again. His tually, several years. one sleeps so close together. this is a great idea. drawings are dark. Black and But Nima knows that there Bacteria spread quickly and When Indira takes Nima grey, sometimes with a splash are times when all the prison­ it can be hard to recover from by the hand and leads him out of red that looks like blood. ers are happy and there is illness. The next time Indira of the high walls through the almost a party atmosphere visits, Nima’s father asks her heavy iron gates, a whole new Years in prison when a certain woman comes for help. She agrees that Nima world opens up before him. The prisoners receive food to visit. She brings food and Nima has no memory of life rations from the guards, and fruit, and sometimes clothes outside prison. It’s a world each one cooks their own for Nima and the other child­ that moves too fast. That food on a camping stove. ren. flickers, twinkles, rumbles, Breakfast is a slice of bread or The woman’s name is Indira beeps and howls. a biscuit. Dinner is almost Ranamagar, and she is teach­ always just rice. But once a ing the prisoners to read and What is a chair? week they get some vegetable write. She reads them news­ “I was terrified,” says Nima. curry with their rice. papers, and tells them that “How do those cars move? During the day Nima’s they and their children have Everything moved so fast. father and the other prisoners rights, even though they are And there were people every­ make hats. The children often in prison. where, and shops, and bikes.” have some kind of lessons for “And colours! I had never a few hours during the day. But A new world seen so many colours before. Nima isn’t that interested. He When Nima is five, he falls ill It made me giddy.” “Thangka painting helps my school work”

Painting thangkas is an old Nepali and Tibetan art form. It exists in both Buddhism and Hinduism. The paintings are of stories, packed full of details and symbols. It takes many years to become a good thangka painter. You have to work slowly, and remain completely focused. Nima is an apprentice at the moment, learning the art form with a thangka master. “He can tell immediately if I’m not focusing,” says Nima. “He says ‘If you’re not concentrating, you might as well go home now’. When you’re painting a thangka, that is all there is. There is nothing beyond that, nothing to distract you.” “Painting has made a big difference to my school work. I find it easier to concentrate. For example, when I’m working on maths, maths is all there is. I don’t get dist­ racted.”

“Nima, who is sitting in the middle, spent the first five years of his life living in a prison. When he came to Indira's children's home he loved drawing, and now he's learning to become a thangka painter.” 75 Nima, in the middle at the front, a few years after he came to Indira's children's home. He is grateful to Nima draws whenever he gets Indira for rescuing him from the prison. the chance.

Nima grasps Indira’s hand rugs and furniture that I’d For the first time in several tightly all the way, and asks never seen before,” explains years, Nima was no longer a her about everything he sees. Nima. “I pointed at a strange prisoner. At the hospital, Nima sees a object and Indira explained “I got a bed of my own! doctor and gets some medici­ that it was a chair. For sitting And I could go wherever I ne. He stays in hospital for a on. I thought it was so big! wanted to. Even outside.” few weeks. When he is better Imagine that, never having he moves to Indira’s children’s seen a chair before. And I Ablaze with colour home and finds lots more remember getting to taste Now Nima is 15 and is inte­ children who Indira has saved mango. I had never tasted it rested in mechanical enginee­ from prison. before. It was the most delici­ ring. He has moved to a house “When I got there I saw ous thing I had ever eaten!” in a city near Kathmandu, where Indira runs two homes Thangka painting is an old Nepali art form. The paintings for young people – one for have many details and symbols. girls and one for boys. They learn to be independent and to do all their practical chores. In the evenings they take it in turns to cook dinner. In the mornings the young people attend school and in the afternoons they learn different handicraft skills. Some learn wood carving and ceramics. Nima is learning to paint traditional Nepali The young people get paintings known as ‘thangka’ the chance to learn long- paintings. established handicraft He still loves drawing and skills like wood carving. painting, but now his pain­ Indira has shown that tings are ablaze with colour. girls can become wood carvers. In the past only “I’m so happy now,” he boys did that. says. “I go to school and I have a big family. Indira is like a mother to me.” Nima’s dream is to become an engineer. He laughs. “Now I know that it’s pet­ rol that makes cars move for­ wards, and that the TV doesn’t have people sitting inside it!” 

76 moves from prison Roshani to Indira’s children’s home

It’s Roshani’s first night sleeping on the street. She holds her breath, listen- ing. What’s that sound? It’s only a few hours since the police banged on the door of Roshani’s home. They took her mother and father.

he police said that her mother and father were T going to prison. Roshani doesn’t know why. There was nobody to take care of the children, so Roshani’s two younger broth­ ers had to go to prison with their parents.

Roshani, 9 Wants to be: A nurse, and take care of sick people. Favourite game: Fire and ice. A kind of tag. Favourite book: My English book. Favourite film: Don’t say no. A romantic film. Likes: Mango Makes me angry: When people First Roshani ended up on the streets, then she lived with her mum in prison for a year. Finally she got tease and bully others. to go to Indira's children's home.

77 Two of Roshani's little brothers got to come with her to Indira's children's home, but their youngest brother is with their mum in prison. Roshani’s neighbours were side and visit my father. He meant to take care of her. But used to keep some of his rice when she gets to their door, for us every week.” they don’t let her in. They There were lots of children have locked the door. She to play with in the prison. knocks and knocks. And The building was like a laby­ shouts. Night falls. Shadows rinth, with stairs and small move in the darkness. rooms everywhere. There Threatening noises. Roshani, were no doors between the who is six, curls up on the rooms. pavement. Her heart is in her “We played hide and seek mouth. There are ghosts there,” recalls Roshani. everywhere. It feels as though they are creeping around her. Going to school Visiting mum in prison She can’t sleep. Indira Ranamagar from Then next day Roshani is Prisoners Assistance, an orga­ still on the street. She has nisation that helps prisoners nowhere to go. But somebody and their children, visited the sees her and calls the police. prison often. She gave out They pick Roshani up and food and clothes, and taught take her to her mother – in jail. the prisoners to read and wri­ te. She also took care of child­ Better than living on the ren from the prison by taking street them to one of her children’s “I was so happy,” explains homes. Roshani. “All I wanted was When Roshani and her to be with my mother and brothers had been in prison father.” for one year, Indira took At first she got to live with them to her children’s home her mother – there were elev­ outside Kathmandu. They When Roshani visits the prison, her mother wants to look after en people in their small cell. live there now, with over sev­ her. “The prison officers would enty other children, in a large shout and yell at us, and it was house in the countryside. cramped,” says Roshani. They go to school and learn But it was still much better agricultural skills. The chil­ than living alone on the dren also take care of the ani­ street. mals – 24 goats, a few dogs OTO: JOHAN BJERKE A few weeks later the fami­ and one cow. ly were moved to another “I love being here,” says prison. Roshani’s father came Roshani, “although I do real­ to the men’s prison and the ly miss my mother and father. PIA WORLAND ph

- rest of the family to the wom­ But in a few days’ time I’m en’s prison. going to the prison to visit “On Saturdays we were them. TEXT: EVA  It’s wonderful to see each other, but it makes you a bit sad too.

 allowed to go to the men’s

78 Roshani's mum does her hair. Visiting mum in prison Visiting time is over. The mothers call a few final words to their children.

When Roshani visits the prison, her mother has cooked dinner for her.

Roshani hangs back and waits by the locked prison gate to say “Don’t be sad Roshani,” says her mother as they part. “We’ll see goodbye to her mum and little brother. each other again soon!”

79 Joshna’s first day of freedom

Joshna is five years old and has been in prison for two years. Today, she is finally getting out. Indira Ranamagar is going to take her to her home for prison­ ers’ children.

11.00 a.M.

Indira talks to Joshna and her mother. “I’m so happy that Joshna is getting out of here and can start school,” says Joshna’s mother. 1.00 p.m.

Everybody knows Indira at the central prison in Kathmandu. She has left this prison with many different children. Today, it’s Joshna’s turn.

3.00 p.m.

Joshna has made a friend already – Mamita, who used to live in the same prison. There is lots to discover in the house. And you can look out the window. You couldn’t do Welcome, Joshna! that in prison. The other children at the home in Kathmandu welcome Joshna. She is given a beautiful scarf. That’s how you welcome someone in Nepal. It’s called ‘Sawagatan’. 2.00 p.m.

4.00 p.m.

At first Joshna is shy. It’s a bit scary to leave her mother, and prison.

80   TEXT: EVA TEXT: - Joshna’s first day of freedom ph WORLAND PIA OTO: JOHAN BJERKE JOHAN OTO:

7.00 p.m. 6.00 p.m. Indira and Joshna play together. There were no cuddly toys in prison.

Everyone eats their evening meal together. Large portions of rice with vegetables. Afterwards, each person washes their own 8.00 p.m. plate.

Bedtime. Joshna sleeps beside her friend. Indira or one of the other adults at the children’s home always sleep alongside the new children. They need to feel safe.

Learn a greeting!

Put your hands together like Bibash, 11. Reading Bow your head down towards your hands. aloud for mum Lift your head up and “When I visit my mother in prison, I usually read look the person you are to her. She is so proud that I have learned to read! greeting in the eyes. She has never been to school. I’m going to be the Say ‘Namaste’ and best in my class and then I’m going to earn money. smile. When I’m really rich I’m going to build a big house for my mother and me.” Swastika, 12

81 From prison to paradise

The boys built this house with the help of their con- struction tutor.

The boys’ crops At Aama Paradise Home, the boys grow tomatoes, cucumber, garlic, onion, beans, mango, papaya, ginger, potatoes, bananas, turmeric, coriander, coffee, okra, jack fruit, chillies, strawberries, broccoli, cauliflower, sweet potato, cabbage, Jerusalem artichoke, aubergine, lemons, carrots, pomegranates, pears, peaches, pomelo, pine­ apple, corn, lychees and herbs.

Suman immediately starts working on the farm together with the other lads, who he already knows from Indira's children's home. Today they are planting tomatoes. OTO: JOHAN BJERKE PIA WORLAND ph -

Indira blows on the fire to get it going. There is no

TEXT: EVA electricity here. “I want this place to be as simple and  close to nature as possible,” says Indira.

82 From prison to paradise

Suman, 18, is excited and full of high expectations. Today, he clouds sweep across he is moving to Aama Paradise Home in the jungle highlands. the sky, almost touch­ T ing the buildings. You It's Indira’s farm, where young people from prisons can learn can see for many miles from to grow crops and look after animals. here. Clean water gushes in streams that have their source in the Himalaya mountain range. The water flows to the organic plantation, the wood- fuelled kitchen, and to the outdoor shower among the mango trees. This farm is run by a group of teenage boys. Most of them have been rescued from pris­ ons in Nepal and have grown up in one of Indira’s children’s homes. Indira found Suman on the street when he was 5 years old. He lived on the street with his mother, who was an alcoholic and couldn't take care of him. “Without Indira I wouldn't be alive today,” he says. “I have a fantastic life thanks to her. And now I get to come here. It’s so beautiful!”

Sleeping under the stars The other boys at Aama Para­ dise show Suman around. He knows them, because they grew up together at Indira’s children’s home. After lunch it’s time to plant tomatoes. An agricultural

Indira found Suman on the street when The lads get to learn how The bed gets a bottom and is he was five years old. Now he is 18 and to make planks. finished. Tonight Suman will sleep has just moved to the farm up in the hills. outside in his bed.

83 Indira is cooking chicken for dinner. The boys love her cooking.

tutor shows how it’s done, in Swimming there helps them a lesson that blends theory cool off. They often fish in and practice. the river too. There is also a carpenter on For dinner, Indira is cook­ the staff, who shows the boys ing chicken on the open fire. how to build everything from There is no electricity. furniture to houses. When it’s time for bed, the After work the boys run boys pull their beds out into down to the river that flows the yard. They want to sleep through the valley. outside.  The boys cool off in the river after working on the planta- tion. They often fish here too.

“This root should be cooked in the embers of the fire,” says Indira. “You should eat it at Mushroom treats least once a year. It will keep you healthy.” Indira and the snake bike boys found it in the jungle. There are many plants in the jungle that can be used as medicines. The boys in Palpa often go into the jungle to search for them. Today they have found an unusual mushroom, called a ‘veiled lady mushroom’. “If you get a snake bite, you can put this mushroom on the bite and it sucks out the poison,” explains Indira. 85