Two Stories

Our NEF office is in Nakhipot which lies south of the Ring Road so just south of Kathmandu.  This is a nice area but still has its population of stray dogs.  I was out for a run yesterday morning when I met the man who feeds stray dogs.  I had heard about him from Mann.  The man, Dhana, told me he feeds 24 to 25 stray dogs every day and has 5 at his house.  This particularly morning he was concerned about one female dog who would not eat. He feeds them different kinds of meat, rice, biscuits etc.  I saw him again this morning and he told me that today he was having the vet come to check them out.  He also has the vet inject the female dogs with a birth control drug so they cannot have puppies and it lasts 6 months.  This all costs him approx $300 per month.
He has been doing this since he lost his wife about 6 years ago.  He said this "You can take nothing with you when you leave this world so it is best to do good while you are here, I feel so good after I have fed the dogs every morning."  He knew each one and really cared about them.  This made my heart glad as I feel so sorry for the dogs that roam the streets here.  I felt truly grateful to him. There really are some wonderful people in this world.

Dhana, the man who cares for street dogs

Ten year old whose life is selling fruit

His older brother

This afternoon we were in the fruit and veg market and a young boy came up to me and pointed to his fruit stand so we bought some oranges from his. I asked how old he was and he said 10, then I asked if he went to school and he said no and that he had never been to school.  He and his 14 year old brother run the fruit stand.  The owner provides shelter and food and they work for him seven days a week, morning to night and earn 2000 rupees each (about $25) per month. Their family and home is in the Terai in the very south of Nepal.  How sad is this and what future do they have?  As I walked away I could not help look back at him and he was watching me and smiled.  I had given him a little tip when I paid and Mann took the note and put it in the little boy's pocket and he looked truly grateful.