Faces of BlinkNow: Some Things Can Not Be Quarantined
Sunday, December 20, 2020
Persistence
I don’t know how it feels to cuddle in a mother’s arms. Neither do I know anything about a father’s affection. I grew up without them from a very early age. I don’t even have their photos to remember them. So, I can only imagine what they looked like, how their hair felt in my hands, and how bright their eyes shone. Some eight years ago, I came to Surkhet from a remote village in Achham to live with my uncle. Then I got accepted at Kopila Valley School and started studying there from grade two. I’m in grade eight now. This year has been particularly difficult, but Kopila Valley School has been helping me a lot. While neighboring kids idle around, I work on distance learning materials provided by my school. Today I’m at the school to collect yet another set of learning materials. I’m also able to attend online classes using my aunt’s cellphone and a neighbor’s internet. Besides that, my teacher checks on me every week to make sure I’m keeping up with schoolwork. I feel privileged to study here. The least I can do is to work hard. I know I have to persist despite difficulties. And I will.
Compassion
“Just seven months ago, we were in the middle of chaos. There were hundreds of Nepali brothers and sisters trying to return home from India. Many of them hadn’t eaten in three days. Our small team from Kopila Valley was trying to respond to the humanitarian crisis, and Maggie was leading the effort from the forefront. We stationed ourselves by the highway. Some of us helped with cooking, and others managed the crowds, while the rest of us distributed food and water. At that moment, a man who had already eaten his plate full of dal bhat asked if he could get more food. ‘I’ve never been this hungry in my life,’ he said. I gave him more food, which he ate quietly. Then he asked if he could also bring his wife here. It turned out that he had stumbled here after noticing the crowds, not knowing it was a food distribution campaign. But his wife had stayed behind on the bus because she was sick. After I nodded yes, he rushed to get his wife. But his bus left off just as he entered it. I cursed myself because I didn’t think of offering takeaway food for his wife, assuming they can come here again. That will always remain a bitter memory for me. COVID-19 has caused hardships, but it has also shined a light on the compassion of communities. People in Nepal and beyond donated to our campaign. Local youths started showing up for volunteering and relief distribution. We saw the best of humanity. I helped hundreds of people while being a part of the Kopila Valley team. But not being able to help the lady on the bus that day still haunts me today. I pray she got the help she needed.”
Bhakta Khadka, a Kopila Valley teacher
Resilience
“I want to be brutally honest here. Raising a child is not a fairytale. There are countless worries, and you are often overwhelmed with responsibilities, fatigue, and despair. What about raising 40+ kids as we do here at Kopila Valley Children’s Home? Multiply your worries by the number of kids! Not a joke. It is more challenging because each of those kids has a unique personality influenced by their life experience, perspective, morals, and behaviors collected before and during their time at the Kopila. So, there is no ‘one size fits all’ formula to raise them. As their caretaker, I’ve watched our kids fight over the silliest of things and make blunders. I’ve also watched them make amends, learn from their mistakes, and overcome whatever challenges life throws at them. It requires a great deal of resilience from their side to do that. And there’s a definite pride and satisfaction in seeing it. Perhaps that’s why I’m not tired of the work I do here. It’ll be my fifth work anniversary at Kopila Valley this February. But I still feel the same passion.”
Aakriti, Kopila Valley Children’s Home Caregiver