Story of Ram Bahadur Shahi written in 2019 Ram Bahadur Shahi a totally blind child of age 7 from Simikot Rural Municipality ward No. 7 currently having the joy of learning at the HEAD Vision Home, a residential educational center in Simikot operated and managed by HEAD Nepal. Ram Bahadur when he was 1 years old his uncle brought him to the western part of Nepal Darchula bordering to India along with his parents and siblings in the name of brighter future. While the parents worked there as a domestic worker and numbers of other labour works, they did not have enough time to look after their children.
When he was just left behind, Ram Bahadur got bitten with stick by neighbor and uncle’s children and broke his head. Gradually he lost eye sight of both eyes. After few years when the uncle was died in a bus accident the family got even in worse situation. The mother of Ram Bahadur, Dhanchai Shahi was unfortunately bitten by a dog and fallen sick for long time. When there is a problem of hand-to-mouth for the family as only the father was responsible for family to earn the lives of 3 children including two sisters of Ram in a foreign land. Ram’s father Mr. Jaggya Shahi, himself being a hearing impaired aged of 70 in 2016 decided to get back home (Humla). But there is no way he could afford the transportation of 5 members in family through aeroplane.
After a long process of the Women Children Office Humla and Darchula about three months the family were brought to Nepalgunj and waited in Nepalgunj for 17 days in the April of 2016. At that point the mother was still ill. In April 2016, Mr. Dip Bahadur Shahi, cousin brother of Ram Bahadur came to HEAD Nepal and explained the story of the family. “Jaggyey has no home, no land, no where to stay, and no one to support them. Moreover, his son Ram Bahadur Shahi is totally blind and HEAD Nepal has to support for his stay and education” Mr Dip bhadur said. The father also agreed after a long consultation and counselling. Ram was registered at Head Vision Home on 9th May 2016. Ram got a proper place for his stay and education. But the story for the family goes on and happened a lot for these last two years. Upon the arrival of the family back home, Ram’s father died in June leaving all the children and sick mother behind.
Now the 11 years Barsha Shai elder sister of Ram became responsible for the family. She did want to go to school but she had to work at households chores at his cousin brother home to get two times meals for herself and sick mother. After a year in Head Vision Home, in April 2017, Ram was sent to B.P. Eye Foundation in Kathmandu for 6 months of rehabilitation course and also to go under medical and health examination. When he was in Kathmandu his sister Barsha died because of strange wound on her legs. Poor child of 7 years, Ram doesn’t understand all these games of nature. He often asks for his sister and father. Sometimes his elder friends at home tell him that his father and sisters are taken back by the God. Now only family member he had is his mother who just lives a life of breathing, roaming around villages, begging for food to door-to-door. No strength to sustain even her own body. But for Ram, everyday with a lot friends in residential educational home and regular community school enjoys learning, playing, singing and doing a lot of activities. Learning Braille gives a door to knowledge for Ram. The home gives him a place as home. He is one of the best singers at HVH. But for his future there could be a lot of challenges and problems.
On the one hand he is totally blind and on the other hand he is an orphan and no one there to support him. Even in the greatest Nepali festival, Bijaya Dashami 2019 falling from beginning to 12th of October 2019, he just stayed at the center of HEAD Nepal while all other children went back their home for celebrating the festival with their family. He stays at HVH even during the winter vacation as there is no one to take care of him. So a lot of supportive hand and kind heart is required to build the future of so many of Rams in rural himalayas of Nepal. Ram studies in grade 1 in Balmandir Secondary School. He likes singing and talking to his friends. He has made improvement in Braille reading and writing. His mobility is excellent as he can walk with the use of white cane. He is very confident in his study and learning. In general he is doing good with his health as well.
However, so far, he could not be sent for treatment as he was already referred to Kathmandu for examination of Hydrocephalus by the doctors. This is because of lack of financial support and having no parents/guardians of Ram to get him to Kathmandu. This Dashain he remained at the center of HEAD Nepal (HVH) where he celebrated Dashain with other three children and home warden, Manisa and specialized teacher, Mohan. Coming winter from December 2019 is again approaching another challenge for Ram as he has nowhere to go like other children go home for winter.
