Royal Mountain Travel Magazine Royal Mountain Travel Magazine Issue 1 | Page 43

Iet’s interest in street children was not just a
happenstance. She discloses, “My childhood
was spent in many different countries since my
father,anengineer,wasconstantlyonthemove.
This resulted in my feeling of rootlessness.”
Obviously, Iet had the wings, but not the
roots, two things that are supposed to be very
important in a child’s life according to Goethe.
Perhaps this was the reason she empathized so
with the street children she saw in Kathmandu’s
streets. This empathy remained with her after
returning home. For the next two years, she
contemplated on the same.“I wanted to travel
not as a rich westerner but as one with some
purpose,” she says. “My husband advised me
not to be swayed by my emotions but to be
more practical in making any future plans.”

About present conditions, Iet admits to there
being some difficulties in not having their
own house due to the uncertainty of more
permanent arrangements and the rise in rent
from time to time. “We are seriously planning
to have a house of our own now,” she says.
“In fact we have already bought a plot of land
and have had consultations with an architect.
Of course, funds are the major problem since
it will cost quite a lot of money.” Iet is well
aware that funds are not easy to come by
because of the prevalent trust deficit regarding
the working of NGOs. Nevertheless, she is

optimistic and confident that she will succeed.
She is proud of the fact that UNESCO has
recognized her project and allowed it to use
their logo in her brochures. As far as her
staff is concerned, she is today quite satisfied
with their work although as she says, “Well,
I have had some disappointments in the past
in this regard, but I am quite happy now.” It
is a small staff headed by a coordinator and a
supervisor. Iet says that although the Home
does not lack in rules and regulations, love and
warmth are equally important in a Home such
as hers. As she says,“We want to create a family
environment here where all the residents feel a
sense of ownership. I want there to be warmth
and goodwill.”
In addition to future plans to construct their
own building, Iet is also planning to set up a
systemwherebywomenwhohavepassedoutof
her Home can, if they want, be employed in it
itself as trainers. She says, “I have big dreams,
I want to do so much more. You know, I have
observedthatifyourdreamsaresincereenough,
therearemanypeoplewhowillcomeforwardto
help you.”Iet comes to Nepal about two times a
yearandstaysforacoupleofweeks.Itiscertainly
a long distance from the Netherlands to Nepal
andonedoeswonderwhatkeepsherrecharged
year after year to make the long journey and
what motivates her to still dream of doing more.
Her answer is simple, “When I enter our Home
and see the children that makes me very happy
and makes me want to do more.”

Shiva Dhakal, Managing Director of
Royal Mountain Travel is President
of Kiran Namaste and manages the
project in Nepal on let's behalf work is
in progress to build a new house for the
women and children in Kathmandu.

© RMT

She reveals how, one fine day, a project was
formed in her mind. She knew what she had to
do. ”I came back to Kathmandu and established
Kiran Namaste, a home for single women, their
children as well as other street kids. My aim was
to help single women who had suffered much
injustice and keep out of the streets as many
kids as possible,” she says. “Kiran means the
sun’s rays,”she explains,“and Namaste of course
means, greetings. So, my home is ‘greetings of
the sun’s rays’.”She further elaborates, pointing
to the logo on her visiting card, “You see that
boomerang like curvature—that is Kiran
Namaste giving a helping hand. The long
straight slash at the bottom is the road ahead
thatourbeneficiarieshavetotakeforthemselves
after their stint with us.”

Talking more about the project, Iet says, “In
the beginning, we took on five single mothers
and 13 children. Currently, at present, there
are 10 single mothers and around 39 children
at our Home. This is the third group since our
establishment.”Apparently, women can stay in
the Home for a period of three years during
which time they are also given different types
of vocational trainings in order to prepare them
for a productive life ahead on their own. Their
children, in the meanwhile, are, in addition
to being well looked after, also sent to schools
till they pass high school. Vocational training
to the women is provided in the Home’s own
workshop which has led to it having quite
a large number of handmade products in
its collection. Iet is happy that some of the
women who have passed out of her Home have
either started their own small businesses or
are working in some responsible positions in
others’ companies.

“Well, I have
had some
disappointments
in the past in
this regard, but I
am quite happy
now.”

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