The fearless, lone fight for justice

How do you feel after the hunger strike? I feel a bit weak, not having consumed anything for seven days, and I’m also suffering from hemorrhage which made it very difficult. It could sound like a contradiction, but actually, professionally speaking, this is one of the best moments of my career. It is so, because when I first came to Nepal almost two decades ago; my objective was to provide quality education to poor children walking the streets in search of food, money and a better living, those marginalised children working in carpet factories, the beggars and Dalits. All these years I have been practicing my own pedagogy, named Vicki Sherpa Pedagogy for Transformation. One of the principles of that pedagogy is to provide children with a critical mind, an analytical mind, and develop capacity for creativity so that they are able to identify the miseries, problems around them; and also to provide them with the capacity to come up with solutions and transform their problems. The children I took out from the streets are the ones who came forward some months ago to tell me truth that was hidden from me for so long by those I trusted all along. They asked their voice be listened to and this was a wonderful present to me from the children. It is the great result after all these years of suffering; it’s the voice of the poor, the untouchable. It is a mark of their courage.It’s the voice of the poor community yelling to be listened, to be given a place on this earth, a place in Nepal. And because of the children’s voice, this movement has been originated. I can say that I am very, very happy. The first thing we noticed after you started the hunger strike was the lack of media covering this news. That surprised us because you are the first foreigner to do a hunger strike in Nepal!Actually, I was not aware of this angle. Being the first foreigner to do a hunger strike here in Nepal is certainly rare. Although some media was interested about the strike, but not as much as could be expected for this cause, or this campaign. But I have to tell you something, I have been told that recently, after the acknowledgment of several facts, the Chief District Officer (CDO) has been removed from his job. This, I think proves that the new PM and his team are being pro-active and now I hope they will help solve my case.What led you to start the hunger strike?The story goes seven months back when one of our projects was robbed twice. The project was jewelry making in which our women trained in the art of jewelry making, produce not so expensive necklaces, earrings; and the benefit from it was going back to these women and also generating income for the two schools.After that incident, one of our schools was vandalised and finally tragedy hit us when one of our students, Sabita, who had been in the hostel for seven years committed suicide under very unclear circumstances. I was shocked when I saw the negligence of the members of VEDFON.  The board members hesitated to move forward with the investigation. They just did not want to listen to the children’s voices. Sabita’s best friend, the first one to find her friend’s body hanging from the bathroom ceiling was shell shocked and she came to me to share her grief and concerns. The board members closed the case, saying there was no reason for Sabita’s case to remain open for an investigation, and I felt that this was immoral, and that also made me suspicious. I can clearly say that any teacher who does not listen to a child’s pain does not deserve to be called a teacher. And I saw such examples then.I decided to pursue the investigation with those who were looking for justice - the students and the parents. We went knocking from door to door: the CDO to the Social Welfare Council. We sent letters to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Education. I have to say that till now, Ambika Shrestha, the Spanish consul to Nepal and also the foreigner’s affairs delegates are the only ones who paid attention to the matter seriously.Sarbendra Khanal the SP of Hanuman Dhoka, also showed interest, but mysteriously could not do anything for this matter although he investigated and clarified other facts like the vandalism. My thanks go to Baburam Bhattarai, the Finance Minister and his team: Dr Birendra Jhapali, Sundar Maskey, Bhuban Shrestha, Ram Kaji Shrestha, and the PM  Prachanda for their help.We came across proof that there has been a lot of corruption in the government and by the board members of the organisation. Do you think it happens only in Nepal or do you think it’s a common trouble for other INGOs too?I think, unfortunately corruption in the third world countries is a daily practice. It is something that nobody feels  is something you should make an issue about. I myself being the founder of this organisation 19 years ago, consider that I have been exploited. We always talk about exploiting the poor countries, poor children, but how about the innocent people of the first world, the Americans, the Japanese, the Australians, the people who are rich or the people who are not really wealthy but with their savings; pensioners like my mother are collecting money which is not easy to get; and they are making a big sacrifice to maybe give those 20 euros because they believe will go to feed the poor. But those euros are going to the pockets of those corrupted NGO presidents or the corrupted people in the government who misuse those funds and the poor remain poor. I think when these donors hear my words they will feel the same pain and same injustice that I feel right now and they will feel a strong identification with my cause and that’s why I’m fighting to stop silently supporting such injustice.What is this movement called purple hands for children with no rights, about? This is the beginning of a new movement, a movement that I would like to spread all over the world; a movement that has the aim of gathering the people in these organisations that have been compelled to silently support corruption out of fear. I am calling all of them to come and share their problems with us. Those seven days of hunger have been a very special experience for me. Many people with very similar experiences came to meet me in the tent. There were those who cried in my arms; and there were those from other NGO telling me how much they have been suffering. And there were those who wanted to fight but had to give up and run away.  Some said, they were faced with the choice of either leaving the country or to continue working with corrupt people. I understand them because for the past five months I have had to go around with people to protect me because I have been threatened. I have been dodging  persecutors who have been following me all around. I had to send my children back to Spain because they were being threatened. I consider myself as a very brave person to have survived all that and for still fighting. I understand the silence of these other people. But if your are empathising with my experience, if you could get inspired by my cause and be freed from fear; please get in touch with us, because this movement will gather organisations from all over the world for the people who want to make positive changes not only in Nepal but all over the world. We want to ensure that the money sent by donors is being used the right way. And we need to send the vandals and the corrupt to jail.I also would like to clarify that I am a well qualified person, well known and respected in my community and can go back and get a job anywhere else; if that is what I wanted. But I’ve devoted so much of my energy, time, and resources for the welfare of the children I deeply care about.  Just because people with wrong motivations took advantage of my trust and used all means to portray me as the wrong doer, I’m not going to run away. In fact, that is what they all hope I would do but I did not. I’m standing up for the truth, for justice and it shall prevail. I may have started this fight alone but there are many who support me now and there will be many more in days ahead. Thank you.