Since publishing Sun & Shadow, a number of readers have asked me how I managed to gain such an understanding of the issues related to caste, gender, and other social and cultural nuances, especially as I am not Nepali by birth.
My previous posts have mentioned in passing the time I spent working here in Nepal, and the people I worked with, but they have not actually detailed what our organisation managed to achieve over the years.
I have copied here the last communication from our organisation – sent to all of our supporters when we wound up operations in 2018 – reiterating all of our achievements over the years. This does not cover the couple of years I spent beforehand, working with street children in Kathmandu, but may still provide the reader with a better sense of how I spent my time in Nepal.
One my favourite books of all time is ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’, by Harper Lee. There are many lessons to be found in this wonderful book, but for me, the outstanding lesson is that the only way to truly understand what is happenening to someone, is to walk in their shoes. Obviously, I could not do this literally, but wherever I went, whatever I did, whoever I was with, I was always watching closely, observing fully, and wondering how I would feel if I was in those circumstances.
I was not sitting in an office, far from the ‘action’. I was truly immersed in this place and in this work. From day one I threw myself into everything wholeheartedly; literally giving my own blood, sweat, and so many tears. It has become a part of who I am.
I may not be Nepali by birth, but I am Nepali in my heart, and Nepali in my soul.
