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In 2009, when Rumi Rajbhandari joined Burn Violence Survivors–Nepal (BVS-Nepal), an organization working for the rehabilitation of burn survivors, she thought of it as her first step in the world of social work. She thought she would eventually move on to other ‘more lucrative’ jobs. But fast forward 15 years later, she now runs her own organization, Astitwa, that helps burn survivors find their footing back in society.

“I never planned this. But working at BVS-Nepal made me realize how neglected the issue of gender-based violence was in our country and I wanted to do something to change that,” says Rajbhandari. When she met burn victims and heard their stories, during the course of their treatments, an intense rage, fueled by the injustice of it all, would take over. Most women were set on fire by their husbands and in-laws. Others by scorned lovers. “There weren’t strict laws for the crime and most of the time the incidents were swept under the carpet as ‘domestic’ issues,” she says, adding even the police would try to get the victims to compromise and go back home.

The women were more often than not financially dependent on the men, and this compelled them to live with their abusers. The more Rajbhandari saw, the more she realized how dire the situation was. As the program coordinator for BVS-Nepal, she had to work closely with the victims and their families and that also made her bond with them. “Eventually, it became unthinkable that I could or would ever do anything else,” she says.

Now, through Astitwa which was established in 2018, she is determined to provide burn survivors first the medical aid they need and then empower them through vocational and skills training. Astitwa runs a project called Sakchyam which provides jewelry-making training to survivors. The stunning pieces of jewelry made by the didis have found markets in the UK, US, Germany, Australia, and India.

However, Sakchyam, Rajbhandari says, will now focus on the local markets as well. “We see a lot of scope for it as our pieces are well-made with good quality materials. And they are beautiful. Oftentimes, the team doesn’t want to sell the pieces. We would rather keep them for ourselves,” she says, with a laugh that lights up her eyes.

Archana Ranjit, sister in-charge, burn ward, at the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Maharjgunj, Kathmandu, says Rajbhandari is a dedicated social worker. Ranjit has known Rajbhandari since her BVS-Nepal days and says she is compassionate and driven by the need to make a difference. She says Rajbhandari is able to connect with the survivors and they open up to her.

Rajbhandari’s colleagues at Astitwa agree that she has a presence that puts people at ease. The office environment isn’t formal and overwhelming because Rajbhandari isn’t strict despite being a go-getter. She knows what she wants but she doesn’t impose her ideas on others. This gives people the mental freedom and the clarity that comes with it to come up with their own ideas and solutions to problems. The team can regularly be seen discussing work over chatpate and chiya.

This has made it possible for Astitwa to achieve quite a lot of its goals in the six years it has been in operation. All their Kathmandu-based survivors have jobs, which is a big feat. When Rajbhandari first started working, no one would give jobs to burn survivors. One look at their scars and they would be rejected. But now, people are coming around and taking it upon themselves to help burn survivors by giving them the opportunities they desperately need.

“Many survivors are working as housemaids and are able to fend for themselves. This gives them an immense morale boost, and they can live free of their abusers,” says Rajbhandari.

Additionally, Astitwa has been able to fund the education of 24 students. These are all survivors or children of survivors. Rajbhandari considers this a major achievement as education will empower them and they will be able to break from the vicious cycle of poverty and the abuse that seems to be linked to it. “We have some kind sponsors who have made it possible for many of these students to stay in school,” she says, adding interested people can contact Astitwa and sponsor a child’s education. They would be making a huge impact, she says.

Rajbhandari is happy with all that Astitwa has been able to accomplish but the work sure does have its pitfalls. She recalls not being able to eat or sleep after seeing women suffering from severe third-degree burns. One would assume it would get easier with time and experience but that’s not true for her. It’s a traumatic line of work. Rajbhandari still shudders while talking about some cases. Her eyes welled up. Despite most of these women having recovered, what they had to go through continues to haunt her.

“Many perpetrators are still walking free. The survivors live in fear of their abusers. They also can’t move on because they never got justice so there is no sense of closure,” she says. There need to be stricter laws to lessen, if not put an end to, gender-based violence. Rajbhandari laments the government hasn’t given as much attention as it should to the matter. The media too doesn’t write about burn violence unless there is a new incident to report.

“Through Astitwa, I hope to bring change in our society’s attitude towards burn violence survivors and empower victims of violence. And I’m determined to do everything I can for it,” says Rajbhandari. 

The Constitution of Nepal 2015 has granted the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) the authority to examine allegations of abuse of authority against public office-holders and their aides.

In its early years--before the 1990s—the CIAA had played an effective role in curbing corruption. Over the years, the effectiveness of the constitutional anti-corruption agency has taken a beating, thanks to its rampant politicization. This has increased distrust, of the ‘small fry’ in particular, toward the agency.

Apart from a shortage of qualified personnel, CIAA also faces financial and technical limitations. Notably, it relies on support from the Nepal Police as it does not have an independent enforcement team of its own. I don’t oppose political appointments within the CIAA, but it is crucial to appoint competent and trained individuals to boost its performance. The emphasis should be on appointing officials who can act fearlessly and produce results.

The author is a former CIAA commissioner

Balendra Shah, the mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC), is reluctant to allow street vendors to carry on with their businesses as usual. In contrast, the neighboring Lalitpur Metropolitan City has effectively managed street vendors by allocating specific time slots for their business activities. According to a study conducted by the Center for Informal Economy and Hope for Change, Nepal, a staggering 89 percent of street vendors in Kathmandu are currently relying on loans due to the actions taken by the mayor. Surprisingly, the federal parliament has remained silent on this issue.

Pratik Ghimire of ApEx talked with whips of the three largest political parties in the parliament to understand their take on this matter related to the informal economy.

Sushila Thing
Whip, Nepali Congress

Kathmandu Metropolitan City functions as an independent governing body with the authority to carry out its own actions. The central government or federal parliament lacks the power to issue commands to them. This matter falls outside our jurisdiction. Nonetheless, due to its significant impact on numerous individuals, this matter deserves attention within the parliament. Regrettably, no political parties have brought up this concern, and even the Nepali Congress has not addressed it in its internal parliamentary party meetings. But I now intend to present this issue during our upcoming meeting.

Mahesh Bartaula
Whip, CPN-UML

When individuals find themselves caught between government regulations, authorities often resort to exerting their power over them. But this is the case of livelihood. In this scenario, the government has a responsibility to assume the role of a guardian for its citizens, particularly those residing below the poverty line and struggling to earn a living. Kathmandu Metropolitan City must provide viable options for these individuals. The CPN-UML, serving as the main opposition party, represents the interests of the general populace and will raise this issue in parliament.

Rupa Sosi Chaudhary
Whip, CPN (Maoist Center)

The issue hasn’t been brought up in the parliament to date. This matter encompasses two primary aspects. Firstly, if our aim is to create an aesthetically pleasing and technologically advanced city, we must adhere to a well-defined strategy. For that, we can’t allow arbitrary business activities. But, on the other hand, considering that street vendors have been an integral part of our community for a long time, it’s neither feasible nor advisable to abruptly stop them from doing business as usual. We must, instead, offer them proper alternatives. I will urge my party and colleagues to collaborate with local units, including the KMC, to address this issue.

Nag Panchami emphasizes the peaceful coexistence of people and nature with its cultural and spiritual significance. It acts as a reminder of the significance of treating all living things with respect and preserving ecological balance.

This traditional Hindu festival honors serpents and snakes because they are revered in Hindu mythology and culture. The celebration takes place on the fifth day of the Shrawan lunar month, which normally falls in July or August. The term ‘Nag’ refers to snakes, and ‘Panchami’ means the fifth day.

Devotees pray to and worship snake deities during Nag Panchami in order to protect themselves from snakebites and other related risks. Hinduism views snakes as powerful, holy beings as a sign of protection, consciousness, and alertness.

Narendra Chitrakar, 62, has been painting Naga pictures since he was 11, learning from his father and his grandfather before that. This is his ancestral business. He was born in Machhindra Bahal, Masan Galli, Ason, Kathmandu. The colors used in the paintings are called ‘kacha rang’ in the Newari Language, which means raw color. He creates five to six designs of paintings of different sizes. Small posters are more popular and are sold in greater numbers than smaller ones. He sells 2500-3000 handmade posters every season, with prices ranging from five rupees to Rs 50. Apart from that, he also paints color on the statue of Rato Machhindranath and other Hindu deities.

One of the most famous myths about this day is about Lord Krishna defeating serpent Kaliya. According to the story, Kaliya had taken residence in the Yamuna River, poisoning its waters and terrorizing the inhabitants. Krishna, as a young boy, danced on Kaliya’s many heads, forcing the serpent to surrender and promise to leave the river. This story symbolizes the victory of good over evil and since that day Nag Pachami was celebrated.