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Wesleyan University

Publication Date

Fall 2014

Program Name

Nepal: Tibetan and Himalayan Peoples

Abstract

The following report is the result of an internship with the WEGAIN Zone in Boudha, Kathmandu, interviews with a dozen NGO affiliates, and interactions with a number of males who either have or currently reside on the streets of Kathmandu. Focused upon breaking the cyclical nature of street life and inherent stigma facing the hundreds of street children living within the Kathmandu Valley, both organizations and individuals have sought out a multitude of techniques and philosophies to address the “sub-society” that is Kathmandu’s street population. The first section of this report highlights the reasons why hundreds of boys land on the streets of Kathmandu each year as well as the negative influence of well-intentioned generosity that keeps the boys stuck to the sidewalk. Next, this report explores the lifestyles of street boys by investigating the prevalence of substance abuse, the methods of income generation, the apparent dynamics of gangs, and the presence of sexual activity among the target population. Finally, the report delves into the obstacle of stigma and its coexistence with numerous combative intervention tactics employed by NGOs and private individuals.

Disciplines

Community-Based Research | Family, Life Course, and Society | Inequality and Stratification | Politics and Social Change | Social and Behavioral Sciences

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