The Story of Govinda
Govinda is a beautiful, gentle 6 year-old boy. His family comes from Mahendranaga, in the Terrai (plains) on the border between India and Nepal. Govinda’s father used to work as a policeman, which is an extremely dangerous job in Nepal, because of the civil war between the Maoists and the Nepali military. Both sides in this conflict are known to commit human rights atrocities that are almost unbelievable to us in Bermuda.
In 2004, Govinda’s Dad was captured by the Maoists and tortured. He was eventually released, which is rare (police are often burned by the Maoists) but was told that he would be killed if he returned to his job in the Nepali police force. So he returned home, to the relief of his family, but had to ensure their safety. This meant leaving their village, sending his wife to her parents’ village, and taking his two sons, aged 6 and 9, to Kathmandu so that they would not be harmed or abducted. He left everything behind. He arrived in Kathmandu with no money and no place to live, and with severe injuries from his torture by the Maoists. In desperation, he put his two sons in the care of a man he met who promised to help the children by finding them international sponsors for their schooling and living expenses. Govinda’s Dad hoped that somehow this would take care of the children’s food, clothing and education, which he could not provide.
In early 2005, The ISIS Foundation found Govinda, his brother, and 54 other children in a home that was barely providing them enough to eat. They were not going to school, they were malnourished, covered in scabies and lice, and many were being sent out to beg for money on the streets. All the children were sick and uncared for. Anna Howe, our Kathmandu Projects Manager, and Yeshi Lama, our Homes Supervisor, took on the huge job of trying to care for each of these children, even though the home was run by an unscrupulous manager who did not want our assistance, and who saw us as a potential threat to his reputation and financial livelihood – the latter being, of course, the children.
Govinda was skeletal, coughing and bent over with pain. We immediately took him to the hospital where he was diagnosed as having severe septicemia, pneumonia, and bacterial infections. He was put on oxygen and a drip. The hospital was draining a litre of fluid from his body every two days. He could not eat and was wasting rapidly. He had daily fevers of 104 degrees. He was in the government hospital for three weeks with little improvement. As the days dragged by, we realized that his treatment may be sub-standard, so we emailed our medical specialist in Seattle, Deb Lester, for advice. She got Govinda’s medical records to relevant doctors in the States, who advised that he be moved out of the hospital and into a more caring environment. They also gave us clues as to what the real diagnosis and prognosis may be.
After some tough negotiating with the government hospital staff, who initially refused to let us take Govinda elsewhere, we moved him to Patan Hospital, which is now the place we take all seriously ill children. Govinda recovered rapidly with the new treatment, and within a week he was released. The doctors at Patan Hospital stated that he was so unwell when he was first admitted, that had we not brought him to them, he would have died within days.
When Govinda was able to be released, we couldn’t bear to put him back into the home run by the dreadful opportunist. So instead we are assisting his father with supporting him. We provide money for food, and have enrolled him at a local school, one of our other partner-organizations in Kathmandu. The Tashi Waldorf School is a haven for children – it is based on the Waldorf/Steiner educational system and is full of laughter, creativity, learning and love. Govinda is now healthy, happy and well cared-for. He’s a delightful little boy!!!!!
At the top of this page is a picture of Yeshi Lama, our Homes Supervisor, with Govinda, at school. He looks so serious!!! He is so very grateful for the help that he has received, it’s hard to stop him saying ‘Namaste’ – God Be With You, the way that you say hello in Nepal – when we take photos.
