Names have been changed in the story to protect the privacy of those involved.
Image: Sushila and Arjun at the NGN Karnali Home 1 in Kathmandu.
August 22, 2011: Sushila and Arjun will sleep soundly in their father’s home tonight for the first time since 2002.
The young brother and sister are among 20 children who had been rescued from an illegal orphanage in Mukti, Nepal, and under NGN’s care since March of this year. This afternoon, their father came to our Karnali Home 1 in Kathmandu to pick them up. After a lot of celebratory tikka on their foreheads and many well-wishes from all the staff and children, the three headed home to eastern Nepal with bright smiles on their faces.
Sushila and Arjun are an energetic and affectionate set of siblings. Sushila is best known for her infectious laughter, hugs and Bollywood-style dancing. Arjun enjoys a good “rice sack race” and makes solid attempts at break-dancing with the other boys at the Karnali home.
Their journey to reunification didn’t come easy.
Sushila and Arjun were beaten and starved in an illegal orphanage prior to their rescue in March. When they arrived at NGN, we were not able to gather much information on their background or history as they had been separated from their family at a very early age, so there was only minimal hope for reconnection.
But, in July, our diligent and persistent Reintegration Project Managers trekked to remote mountains in eastern Nepal, refusing to give up on any leads. We found their father at the very last village we visited! What a gift for the children, and a rewarding moment for our team when the father got to hear the excited voices of his long-lost children on the phone for the first time in years. The team is still searching for Sushila and Arjun’s mother, who separated from her husband nine years ago.
Image: Sushila, Arjun and their father with NGN Reintegration Project Manager Samjyor Lama, moments before their journey home
Our Reintegration Project Managers will continue to carefully monitor the reintegration progress after the children return home. This marks another achievement for NGN on our mission to reconnect trafficked children with their families, provides significant motivation for our team and reminds everyone that miracles do happen.
