My name is Samjhana Limbu. Now I am 12 years old. I have six members (father, mother, older brother, two younger sisters and I) in my family. I was born in Kakarbhitta which is the border side and lies in the eastern part of Nepal. My grandfather was an alcoholic, sold all the lands (properties), and misused the money on drinking wine.
Due to the poverty and argument between my parents and grand parents, we all migrated to Madhav Besi, Dhading. That time i was 2 years old. No money and illiterate parents in new migrated place, it was really very tough time and difficult to live up. My parents did not get job. After soon, my parents started working and live up in the stone quarry on the bank of Madavbesi River.
We live under a small plastic covered hut. All the members live in the same hut and cook food out side under the open sky. Moreover, the job they do is very hard, crushing stones into small pieces and collecting stones and carrying to the work place.
Even they could hardly earn sufficient money food. Due to the poverty, I also started work to help her parents. I was 6 when I started collecting and crushing the stones in the river bank. I used to work for 3 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the evening. I could able to crush two full buckets of stones, which is around NRS. 18 per day but the money I earned collect by my parents.We live under a small plastic covered hut. All the members live in the same hut and cook food out side under the open sky
During the daytime, I used to the government school. Where I started studied at early age of 5 to 8years old in the same standard. I hardly could read and write Nepali Alphabets. I could not read and write English Alphabets. I used to go to a Government school. Government schools are very poor education system and comparatively private sector is far better. I repeated grade 1 three times
Besides that, I had got many injuries at work. Cuts, wounds, Hit by hammer and stone (while crushing & carrying the stones) and fell down were minor for me. No one cares and seems too common for us. Help to Educate staffs, visited my work place and saw me crushing stones. They came closer to speak me about my life. They spoke with my parents as well. They wanted to help me for my education placing me in Little Gems Girls Hostel in Kathmandu. I was very excited to go with them. My parents were also very happy.
So they brought me from work place Dhading to Hostel about 1 and half years ago. Now I am studying at Tri Ratna Cooperative School with my hostel friends. I am at Grade 3 and I got very good results in my exams. I want to study more and want to be a Doctor in future to help needy and poor people like me.
Thank you for helping and supporting me!
Samjhana has been living in Little Gems Hostel since she was 8 years old.
