My heart wrenched when I encountered those kids and youngsters, basking on the cemented ground where cremation of dead bodies take place at the Pashupati Aryaghat in the premises of Pashupatinath temple, the biggest Hindu temple of Lord Shiva in the world located on the banks of Bagmati River in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal.

I am a firm believer of the proverb “SERVICE TO HUMANITY IS THE HIGHEST FORM OF WORSHIP”, but here I am, looking at those kids and youngsters run to gather coins and gold thrown by worshipers during the cremation process in the river for their survival. Several questions arose in my mind and I sensed hypocrisy within me. I quickly left the premises of temple without showing my face to God. I physically left that location, but the images of those kids and youngsters did not leave my mind and forced me to use my conscience to come out of this perplexed situation. I had to choose one, either IGNORING THEIR SITUATIONS AND TAGGING MYSELF AS A HYPOCRITE or SUPPORTING THEM TO CHOOSE A RIGHT PATH FOR THEIR BETTER FUTURE AND REMAIN HONEST ON MY BELIEF OF WORSHIPING. I was in a dilemma. I could not be a hypocrite and hate myself, but supporting them is not just within the reach of my resources. My head spun for a whole day and I thought maybe I could use my education and knowledge to solve their problems, maybe I could seek help from others on behalf of them, and then I decided to choose the second alternative. I went to meet them again the next morning. I directly went at the bank of the river where I first met them. Two of them, aged ten, were busy searching louse in their clothes and other two of the same age were helping each other to search louse in their heads. Some of them were busy giggling and playing with each other and fully enjoying their freedom. I envied them for few moments because I found them much happier and freer than myself, but their happiness did not last long. When I started digging into their life, tears poured from their eyes. One asked me, “Are you from any organization?” I said “No”. It looked like they were used to being asked such questions by humanitarian workers. I kept on interrogating them, “You guys get a lot of visitors here?” One replied, “Yeah.” They went on saying that they had been to the children shelter house. Another question hastily comes out, “Why did you leave then?” They quickly replied, “We didn’t like there.” I was confused. “But you can have a whole lot better life there than here, you get a chance to go to school and learn many things.” I hesitantly added, “You guys are not good kids”. A young guy at the age of seventeen, sitting quietly next to them suddenly replied, “Here they have freedom, they can sniff dendrite, smoke, drink, eat good food and also make good money but in those places, they think food is horrible and they get spanked by staffs if they smoke or sniff dendrite so they ran away from there.” Then those kids ran away from me after a young guy complained to me about them. I contemplated while they were running away: What do they need? I thought they needed services with love and compassion along with good counselors who could make them realize that the life they have right now won’t lead into a better future, so they need to change their pattern of living. What do parents do when they find their kids misbehaving? They try to help them out and are worried about their mischievous behaviors and find a solution to bring them back in track. These kids are like any other of their age, they also need such counseling with care and love. I requested the young guy to talk with me for a while. He reluctantly came along with me and we sat at the bank of the river. I asked his name. “Surya*”, he said and then our conversation went on.

He doesn’t know his last name and the place where he exactly belongs. He is seventeen now. He was ten years old when he first came to the vicinity of the Pashupatinath. He is very much attached to the place and kids around. I see a glimpse of hope and a desire to live a better life in his bright eyes and tell him, “You have to leave this place first if you want change and better your life.” With tears in his eyes, he said, “I will…I know I will be alone if I leave this place, this is my home and these kids are my friends and family, and I have no one outside.I was once rescued by a humanitarian organization but I didn’t remain there as I was also seeking freedom and didn’t realize the importance of education at that time. But now I regret it.” He points out an old guy laying next to us and says, “That is my future as well, and I will be laying just like him with no food and shelter.” He then points out few infants playing on the other side of the river and also gestures towards the kids in the river and says, “Those kids who are searching coins are the future of those infants and I am the future of those kids, few who never got any support and few who abandoned support from the organizations just because they didn’t like the way they were treated. He adds that they are too young to understand the future and there is no one to guide them. “My life would be different if I had remained in the shelter house, but now it’s too late to realize my mistake.” He says he wants to have his own business or work like other people and live a normal life like others but he thinks it’s just a dream which will never come true. He doesn’t like and feels very ashamed when others call him Khate* and feels humiliation too. I asked him, “What would you like to do if I want to help you?” He answered, “I want to set up a small business to start with.”

So what do you think? Can’t we bring change in his life? Can’t we help him to achieve his dream?

Many say money can’t buy happiness, I say different. Money can buy happiness, if used in the right place at the right time and for the right reason. Of course, it does not mean that being the richest person means being the happiest person, but helping others might make you a lot happier than you think. You help these kids and youngsters, and get the satisfaction that many would trade their lives for. You get the satisfaction of helping others by donating a little, and thus buy happiness through money.

Therefore, it is my earnest appeal to everyone out there who wants to make the difference in the living of these kids and youngsters to help by donating through us. If you are interested in buying happiness, in other words, helping these kids and youngsters to live their dreams, kindly contact us to donate at ofcourseyoucanchage@gmail.com with your name and full contact information. We will be updating you where your money will exactly get spent and how will it change the lives of those needy kids and youngsters.

• Khate describes bad language, ragged clothes, drug addict and thieves.
• Surya is not a real name.