Feature: Facing shortage of housing and water, Nepali orphanage strives to get back to normal

Through the curtain sunshine shed on the cradle when a child aged 5 or 6 walked by. After playing with the bells hanging on the cradle he reached out his hand to the baby's cheek. Outside on the mat in the veranda women are carrying little babies in their arms,with the elder children surrounding them.

Around 4 clock on Saturday, everything looked just normal in the orphanage named Bal Mandir. Indu Katel, the chief of the orphanage, wears a light purple scarf and has got her fingernails and toenails painted the same color, the color of the most often seen tree blossom in Kathmandu valley.

She said that there were 101 children in her place before the earthquake tore a wall down of the orphanage house. 51 younger kids were later shifted here to this food distributive center of the Ministry of Education, while the other 50 were scattered elsewhere in the valley. Among the 51 children, 11 are small babies sleeping in the cradle, with the youngest no more than 3 months old.

Katel told that before shifting to this place, the children had been staying outside in the field under the tarpaulin for 5 days.

But even after getting a shelter in the government place, conditions have not been prominently improved. "The main problem that we are facing is the lack of space. Before there was sufficient space for children. Here, the children don't have enough space for playing, toilets, pure drinking water and bathrooms. Also due to small space, some are sleeping outside in night time." Katel said.

Karma Sherpa, aged at 7, is an orphan in his second year in school. He loves to cling to my leg and his eyes shine on seeing my smartphone. He said he was scared when the earthquake struck and the house and ground were shaking.

Sherpa loved life in the orphanage. He loves his friends here and he loves to study and play. He wish to join the army when he grows up.

Sagar Nepali is 11 years old and is in his fourth year in school. He wears a cap and a football shirt. With exaggerated gestures he described the earthquake. "Everything is shaking and shaking and shaking." He wish to be a football player in the future.

Katel said that she tries to guarantee proper education for each child in her orphanage, and those who outperform will be granted the chance to enter private board school.

However, with limited donations from the public and small money from the government, Katel's good will of educating the children and reconstructing the orphanage house seemed crippled. "As the building is already ruined by earthquake, right now, I can't think more about the orphanage's future." Katel said.

During our visit in the orphanage, a young couple has brought their daughter to send greetings to the orphans. Some people appeared and inquired about the donation procedures.

Attributed to Nepal Children Organization, Bal Mandir enjoys a history of 51 years. It has ten branches throughout Nepal, among which 3 are located in Kathmandu. The branch Katel is in charge is the biggest among all the branches.

Nepal has one of the biggest orphan population among Asian countries. Aid agencies working in Nepal said that nearly 2 million children had been affected by the earthquake. Endi