Kathmandu (AsiaNews) - Dozens of children are forced to live in prison with their incarcerated mothers. Many others live outside, left in the streets to their devices without government aid. This is the case in and near almost every penal facility for women. At present, some 80 children live in prison with their mothers. Pushpa Basnet, a graduate in social work from Kathmandu's St Xavier College, set up Butterfly Home in 2005 to provide children of jailed women food, shelter and education
According to the United Nations, 55 per cent of Nepalis live below the poverty line on less than a dollar a day. Most families cannot take care of the children of their incarcerated members.
"I became interested in this work at college, where from the teachings of the Jesuit Fathers and from my schoolmates, I learnt the importance of social involvement with the poor, following the example of Jesus," Pushpa Basnet said.
"When I was still a student, I visited different prisons where I met young mothers forced to raise their children behind bars for lack of support," she explained.
Nepali prisons are not equipped for children or schools. Children thus have to spend time in jail.
"After seeing so much suffering, I wondered why some many children had to be incarcerated with their mothers. For this reason, I asked some of them if I could take their children to my home. I reassured them that I would send them to school and that they would be able to take them back once they were out of prison."
After she earned her university degree, Pushpa decided to devote herself fulltime to these children. Thanks to donations from friends and fellow students, she was able to set up a small hostel with a few rooms in a building near her home.
In the past few years, Butterfly Home took in more than a hundred newborn babies, pre-school children and school age kids. Despite the separation, they always keep in touch with their parents.
During school breaks, Pushpa takes the children to visit their mothers, bringing food, clothing and water.
Sadly, some of the mothers are unable to take care of their children once they are out of prison and so leave them at Butterfly Home.
In order to finance her work, Pushpa sells some of the crafts jailed women make, things like cards, necklaces and bracelets. She has also opened a bank account for each child where money is set aside for their higher education.
Recently, US-based CNN network nominated her for the CNN Hero Award, a special prize for the best contributors to society.
