Sanothimi Child Reform Home in Bhaktapur is holding three times more children than its capacity, causing various problems for the children living there.
One of the mothers of the children living at the home complained regarding the inconveniences the children face due to excessive children in the home The children were not getting the facilities they should get. The child’s mother said that the home should be giving special attention to the health, education, living conditions, and other factors of children who are living in the home as a reformative option due to the crime they have committed.
The staff of the home acknowledges this problem as well. Keshav Suwal, Director of Child Reform Home and USEF, the home, which has been operating since 2002 as a ‘C’ category child correctional home with the support of the non-governmental organization USEF, can provide shelter to 100 boys and 10 girls. However, the home is housing 282 children as of April 11, where 247 of them are boys and 35 are girls.
One of the girls living in the home said that when the situation of the home has hindered the mental, physical, intellectual, and educational progress of children who were sent to the home for reform.
Director Suwal said that although the education facilities and system in the children’s correctional home are adequate, the house faces problems with rations and other service facilities. He said that although the house has been managing the resources so far, it is high time for the government to invest in resources to increase the capacity of the house. He further mentions that the house has the provision for education, a library, sports, health check-up, insurance treatment, and nutritious food.
He further suggested that if a building is constructed for classrooms, the students will have access to further education. He said that even though he has been asking for permission for operation classes up to grade 12 for the past three years, he has not received it yet. Suwal said that technical training and skills such as driving, automobile, wiring, heavy equipment, motorcycle, and vehicle mechanics are also provided to the children by USEF.