” When I go out for work early in the morning, my small children will be normally sleeping. To win bread for them, I start my morning by searching plastics and empty bottles. I sell those and buy rice and vegetables for my little ones.” This is the daily life of garbage collector Meena Tamang. Four years ago, her husband married another woman and left her.
She has a responsibility to groom three children and she is only focused on this. She is completely unknown about the “International labourer’s day” that is being observed globally.
” I do not know anything. If I miss to collect garbage for one day,that night I won’t be able to feed my children”, says Meena. “Why should I celebrate labor day. I do not even have place to live. This is day to celebrate only for rich and leaders, she shows her anguish.
She was married when she was 14 years. She eloped with Rana Bahadur and got married with him. It has already been 17 years that she is doing this job, she says.
Till now she does have neither shelter nor proper food to eat. But still she has managed to admit her children in government school. Meena is very sad after her husband left her. The labors day has got no affect on her.
Similarly, another labor Dil Bahadur is seen in Kuleshwor. He is doing a porter job as usual. When asked about Labor Day, he showed his ignorance.
“Do you think people like us have any day?”, he questions back. The only thing I know is, whole day I carry goods for my master to feed myself in the night, he says. He is sad because his son went to Saudi for foreign employment in the young age. He has not seen his son’s face for ages.
“Leaders who asked for votes but never listened our problem. They only need us during election and after that they forget us. Without doing such labor, we cant survive, he said.
May day with the motto of eight hours work and eight hours rest has not affected these laborers working in informal sector. The state has failed to include them in life insurance, health and social security scheme.
Mahesh B.K of Dolakha , working as a painter since 16 years has a same issue.
“People working in big offices can afford for treatment, but we are the one who are compelled to die without getting treatment. While hanging in a big building and painting, I remember my father , mother and my family. But I have no option. There are no one to listen our pain”, he added.