Rajena camp: an oasis in the desert

As the proverbial cliché goes, one's success story can be motivation to others. Be it the story of an individual or a community, it can certainly show the right direction to those seeking progress, growth and advancement. Ex-Kamaiyas or the former bonded labourers, dwelling in different pockets of five districts—Kailali, Kanchanpur, Banke, Bardiya and Dang—can learn from their fellow ex-Kamaiyas at Rajena camp, which has come to be known, among people in and around these districts, as Mukti Nagar or emancipated town. The camp, which the government has declared a model village, is situated at Rajena VDC, some 18 km away from the district headquarters, Nepalgunj.

In fact, it won't be a misnomer to say, for Kamaiyas here, emancipation is more than just a word unlike their lesser counterparts for whom the tag of liberation has but brought only miseries, albeit under a different name, ex-Kamaiyas. The camp has a hundred liberated families well settled--their houses are well coloured and are in spacious area. For them, past life seems to have become history. The reason? The government distributed enough land, timber and some amount of money for construction of houses; INGOs like GTZ and Plan International helped distribute shallow tube wells under the West Terai Poverty Alleviation Project; and local NGOs like BASE and RRN promoted their community by building up a community house and a model house as well. The significant factor being the synchronised coordination between government and non-governmental organisations, which has made all the difference, say the locals here.

The norms of community are well developed here. They have a community house to hold meetings. The freed Kamaiyas here have also formed five budget groups like Rajmati and Kamal to save money and to issue loan to those in need. Bhagwan Chaudhari, who used to be a Kamaiya at Naubasta, Banke, is the secretary of the Kamal budget group. "We have saved some six thousand rupees in our account, and it has accumulated interest of more than 200 rupees," says an elated Bhagwan. All the associated members have to be present in the meetings. If one is absent, he has to pay five rupees as fine. Bhagwan says, "We formed the budget groups under the initiation of Freed Kamaiya Food Security Project but it has done a lot better since people can take loan during the 'rainy days'. Moreover, it has helped us participate in time-to-time interactions and involve in community development."

Sharma Tharu, 27, wanted to involve himself in small-scale business after he was freed and shifted to Rajena Camp. He did not have any resources for investment. He badly needed employment; it mattered little as to what job he got. Luckily, he could draw 500 rupees from the Kamal budget group. Now he brings (groceries) vegetables and fruits from Rupediya, the Indian boarder town nearby Nepalgunj and sells it in villages, nearby his camps. "I am very happy because I can work according to my will. Selling goods is far better than being a Kamaiya," he said, "Now I can send my children to school. The budget group has really done me good. I will try to repay the loan soon."

However, all former bonded labourers are not as lucky as Sharma. It is still very hard for them to find jobs at nearby places. "The major problem that still persists here is unemployment," says Phalu Ram Chaudhari, Social Mobiliser at BASE. "Of course the Food for Work Project has employed youths in road construction work but it is not sustainable," said Phalu Ram. The only positive factor in favour of this camp is that it is quite close to Kohalpur and Nepalgunj. People from here can go to these small towns to find labour work daily.

The in this camp also plan to involve themselves in fish keeping/farming business. They have kitchen garden to grow vegetables and even food grains in small amount. Some nine shallow tube wells have been installed in the camp. Near the community house, they have dug a pond for fish keeping but the project is yet to be implemented. According to Shankar Parsad Dhungana, an official at Land Reforms Ministry, the government has taken this camp as a model village since the government can boast of successfully rehabilitating ex-Kamaiyas here. "Perhaps all the non-governmental organisations too cooperated with the government thereby leading to this success. Those working in the field should learn from such examples," said Dhungana.

Here, children do not just involve in labour work they also go to literacy classes. "I like going to school. The teacher teaches us many subjects but I like maths," said Krishna Chaudhari, an eight-year-old boy. "I like to play and also work when I am free from classes," his sister, added enthusiastically. Women folks too involve themselves in income generating activities. Apart from producing handmade fans, baskets and other materials for domestic use they work as labourer. They actively keep themselves busy in learning about the basic health and sanitation. Their houses and surrounding are cleaner than the 'sheds' in other camps. Whatever the situation, there is no doubt that the community here is significantly well organised and stronger than those in other legal or illegal camp.