Nepal is a country of contradictions. The stunning Himalayan landscape, among the most fascinating and beautiful on the planet, stands out in sharp contrast to the widespread poverty and a lingering sense of hopelessness among the tens and thousands of Nepalis who live at the margins of society.
Like most other districts in the mid-west, the men of Jumla have migrated to bordering Indian towns for seasonal employment and there are only women, the elderly, and children to be seen. One cannot avoid thinking about the future of these children. Where will they go and what will they be doing in a few years? Will the boys follow in the footsteps of their fathers? The women, on the other hand, get up just before sunrise and toil in the fields and in their homes until late in the evening. How long will they carry on for?
