Dreaming for others

A four-storey old age home is being built in Chutrabasi, Argakhachi. The investor, 29-year-old Narayan Prasad Khanal, is building this home for elderly people who have been abandoned by their families, using the money he earned from working in Qatar.

"Even as a child I wanted to do something for old people who are deserted by their childern and left at the mercy of the roads," says Khanal. He is glad that he can finally do something for them with the money he has earned abroad. Khanal has been working in Qatar for 13 years. After a couple of years of work, he started a company of his own. Now his company, Alkhanic Technical Training, employs 80 Nepalis, including 20 from Argakhachi.

Khanal is from a simple family but has decided to use half of his savings to build this old age home. He will spend about Rs 15 million for the purpose. The 30-room building has provisions for eating, studying, playing and a room for religious purposes as well. The expenses of the home will be managed through a trust. The building is now almost complete.

Khanal has been donating his earnings for other social purposes as well. In addition to giving scholarships to students with financial problems, he has helped build a school and a temple.