Stories about children’s days
Khem, 17 year old boy
About Khem’s life
Khem moved to Kathmandu from Western Nepal when he was 10 years old. Khem has a big family back in his village, he has six siblings. His family is very poor and things became much worse when his father was sent to jail for killing one of his relatives. Without his father to earn for the family, Khem had to leave school, along with his elder brothers, and earn for the family. Thus his journey into child labour began, at the young age of 10.
Khem’s older siblings are not very supportive of him. When he couldn’t get a good job that would provide for his and his mother’s expenses back in his village, he decided to travel to Kathmandu to seek better opportunities. He started work as a dishwasher at a relative’s khaja ghar soon after his arrival. It was also agreed that Khem would live at the khaja ghar
Cleaning and dreaming of a different life abroad
Although the work at the khaja ghar is tedious, I have to do it whether I want to or not. This is the only job that is filling my belly. I would go hungry if I left.
Inside the khaja ghar
Working in a relative’s place has its perks as well as its negative sides. Having worked at the khaja ghar now for over seven years, Khem feels reluctant to leave the job.
Khem feels he owes his relatives a great deal because they provided him with food, work and shelter, and took him on at a time when he had nothing. Khem however also feels that his reluctance to leave the job is a kind of shackle, that is not letting him seek out better opportunities.
Soon, however, Khem plans to go abroad. He hopes to borrow money from relatives as he doesn’t have any savings. His earnings of NPR 7,000 (US $53 a month is barely sufficient to cover his food and clothing expenses. He also sends money to his mother.
“The best thing about my work is getting praise from customers for serving them tasty food.”
Cooking in the khaja ghar
Multi tasking
Khem recorded his day and experiences at work in February 2023.
It was a typical day for him. The morning and mid-afternoon were fairly quiet, and lunch and evening time were busy.
Khem in his workplace
The khaja ghar stays open until 10 pm at night. After that time it needs to close, as only night venues like dohoris (folk music and dancing venues) and dance bars are allowed to stay open until 1 or 2 am in the morning and police monitor businesses. Some khaja ghars try to remain open later, in hiding from the police. They make good money from selling alcohol, but at the risk of the police forcefully closing their venue.
There are no notable incidents during the day. Khem is told off by various guests and by the business owner, but this is typical for Khem. Verbal abuse is very common in his line of work, even the police will use abusive words towards him, which he really doesn’t like.
Being told off in front of customers
The khaja ghar is adjoined to the room where I sleep. I have my own bed but sometimes customers also sleep along with me as there are two more beds in the room.
Khem’s day
Khem’s experience
I get up early in the morning, around 7 am. I freshen up and leave for the market straight away to buy meat and vegetables for the khaja ghar.
Researcher’s experience
Khem’s room is actually meant for storage. Khem sleeps in one storage space while another two similar spaces are rented out to customers. The room is cramped and is very minimalist with no furniture other than three beds. Khem has no privacy whatsoever.
Khem’s room has metal shutters and no windows, it gets quite cold during the winter and it gets hot during the summer.
Khem’s experience
It takes me no more than 12 minutes to get to the market. I come early, because I want to find the freshest meat and vegetables. I like this task, walking in the mornings feels good. The market is lively in the morning. I buy from the same shops each time. I don’t idle for long.
I travel back the same way I came in the morning. Nothing noticeable happens on the road. I get back to the khaja ghar around 6:45 am.
Washing dishes
Khem’s experience
My working day at the khaja ghar starts with some tea and some bread. Business isn’t that good these days so early mornings aren’t that busy for me. I get on with various tasks, from cooking, to dish washing to cleaning. I get free time to rest when there are fewer customers, but, as most of the tasks at the khaja ghar fall to me, my rest periods are not long.
By 8 am I am cooking food. I burned my hand while cooking, it’s not serious but it is painful. Unfortunately, I won’t get a day off.
By around 10am the flow of customers is increasing. I have cooked all morning, and I am a bit tired now, however I have to serve the food to the customers as I am the only one working in the khaja ghar. As there are a lot of customers there is a lot to do. I find it irritating when customers all ask me to do different things. I serve snacks and collect and wash dirty dishes. It is tedious but I am used to it, so it doesn’t bother me much.
The best thing about my work is getting praise from customers for serving them tasty food. I feel happy being complimented for my hard work. I also believe that I make good food.
I have my lunch at around 11am when there aren’t many customers. The owner takes over my tasks when I am eating. After eating, I rest for a while. I talk with a neighbour during this free time.
I eat a snack around 2 pm. The afternoon is uneventful. Around 5pm many customers start to come in to drink alcohol. Often they like a side snack like sukuti (dried meat). I then get very busy serving, cooking and washing the dishes. Today the evening is busier as usual. I eat my dinner around 9:30 pm when it is almost time to close the khaja ghar.
Researcher’s experience
Khem gets busy with his tasks straightaway. His room and the khaja ghar are adjoined so he doesn’t have to rush to get to his workplace in the mornings. He is busy cleaning, cooking and serving food all together. A while later, the owner comes and asks him to get sugar from the market.
Khem finds the work tedious but he feels he doesn’t have a better choice. His mother back in the village does agriculture work on the little land that they have but it doesn’t produce much so he has to support his mother with money.
Khem worries that the flow of customers at the khaja ghar is decreasing in recent times, and that this might impact his earnings. The customers who usually come to the khaja ghar are either working class labourers or those staying at guesthouses and in need of cheap food. As the general flow of people is decreasing, the customers coming from guesthouses are decreasing.
Later, Khem is washing some glasses to give to the owner, who is making tea for customers.
We see that Khem is shivering a bit as it is quite cold. As Khem hands some glasses to the owner, the owner tells him off, saying he needs to wash them again. Khem is embarrassed about being told off in front of lots of customers. He tells us that this is normal though and he is used to it.
His means of entertainment during his work-heavy day are his mobile phone and his neighbours with whom he talks. Other things are quite monotonous in his life with a similar routine every day.
Sitting in the sun outside
Khem’s experience
The khaja ghar is adjoined to the room where I sleep. The owner has provided the room for me. I have my own bed; however, sometimes customers also sleep along with me as there are two more beds in the room. I don’t mind sharing the room, but I really don’t like to share my own bed with others, thankfully I haven’t had to do that yet.
I use my phone to surf the internet for a bit and then I go to sleep around 11 pm.
Explore Khem’s journey
Rama, 17, supports her family by working as a beautician in the daytime and as a dancer in a dance bar at night.
Supriya, 16, works in a party palace (party venue) from 5pm until midnight.
Pema, 15, works in events catering in the afternoons and evenings, after going to college in the morning.
Arpita, 16, works in a massage and spa venue.