Stories about children’s days
Batsa, 16 year old boy
About Batsa’s life
Batsa lives with his mother, who works as a domestic worker, and two older siblings. Batsa started working when he was 12 years old, when he dropped out of school to contribute to the family finances. This was around the time his oldest brother got married and left the family.
Batsa earns NPR 25,000 (US $190) a month, which he is proud of. He also takes pride in the trust and respect he receives from the owner of the dohori, and he likes the feeling of taking responsibility for his family and having some security. Batsa spends some of his earnings on tuition fees and gives some to his mother. He also keeps some of his earnings for own use.
Batsa’s bike
When you are overly tired it is difficult to sleep. So many things play on my mind. I don’t know how my future will be.
Batsa is keen to emphasise that he enjoys his work and is doing it by choice. His daily experiences reflect a more complex picture, however.
Batsa works cutting vegetables and washing dishes. He also cleans the bathrooms and the hotel rooms that are part of the dohori. Sometimes he delivers food and drink orders to rooms and nearby hotels.
Batsa wants to become a rapper and on weekends, when there is no school, he creates rap songs. He is ambitious and feels like he has little support from his family and therefore has no option but to work. He is very lonely and doesn’t usually share his feelings about work with anyone.
On 29th July 2022 Batsa recorded his experiences going from home to school to work. Batsa describes the day as “normal”, except that on another day he might also go out with his cousin or with friends. Mostly however he is either working or sleeping – he often misses out on spending time with friends. He frequently feels sad and tired.
Food preparation in the dohori
Batsa shares a bed with his brother
“When I don’t work, I sleep.”
Batsa in his workplace
Batsa doesn’t like it when a young female colleague is kissed and groped by a cook in the kitchen. This kind of domination of young female colleagues, including the more senior singers, by male co-workers and guests is very common at his workplace. As well as the cooks harassing the female staff, the male staff watch porn at work.
Batsa himself directly experiences the sexualised nature of his workplace when he delivers an order to a female guest’s room and the woman propositions him. She tells him that she will talk to the owner of the dohori so that he would not get into trouble.
Batsa worries about the police, as he has heard that they take children under 18 away when they find them working.
A waitress being leered at by colleagues
I feel very uncomfortable when the male staff dominate the young female staff. Waitresses are the victims of this abuse most of the time.
Batsa’s day
Batsa’s experience
I am feeling tired. I came home at 2am last night. I don’t feel like going to school but I have to go. I’m feeling exhausted. Eventually, I wash my face and get dressed for school.
I will be in school all day. I need to focus on my lessons.
Batsa’s experience
I have just got back from school. I got wet in the rain and my clothes are all wet. I am getting ready for work and because I have to be there by 4.30pm I am in a bit of a rush. There isn’t any tiffin (light meal) to eat at home today, so I am going to work feeling hungry.
Batsa’s bike
Batsa’s experience
I go to work by bicycle. I have a lock to secure it.
Researcher’s experience
Batsa is going to work on his bike. He is in a hurry. He has asked us not to talk with his employers. And he has warned us that women may come up to us and ask for money and offer sex.
Cooking in the dohori
Batsa’s experience
I am always the first to reach work and to begin working. Today I feel sluggish. I clean the tables and the hookah pipes, and I do the dishes, which includes washing heavy pots and pans which gives me back ache. I cut coriander, ginger, garlic, vegetables and fruit. Then I sweep and mop the outside of the premises. An hour and a half goes by and there aren’t any guests. When I have nothing to do I wish I could use the time to do homework, but this is not allowed, so I sit idle, using my mobile phone.
I think about my future a lot. I don’t know how I will fulfil my dreams. I don’t want to be working but I have no other options and I don’t have anyone to support me in my family. Also there haven’t been many guests coming to the dohori recently, and I haven’t been paid. I feel quite stressed about this. Just as some orders are placed, I start to feel very tired. My eyes are red and aching. I feel down and I don’t want to talk to anyone. I just want to sleep right now. Hearing some of my favourite songs makes me feel better. I feel OK working here. I like listening to the songs and watching the live performances.
I eat at work. I feel better when I’m eating. I can have coffee and tea whenever I like. It is our responsibility to provide food for the staff members. The cook and I prepare dinner. I prepare the rice. It is a bit scary when I have to serve the owner of the dohori.
Researcher’s experience
Most of the people in the dohori are adults. There are some girls that look like minors, which we assume is to attract guests. Batsa tells us that both female and male waitresses and singers get taken out by wealthy guests and that this sometimes results in fights between staff member’s spouses and the guests.
Batsa’s bed
Batsa’’s experience
I come home slowly, walking with my bike. I love to walk. Although I feel scared, as I am alone on the road and dogs are barking and it is dark, still I enjoy walking alone. When I get home I get ready to go to bed but at 3am I am still awake, I can’t sleep. I want to sleep but I am feeling very low today.
Researcher’s experience
Sleep and rest are important to Batsa. He sleeps alongside his brother in a shared single bed on the floor. His parents do not feature in his daily routine, he tells us that he barely speaks with his mother and does not feel supported by his family.
Explore Batsa’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.
Khem, 17, has worked for a relative in a khaja ghar (small eatery) since he was ten years old.