Stories about children’s days
Pema, 15 year old girl
About Pema’s life
Pema and her family migrated to Kathmandu from eastern Nepal five years ago. Her family isn’t very well off, so her father isn’t very positive about providing for her education. Pema is very passionate about studying and achieving great things in life. Therefore, she started working in the adult entertainment sector primarily to support her education.
Pema started her working life in a restaurant. She stayed for two months and left the job. Pema has since worked for banquets (catering services). The day she records her daily activities is her first day at work in a new job. She is underage therefore there she has no contract specifying her pay or her work hours. She earns on a daily basis.
Serving food to customers
In the future I want to help girls and other people who can’t afford to pay to fight for their rights. I don’t want other girls to be abused or harassed.
Working late into the evening
Pema does not share her income with her family, because the money is only enough to support her educational costs.
Pema earns up to NPR 15,000 (US $150) a month, but it varies). Her income is dependent upon the availability of work as this kind of catering work is seasonal, fluctuating around weddings and seasonal ceremonies. Pema therefore seeks out other earning options, for example, she tutors part time, for up to two hours a day.
“I am told off for leaning on a chair and resting for a while”
Dreaming of a brighter future
Food preparation
On 12th February 2023, Pema wakes up at 5.45 to get ready for college. After college, she works from 2pm to 8pm.
Pema in her workplace
Her day is full of rushing around and she is made late by late bad traffic. Being told off by a senior worker for being late on her first day at the banquet is not pleasant for her. At the end of the day Pema only receives NPR 600 (US $5) which is much less than she expected. The average earning from this kind of banquet work is NPR 1,500 (US $12) a day. The manager takes a cut of around 50% to 60% from her payment. Pema feels bad about not being able to object to this, but she knows she will get fired if she questions the salary deduction. Pema thinks this happens to other children as well.
Pema finds her workplace unfriendly and she must work very hard. She gets scolded for small mistakes quite often, which is upsetting for her. She feels that some of her co-workers are of similar age and having similar experiences to her though, and the younger workers are helpful and supportive towards her. Some of her co-workers smoke drugs and get drunk however and Pema finds this aspect of the working environment quite unpleasant.
On her first day Pema walks home with friends because her 8pm finish time is not considered late enough for transport from her employer to be provided. The bus she travels on has a 10-year-old conductor. She struggles with the journey because she is not dropped off close to her home. She has to walk further along a quiet road. All the shops are closed, dogs are barking and she is scared. Her parents have told her that theft is a risk at night and that girls are at risk of rape.
A quiet night time street
Pema’s day
Pema’s experience
I wake up around 5:30 am . After washing up and getting ready I leave home at 5:45. In the mornings I don’t have any work to do at home so I don’t have to get up very early.
An older woman washing dishes
Pema’s experience
I come back from college around 10:30 am and have lunch around 11am. Lunch is prepared by my mother, so I get to have some time to rest before I leave for work.
When I go directly to work from home, it takes around 30 minutes. The route I take is usually the same, along a road that goes past residential buildings, and grocery shops. There is a footpath on this road so it’s quite safe during the day, even when there is heavy traffic. One concern for me though is a narrow lane that I don’t like taking in the evening.
Researcher’s experience
We travel with Pema to her work. It is her first day and she does not want to be late. She is quite nervous.
A fight outside Pema’s workplace
Pema’s experience
I arrive at work at 2:20pm. I am 20 minutes late and I get told off by my team captain. As it is my first day, I am quite nervous.
I change into my work clothes and get straight to work. It is busy, there is a party going on. I am assigned to wash dishes. I see an old woman washing dishes. I feel bad for her. At her age she should be resting at home, but she is here washing a big pile of plates.
Later, I ask my friend who is in the soup section if we can swap our roles. One of the workers who is working in the snacks section is scolded very badly in front of all the guests and I feel bad for him. His mistake wasn’t that big. The boss should have talked with him separately and not in front of everyone. It was his first day here too.
My back is aching because I am doing the work of three staff, but all alone. I am doing some cleaning that was initially assigned to three staff including me but two of them disappeared. I have to finish everything on my own.
A girl working here is on her period and wants to go to the toilet. But the guard won’t give her the keys to the toilet that is relatively clean, and directs her to another, very dirty, toilet.
Later, there is a big fight between two groups at the banquet. One of the customers flirted with a female staff member and then she hit him and her boyfriend attacked the customer guy with a knife. Everyone is shouting. The police and medics are called.
Researcher’s experience
Pema is 20 minutes late because of traffic. The place seems hectic. The party has already started. We don’t see anyone being rude to Pema, but she tells us her team captain apprehends her for being late.
Pema isn’t the only child working here, there are various other children, both boys and girls, serving food, washing dishes, and clearing the tables.
Children smoking cannabis
Pema’s experience
I finish work at 8pm and all the staff have dinner at the banquet. By now the food is stale. 8pm isn’t considered very late in our line of work so the owner only gives us NPR 20 each as bus fare to return home instead of providing transport for us.
As I am walking back home with other colleagues we go through a secluded field and they start smoking weed. They offer it to me, but I say I am allergic to the smoke. It seems that in today’s world all teenagers are smoking weed. I feel bad seeing it. Later, one of the boys drops me off at my home on his scooter.
Pema’s experience
I’ve told my mother not to cook for me. I am very tired from working all day, but I still have my homework to finish. So, after washing up I start doing my homework. I go to bed at 11 PM.
Explore Pema’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.
Khem, 17, has worked for a relative in a khaja ghar (small eatery) since he was ten years old.
Arpita, 16, works in a massage and spa venue.