Current Challenges - "Living the Nightmare"

The Tilahi  area is one of the most impoverished areas in Nepal -- if not the world.  Residents are members of the Musahar Caste. Representing the bottom of the Nepal caste system, they are treated as ‘untouchables’ and suffer from significant discrimination resulting in extreme poverty with no opportunities to improve their quality of life and standard of living.  

The Musurey (individuals who are part of the Musahar caste) suffer greatly from severe poverty and a lack of education. Musurey women work 14 to 16 hours a day (as sharecroppers) in the landlord’s fields and are still unable to buy enough food or clothing for their children or to send them to school. The people who benefit from the Musurey's labor are local high-caste leaders. Musurey parents want to educate their children and give them a better future. However, grinding poverty means that children are forced to work from an early age to help support their families.   

 The Musahar are an untouchable caste whose members live in the southern plains (Tarai) region of Nepal. The people of the Musahar caste are known as the Musurey.  Like many other untouchable communities in Nepal, the Musurey suffer greatly from severe poverty and a lack of education. Musurey women work 14 to 16 hours a day (as sharecroppers) in the landlord’s fields and are still unable to buy enough food or clothing for their children or to send them to school. The people who benefit from the Musurey's labor are local high-caste leaders. Musurey parents want to educate their children and give them a better future. However, grinding poverty means that children are forced to work from an early age to help support their families. 

The Nepal government has essentially made few efforts to change / improve conditions in the area.  Although the caste system is illegal, it continues to prevail and the government has not taken any actions to reduce it.  With the exception of a government run school, there is little presence of government supported programs in the area.

 The pattern of life has prevailed in the area for three to four generations. Although improvements are being made through the efforts of groups like Ten Friends, change has been slow.