Nepal - Starting Over

In spite of a government ban on debt bondage, hardship continues to be a reality for tens of thousands of former bonded laborers who are among the poorest and most neglected citizens of Nepal. These people, known as Kamaiya, have been given temporary land plots by the government, but live in squalor, like in the village of Chediya. The International Rescue Committee is making life easier for the villagers here by setting up small-scale vegetable gardens and distributing household articles and livestock, such as goats.

Photo: Peter Biro/The IRC You can see more of Peter's photos from Nepal in this photo essay: www.theirc.org/resources/essays/nepal-faces-the-future.html