Taking a stand against bad governance is quite easy. All that’s needed to spark demonstrations is for government to repeal positive policies enacted by previous governments and in their places, enact unfriendly laws.
However, what happens when we have all the conveniences that make the public system work but for some reason we take them for granted?
We could end up with the scenario in this video where children go to school by crossing a river, not with a canoe or any other safe means of transit, but by a single pulley. The children connect the locks that secure them in place and glide out to the other side on this pulley. In a sad twist; lots of people have lost their lives and limbs trying to get to school and back.
All these and more happen every day at Dhaing village in Nepal, where a hand-operated cable is the only link the villagers have to the outside world. It is therefore clear that villagers – school children, business-people, friends and all can’t do much if the pulley over the Trishuli River breaks or becomes damaged.
In the video below, villagers can be seen ferrying their families and goods to the other side while school children face the daunting task of traveling out from their side of the river to the other side.
While it is necessary that proper bridges be built in order to ease Dhaing’s transportation problems, one must also salute their courage and tenacity to keep going about their businesses despite the dangers inherent in their only form of travel.
In the world of mass transit, free public education, school buses and modern conveniences, it is really special to see villagers, especially children, willing to risk all to go to school. The scenes at 0.08 and 0.36 aptly capture the fear that characterizes the day of the average villager. This is enough to make you appreciate every little gift that modernity has blessed us with.
This is also a call for government to work at keeping our infrastructures intact. Even if more can’t be built, the ones that are available should be well maintained. One can only wonder if, at the current rate of deterioration we do not end up being like Dhaing, where we resort to this crude and dangerous means of transportation.
It is also of utmost importance that every American take advantage of the educational system to expand their academic horizons. If the children of Dhaing, Nepal risk life and limb to get educated; what’s your excuse?
Watch video below and share.
Image Credit: Video Screen Grab
