Prince Harry to stay in Nepal for one more week; intermingles with children

Bishnu Nepal (Kathmandu) / March 23: The visiting British Prince Harry said he would stay in Nepal next week also. His scheduled official visit, however, ended today.

“I will be spending the next six days in a remote village with a charity called Team Rubicon. The team I’m joining will be working with a community to rebuild a school damaged in the earthquake,” the Prince said at the British Embassy Bicentenary Reception marking the end of his official tour to Nepal, in Kathmandu this evening.

“The people I have met and the beauty of this country make it very hard to leave,” he said, “Thankfully, however, I’m not leaving just yet.” “Team Rubicon is a disaster response charity, uniting the skills and experience of military veterans with first responders to deploy emergency response teams in the aftermath of disasters,” the Kensington Palace said in a separate statement.

The statement, however, does not specifically mention which place he will stay in. Earlier this week, the British Royal had spent his time in Bardiya, Lamjung and Kaski districts of Nepal. He had addressed the first ever Nepal Girl Summit in Kathmandu this morning.

As many as 59 children assembled at the Soaltee Crowne Plaza hotel in the capital today to participate in the ongoing Nepal Girl Summit 2016 were flooded with happiness as the visiting British Prince Henry Charles Albert David ‘Harry’ spent quality time with them for good 45 minutes.

Not only that, the Prince Harry also brainstormed with them on various aspects on child marriage in an attempt to seek solutions from the children too.

“What should be done to end child marriage?” asked the 31-year-old Royal to children. “Sir, poverty and lack of education and backwardness have penetrated its root deep in our society. Unless these issues are addressed, child marriage could not be curbed,” prompt came the reply from Sahil Ansari of Banke district.

Similarly, Nabina Lama of Makawanpur questioned the British Prince what were the measures to change the traditional thoughts and concept of child marriage. It got the Prince little serious. “It takes time to change the thinking pattern of the people at home and society at large. We should keep our efforts on for the same,” he replied.

Prince Harry was fascinated by an artwork made up of bangles and made by those children as he walked and talked with the children on various broad issues related to children.

In the meantime, Prince Harry enquired Rijwan Khatun of Rautahat about the artwork that took his fancy. “The ornament bangles are interconnected with our loves, Sir. Child marriage and dowry system have plagued our societies,” she explained touchingly.

Bangles, special vermillion named Sindur and pote (tiny glass beads) hold special significance in marriage among many communities in Nepal.

Punam Dulal of Surkhet gave Prince Harry a penny for thought, asking him – ‘How do you think the world free of child marriage could be achieved by 2030?’ No sooner the question was thrown, the unmarried British Prince spoke of the need for collective efforts.

“There’s nothing impossible in the world if we all stand united towards the cause,” answered the Prince, who recently gave up on his a decade long service in the British Army to take vigorous role in the charitable endeavors. Recently in an interview to Good Morning America show, he quipped that he was very good at giving hugs to children as he has soft spot for them.

Engrossed in the chitchat with the children, Prince Harry curiously asked Sunita Jaisi of Surkhet if there was any syllabus on child marriage in her course book. Sunita grieved that the education in the school was not gender-friendly. “But teachers share knowledge on it. We educate our family and society likewise. Alas, what we say has little say,” lamented the 11th grader.

Prince Harry then slips into the role of a sympathizer and replies, “Don’t worry. Your society is changing for good. You have female President and Speaker of the House. I believe they are at your side.”

Harry’s answer brought a small dose of comfort to Sunita while the quality time spent with the children prior to addressing the Summit motivated the children to further work for the cause that would make a world a better place.

Meanwhile, the visiting British Prince ‘Harry’ has observed the Burn Ward at Kanti Children Hospital in Maharajgunj, Kathmandu and enquired about the children undergoing treatment there.

During the visit, Hospital’s Senior Orthopedic Dr RP Chauhdary shared that five among the children have been taking temporary shelters there after the April 25 devastating earthquake dismantled their houses and rendered their families homeless. It was noted that Prince Harry turned serious after enquiring health status of eight-month baby Saurav Lama of Lazimpat, Kathmandu who was undergoing treatment of serious burn case.

“I feel that the child burn ward is laggard in providing care and treatment compared to other wards. So, I visit the ward”, Dr Chaudhary quoted Prince Harry as saying amid a gathering of doctors, nurses and relatives of children. The British Prince had spent 45 minutes in conversation with children and their caregivers at the hospital. He also took an opportunity to distribute toys to the children on the occasion. RSS