History of PA Nepal

Background

PA Nepal was established in 2000. Although a relatively new organization, PA Nepal represents a continuation of the prison welfare work that was started by the renowned writer and human rights activist Parizat in the early 1990s. The perpetuation of these ideals is largely due to Chairperson Ms Indira Ranamagar who worked with Parizat in Nepali jails before founding PA Nepal.

PA Nepal provides a home for children who would otherwise be in jail with a convicted parent. There are currently 60 children in the home. PA Nepal is active in its support for the children who remain in jail and for the prisoners, particularly the prisoners in the female central jail. We are currently running skills training and income generating activities in the female jail. We are also running a project that is looking at the needs of the mentally ill in prison.

Indira Ranamagar

Indira Ranamagar was born in Eastern Nepal to a landless poor family. She faced extreme gender discrimination while young. Her brothers were given an opportunity to study whereas she was given the responsibility of strenuous housework. Her thirst for scaling became greatly inspired by the renowned Nepalese writer and human rights activist Parijaat. In the early 1990's, Indira joined the organisation working in Nepal's prisons. At that time most of the organisations were focused on the plights of the political prisoners, while Indira was drawn more towards poor and vulnerable prison inmates. Eager and determined as she was during the days when she first learned the alphabet in the dusty floors of her home, she moved on to learn about the problems and needs of the poor and often forgotten prisoners. She believed that these poor and "anonymous" prisoners along with their family actually become the "victims" of Nepal's penal system. In 2000 Indira set up an organization to work with prisoners and their family, Prisoners Assistance Nepal.

Indira In Her Own Words

"I was born into a poor family in a poor village in eastern Nepal. I did not get the opportunity to go to school and if things had developed in the usual way I would have remained uneducated and would still be living in my small village. But I was determined to learn and to get an education. I took lessons from my brothers and my textbooks and pens were sticks and the dusty earth outside my home. I combined learning with household and farm chores but in the end I succeeded. I made it to my village school and topped my class and later managed to continue my education in a nearby town. This was a tough thing to do because I had to break from my village community and stand alone and this was something that wasnot encouraged at the time. But my determination saw me through and all the time I was combining studies with domestic work to earn the pennies to keep going. I became a school teacher and later started literacy classes for women in the village. But I was still restless and wanted to improve myself and go beyond the limitations of local life and this was hard to do. It was a time of political upheaval when I decided to travel to Kathmandu andbegin a new life committed to social work. It was in Kathmandu that I met and began to work with Parizat, the renowned writer and human rights activist. I started to work in jails with Parizat and it was then that I saw the work that needed to be done. Parizat's main concern was for political prisoners but I became more concerned for the most vulnerable in jail. And so my work has continued and the determination of the small child learning her alphabet in the dust still burns bright in my heart. It is a light that has seen me through many difficulties and trials and it will continue to do so in the future. It has meant that I have been able to work with the most vulnerable and the most desperate and I have been able to give them hope and assistance."