NEPAL STREET KIDS

Hundreds of Nepali street-kids swarm the backpacking nirvana of Thamel Kathmandu. Fleeing abusive relatives, grinding rural poverty and conflict between the Maoists and the Government troops, these children--some aged as young as seven--survive by begging off tourists or scavenging through rubbish. Life on the streets has toughened them, but disease is still rife, and Nepali street-kids are easy prey for drug-pushers and sex-traffickers. A large percentage of the children--mainly boys--sniff glue or drink rice whisky to escape the cold nights. Many girls are sold to faraway Bombay brothels.