Punam

The child's voice of nine–year–old Punam Tamang transports us to the Nepal city of Bhaktapuru. There we are presented with a stark description of the hard life of this young girl and the dismal social conditions in which she lives. Punam's mother died when she was only five. She was left with her father, her newborn sister Rabina and her two–year–old brother Krishna. Now her father works from sunrise to sundown in a rice factory, and so during the daytime Punam assumes the roles of head of the family, caregiver, and homemaker. All of the sibling attend an English school, which is relatively cheap by local standards. The film also takes us into the world Punam's friends, who have to work in a quarry or brick–making factory to help their families get by. The film captures the hard work the children are required to perform and also takes a peek into the poor five–grade school that represents Punam's symbol of hope. She believes that education ushers in progress and is the only opportunity for improving their situation – perhaps bringing about new job opportunities in better conditions. We look at the situation through the eyes of this young Asian girl, who dreams of becoming a teacher and helping other children in situations like hers.