With Much Anticipation ....Review-The Little Princes by Conor Grennan

LITTLE PRINCES
One Man’s Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal
Conor Grennan
William Morrow
Memoir
February 2011
978-0-06-193005-8
$25.99, 304pages

The Little Princes should be on everyone's wishlist for 2011!

When Conor Grennan left his full-time job and decided to travel for a year, little did he know his journey would end up consuming his life, heart and soul, with an incessant need to locate children of Nepal who he had made a vow to. Conor Grennan was 29 when he decided to volunteer to help orphans in Nepal, more as a means to impress than for any noble endeavor. Whatever his original intent, he ended up with a deep passion to save the children of Little Princes Orphanage who he believed he left behind in good care.

After three months of volunteering, Conor sets off to travel the world on a bicycle for a year. When he learns that the children he left behind, those he promised would be taken care of by nice people, were actually recaptured by the same child trafficker who took them initially, Conor becomes instantly sickened. He knows the children who came to trust him, now look at him with betrayal.

With an indomitable drive and no idea where to start, he researches how to start a non-profit organization. He knows he needs to raise money, because he is broke, he has spent his life savings traveling the world. He ultimately forms Next Generation Nepal (NGN) and freely admits, his purpose was to find the seven children he left behind. As he lectured and met people he raised money, and was able to return to Nepal to begin his arduous task of searching for his seven kids. Through his efforts, he and his associate in Nepal, Farid, were able to open Dhaulagiri House. Jointly, they set up the home that would accommodate twenty children. They were assisted by Gyan Bahadur from the Child Welfare Board in Kathmandu. They literally had to walk hundreds of miles to try and locate the children and families. During the early stages of their mission, they were caught up in the political unrest in Kathmandu between Maoist rebels and the king’s government, often life threatening.

In reading Little Princes, you will become aware of the child trafficking and the systemic issues in Nepal that create such terrible family separations. You read how easily children become slaves and families loose total contact with them. They believe they have handed them over to be educated, fed and a better life. This book has broadened my schema in so many ways. Nepal is so much more real to me now: the climate, the politics, the culture and the families. His stories of the children, their horrible plight and difficult rescue is just so special, a beautiful book. His organization can be found at nextgenerationnepal.org.

Book Source: I received this book from William Morrow Publisher. This review reflects my candid and truthful opinion.


© [Wisteria Leigh] and [Bookworm's Dinner], [2011].