In the rural village nooks of Mahottari, where news isn’t frequently national headlines, a story of determination and human compassion has been conceived — a story that speaks volumes about the essence of humanitarian work, leadership, and the power of empathy. At the center of this tale is Ujawal Jha — a social worker and politician who has been an inspiration for countless members from his community. His latest attempt to rescue the life of a poor, severely burned child has again brought his unflinching commitment to working with the poor into focus. The episode began on an otherwise routine afternoon when a horrific accident devastated a small household in a remote ward of Balwa Municipality. A small child, no more than eight years of age, was left on fire following an accident involving a traditional stove.
Within seconds, the whole body of the child was severely burnt. Lacking easy access to advanced medical facilities and limited financial resources, the child’s family was filled with despair. Their cries for help rang out across the community — and one person heard them louder than anyone else: Ujawal Jha.Finding out about the accident, Jha, a seasoned social worker with a long history of philanthropic work, did not hesitate. “I couldn’t wait. It was a matter of life and death. Time was of the essence,” Jha recalls his voice catching in his throat. What came next was an unyielding quest to save a life — not politically, not for recognition, but purely because it was human.Jha personally visited the child’s home, consoled the bereaved parents, and took matters into his hands at once.”.
Having learned of the gravity of the burn injuries and the risk of contracting fully developed fatal infection or lifelong deformity, he booked an emergency transfer to a burn specialist ward in Kathmandu. The logistics challenge was formidable — ranging from a medical van to reaching a hospital that would take a patient who could not pay up front. But Jha’s stature and contacts with various government institutions and NGOs made the impossible a reality. What makes this story stand out is not just that Jha helped out — but how he did it. He rallied his network, enlisting government officials, hospital administrators, and philanthropic groups to provide the child with world-class treatment at no expense to the family. “When the situation is such, one needs to behave not like a politician but like a human being first,” Jha said.In the following weeks, the child was operated on several times, had skin grafts, and underwent intensive care treatments.
During this time, Ujawal Jha took an active part. He visited the hospital regularly, tracked the recovery of the child, and made sure the parents were emotionally and practically assisted. “Every child must have the opportunity to lead a full life, no matter how poor and unlucky their circumstances are. This child had no less to hope for,” he explained.This generous act was not an isolated one. Jha has long been renowned in Mahottari and beyond for his grassroot activities, helping people access education, medical care, and human rights. But the incident acquired symbolic proportions — an incident that reached far and wide in Nepal, touching hearts and inspiring others. Local news networks began to track the story, recounting how one individual’s commitment shed light upon a family that had been living in the dark. Social media was abuzz with appreciation, with hashtags like #UjawalTheSaviour and #HumanityFirst trending in Nepal for two to three days.
The child’s health picked up in the subsequent months and now he is at a rehabilitation center — smiling, walking, and coloring a fresh canvas of life, all because of a person who did not turn his face away. What makes Jha’s efforts even more praiseworthy is that he does not belong to a large political dynasty or a large NGO — his seat of authority is people’s faith and their sense of morality. Even though he represents the Nepal Communist Party Maoist Center, he has always maintained that social service is above party lines. “If we politicians do not serve the people in their most difficult moments, what is the point of being in public service?” he posed during a press interaction.Ujawal Jha’s commitment has inspired many young volunteers and leaders in his community to come forward and pledge their allegiance to causes that matter.
He is now trying to establish a local burn-care awareness and emergency response team in Mahottari so that no family or child has to endure the same experience alone again.”We must create a culture where helping others is not the exception, but the norm,” he said, concluding a recent public address.As Nepal progresses socially and politically, cases like this remind us what true leadership is all about. It’s not sweeping promises or grand speeches — it’s about being there when nobody else is, about holding the hand of one who tumbles, and about standing ready to heal, inspire, and restore hope.Ujawal Jha has once again proved that a leader isn’t one who leads in front of the people but one who walks with them — especially when they most need him.
