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Real Life Story — Himalayan Sherpa Benefits Thousands— Mingmar has worked hard toward his dream to bring health facilities to his Himalayan village... (click here for full story) To donate to this Family Care Foundation Project, please note Project NAME and then click here.
Health Center in Everest Region We visited a remote village of the Okhaldunga
district in the Everest region of Nepal and found the
people living there sadly in need of all types of health
facilities. We quickly became aware that even basic health education was lacking in the areas of personal hygiene, food preparation, sewage disposal, etc. Many of the children had infected burns
as most cooking is done by firewood. Serious cuts and
gashes, many of which become infected, are also very
common, as most men carry large knives used as all-purpose
tools. Being a mountainous area, falls resulting in
broken bones are commonplace. Sadly, most of the time
the families are unable or hesitant to take their child
to a hospital, resulting in deformities and disabilities.
The nearest health facilities are a two-day walk. Dental health care is only available in a nearby mission hospital, which is a two- to four-day walk, depending on the strength of the individual. The only eye check-ups available, should anyone from the area have the time and money to travel, are all the way to Kathmandu, the capital. The infant mortality rate in the villages that we surveyed was twice the rate in the US. These villagers lack even the most basic training in pre-natal care and delivery. For example, we interviewed a woman who had been walking around months after delivery with the placenta still in her womb! Thanks to a grant provided by Family Care Foundation, we are constructing a simple healthcare building where the medical supplies will be stored and dispensed, and patient examination and treatment will take place, as well as health classes given to the villages. After our first trainee, Mingmar Sherpa, completed certification as a Village Community Health Worker (see Himalaya Sherpa benefits Thousands) and returned to the village to begin his work there, we realized the need for a female trainee, specifically to help with the maternity health care. Patle VDC has a high infant mortality rate of over 15%, and there is not sufficient education and training to help the local women.
Last year Rinjee Sherpa (26 years) traveled from the Patle Village District in the remote Okhaldunga Region to take a Community Health Worker course in Katmandu at the Institute of Community Health (ICH). This is part of our ongoing Family Care Foundation Health Clinic Project in Phapre Village in the Patle District—and area with a population of over 10,000 that is sadly in need of reliable, consistent health care. Rinjee trained as a general Community
Health Worker, but with a special focus on maternity
health, so as to be able to help fill this need. She
graduated from the CHW course, and returned with a supply
of medicine and other health care supplies.
One very important advantage in determining that this Village Health Center will be a long-term success is that we have the full cooperation and participation of the local community. The locals themselves have been willing to make the necessary commitments to do what they can to make this happen, as well as to ensure its success. An example of this cooperation is that while we are financing the construction of the building, one of the villagers is donating some of his land for the building site. Nepal Disabled Association School
One of our more significant partnerships is with the Nepal Disabled Association (NDA), based in Kathmandu. This school provides approximately 80 physically disabled children from low-income families with a free education. FVS workers have been giving free English & music/drama classes for the children in grades 1-4. We repair and maintain classrooms, as well as contribute sponsored school supplies, uniforms, and educational/sports equipment.
When the children receive their year-end exam results, we organize a program celebrating their graduation and awarding prizes to the students with the best performance, both academically and in other areas such as vocational training, cleanliness, positive peer interaction, etc. We applaud their efforts and perseverance to carry on despite their handicaps, in a society that very much looks down on disabilities.
Family Volunteer Services participates in the annual National Special Sports Events for the disabled, blind, deaf, and mentally handicapped. Each group competes within their disability and everybody receives some reward for their group participation and effort. After the three days of sports events at the National Stadium, a cultural program follows where the children present their talents in music, dancing, poetry recitation, and comedy. This much-needed attention and recognition is instrumental in helping these children overcome their limitations—a human need that we all have, and all the more for disabled children in a developing nation like Nepal.
Nepal Orthopedic Hospital Some time back, FVS became aware of the plight of the Nepal Orthopedic Hospital (NOH). This small, newly constructed hospital, located near the Disabled School, needed orthopedic equipment and supplies. FVS felt called to help. FVS contacted fellow volunteers in Kaohsiung, Taiwan for assistance, which resulted in the formation of the Nepal-Taiwan Cooperation Project. The endeavors of this project have been
very successful. The Po Cheng Orthopedic Institute of
Kaohsiung has donated over $60,000 worth of orthopedic
instruments and equipment.
The directors and staff of the Nepal Orthopedic Hospital are very appreciative of this assistance. Dr. Anil Shrestha, the Medical Director & Orthopedic Surgeon writes: "As you must know, our hospital is very small, a 48-bed hospital catering mostly to patients in the lower socio-economic class. We have very limited staff and trained manpower. We feel very encouraged by getting support from organizations like yours, and we do hope that the support will continue in the future." Manakamana Village School
The Bakteshwori Primary School in Manakamana, Gorkha District is a small village school, which teaches children from classes 1-3. These children come from very poor families and would otherwise be unable to receive any schooling. FVS had arranged the sponsorship for a much-needed additional teacher.
Like many small village schools in rural Nepal this school had virtually no books for the children, or teaching aids. When we bring books & supplies, the children are often in awe and pass them around respectfully as if they have never seen anything like this before.
The above photos are from a recent visit to Bakteshwori Primary School where we donated reference & picture books for a library, and notebooks, pencils & other school supplies for the children. We also took some time with the students initiating an inspiring sing-along, teaching them cleanliness habits, manners, kindness, etc. through action songs. Haamro Ghar Boarding School Haamro Ghar (or “Our Home”) is a boarding school for former child laborers from carpet factories. The majority of children come there straight from the factories with little more than the clothes they are wearing and a grade one or two education at the most—if even that—though they may be as old as 10 or 12 years of age.
The children live and study together in a remedial education program until they have reached the academic standard necessary to move on to regular school. However, if they are too old to go to a standard school then they receive teaching to achieve literacy and basic math skills and are then given vocational training. FVS has worked with Haamro Ghar helping in several different ways: teaching English to the children, regular donations of flour, fruit, vegetables and vitamin supplements, helping with shoes and clothing for the children, arranging special programs and educational entertainment for them. We work with the Youth Vision Drug Rehab Center, which has a program designed for young Nepali men who have substance abuse problems. (Additionally, about half these men are HIV positive and/or infected with Hepatitis C.) We offer group therapy sessions, followed up with personal counseling.
The group therapy session usually begins with a rousing time of musical inspiration, majoring on songs with a positive theme of commitment and encouragement. These boys have admitted and taken personal responsibility for their problems and are determined to fight their drug addiction. But, true to human nature, they tend to stumble and fall sometimes and need lots of encouragement to keep going. Following the musical element of the group session, we provide a motivational theme to boost their inner belief that they can do it and come out even wiser and stronger than before. In Pokhara, a major city 8 hours away from Kathmandu some of the graduates of Youth Vision have started a support group for other graduates. Many of the young men originate from Pokhara and when they return to their homes, the negative peer pressure of old friends and acquaintances is often too hard for them to cope with, and there were relapses. Some of the young leaders of the group decided to start a support group there, like a club where they can meet, talk, do activities together, and are able to help each other. We maintain contact with the founders of the group and supply them with reading material and motivational cassettes for all the boys. With this added input, this support group has suffered fewer relapses. Helping the Underprivilaged and Mentally Challenged FVS visits Shishu Bikas Kendra in Pokhara, a school for the mentally challenged and a day care center for young underprivileged children. We deliver educational audio/visual aids that focus on health habits, positive peer interaction and wholesome family values, as well as motivational teaching materials to the dedicated staff of these schools. We regularly collect clothing, toys &
food stuff for Mother Teresa's Sisters of Charity in
Kathmandu, and encourage local businesses & individuals
to do the same for this mission for the poor.
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