Our work whilst in Nepal

There has been alot of variety in the "work" we are undertaking here and I struggle to call it volunteering or even 'work'. When we initially planned to go to Kashmir for 6 weeks there was a definite volunteering structure in place and we had committed to 6 weeks as we believed going for longer period of time we could possibly offer more and that this would be more rewarding . Since this fell through and we have ended up in Nepal, what we are experiencing and hopefully contributing to is quite different to what we had planned . However VAD Nepal, Chiran, Ganga and Rob, have assisted and provided us with a variety of projects to observe and become involved in .

These have included :

Raising the level of awareness of disability :Talks to local schools . To date Mark and I have taken 10 classes between us.

Promoting occupational therapy for people with disability.

Collaborating with local physiotherapists.

Identifying people with disability in the local community

Advising on equipment, the direction of the centre and the running of the committee.

Training Durga to work with the CP children

Implementing Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR)

OTHER

Primary Health - visiting the Health Post in Chatara. A free government service run by a trained nurse, paramedic and visiting doctor . Action packed day : registering new patients who present with health issues, providing medication, family planning and contraception, treatment for injuries and a delivery suite which I ended up in observing a new life enter the world! Mark arrived to collect me and was directed to the delivery suite and almost walked in on the action as well! there are no impatient facilities so the woman returned home in the same day . if she did not live in the village she likely caught a bus, jeep or walked home with baby in arms .
Perfect site for a Rehabilitation Centre!

Visiting local hospitals- Tamghas, Dharan.

Hope Haven: A NGO run by an American Engineer who lives full time in Dharan, manufacturing hand tricylces which are sold for 12 euro's and used all over Nepal , and commodes and wheelchairs. (goodness know where they use these considering the style of Nepali toilets, and the terrain and access issues! ).