After the earthquake there were a lot of problems with the Nepali government trying to “intercept” aid. We initiated a program we call “Gorilla Aid”, in which we help the people but stay under the government’s radar.  Jagat used his network of friends, to provide the supplies.

Health & Ed 4 Nepal has sponsored 5 relief missions that supported over 2500 families with food, blankets, tarps and tin. In some places they think we are “The Government”.  Others say, “Randu and Bob Sir, they are the gods.”   I looked in the mirror and I am pretty sure I am just a guy from Longmont, who got a call to help and said “OK,

In the beginning, we thought they would need tents.  Fortunately, we listened to the people on the ground.  They were not nomadic people and they had never lived in tents.  I saw a picture of a temporary shelter and they had a fire on the floor.  No, tents would not work.  We did provide tarps and tin.

When the earth stopped shaking

The Women’s center was too badly damaged to be saved and was completely torn down.

The children attend school in temporary buildings.

The Amazing Meagan

Soon after the earthquake, Meagan learned that the University had pulled their support for her project. The following message shows the kind of person she is:

I feel like I have to do something and don’t want to abandon them now that they really do need help more than ever.  My heart is so raw from watching the news and thinking about Kumari and everything you have put into the village just to help. … Right now the world is watching Nepal and doesn’t know how to help. No help will be going to the Kumari so I am going to try to make a case…..I just can’t stand waiting and not doing anything….

Meagan did go to Nepal, she spent the summer there.  She faced extreme weather in the monsoons, she was accosted one night by drunken men and chased them away with a pocket knife, and on one dark night, she reported;

“We turn down a darkened hallway and, using a phone light, begin to ascend the filthy staircases. Not long after sitting down in the brothel among the ladies and the young men who serve as their pimps, a man walks in and pulls a basket out, at which point a King Cobra appears to rear its head. At moments like these I just have to wonder “Where am I??”

What she accomplished is the real story;

Her main project was a small health initiative for girls and women, consisting of women’s health workshops and economic opportunity in the form of a greenhouse. Although this project was small, villagers displayed great leadership and organizational skills

Meagan reported: “Future project that focus on both health and education will be of great value to this community and continue to impact longer-term health needs such as gender violence, education, and economic opportunity.  This project is just one example of the community-building that is possible in this resource-limited setting and the support and guidance offered by Health & Ed 4 Nepal “

<<Meagan receives an award from the Former President of Nepal.

^ Colorado Student Award for ^ Excellence in Public Health Practice

Rebuilding

The Road

As soon as the monsoons ended the road repairs began.   When the work was completed, the materials needed to rebuild the clinic were delivered to the Kumari

The Clinic

After the earthquake we had questions about the availability of building material, working during the monsoon season, and what building should we work on first; The Clinic, the School, or the Women’s center?  It was Jagat’s Mumn who decided.

Why we are hurry to rebuild? Actually, we will be more free during this monsoon and prefer to build our rebuild work during in monsoon. My mum love to see as soon as alive building because, it has emotional relationship because of DAD name has in the building – Jagat 5/15/15

The Clinic reopens

This is a successful eye surgery camp for Kumari old ages and first day’s was 42 surgeries and continue for today. Our target for 100 successful surgeries. Joint venture with Kathmandu CHANDRAGIRI Lions, Abisura Youth club of Kumari and Sukuman Memorial Poly clinic

The School

The new school was constructed of modern material and design, making it almost earthquake proof.  Men, women and children from the community all worked to build the new school.  Jagat was very proud of the gate to the compound that was salvaged from a building that had been destroyed by the earthquake.

A local paper reported: This school is the first of its kind in Nuwakot District. The school is not only attractive, but it is a model in itself. Mr. Lama, who is the chairperson of Education and Health for Nepal, collaborated with Trekking for Kids, Washington DC, and Health and ED for Nepal, Colorado to construct the school building and all the facilities.

While the gate was impressive, it was the new lavatory where the Jagat’s pride really showed.  On the Facebook page Jagat said: They have already completed a grand toilet for the kids.

The school reopens

“Its Official, HE4N and Trekking For Kids partnered to build a school in Kumari (that will serve over 500 children).   This is an emotional event for me, for years I have struggled with how to improve the School above the clinic in Kumari.   It took a series of earthquakes to totally destroy the old school and hundreds of people all over the world to come together but now it is happening. “- Bob Nielsen, President of  HE4N, Education