Mon, 31.10.2016 - 14:43

Medical Camp in Nepal

Continuation of direct help in Nepal

Sun, Nov. 13, 2016 - 6:50pm, written by Frank, published by Frank

Part 2 of the journey - India - new blog

You will find reports and photos of part 2 of the journey in the following new blog

http://friendcircle-worldhelp.org/de/medical-camp-indien

 

Thur, Nov. 10, 2016 -4:10am, written by Alexandra, published by Frank

Arrival in Delhi – start of part 2 of the journey

The events come thick and fast …
After our first team has successfully completed the projects in Nepal, our second team is already arriving in New Delhi today. In the morning Venu picks up Jürgen, Elisabeth and Adil with an excess luggage at the airport.
During one and a half day, Michael and Christina have been searching many medical shops and wholesalers to get the necessary medicine and accessories for the medical camp in the mountains. In the meantime, Alexandra carries out organizational tasks which are also important for the smooth course of the tour.
The exchange of Euro into Rupees has already been done, but now our team has some headaches: In the night from November 8 to 9 the 500 Rupee and 1000 Rupee notes are suddenly worth nothing, though these are the main means of payment here.
All banks are closed for two days and also at the ATM you get no money. Only those who still have a few 50 Rupee or 100 Rupee notes (equivalent to about 70 cents, resp. 1.30€) can buy food, clothing or something else. The news says that this is a measure to counter the many black money and corruption. No other action by the Indian government had helped so far, which is why they had to resort to such a drastic measure. In an official speech to the Indian people, the Indian Prime Minister Modi apologizes for the difficulties that arise from this measure. It is the topic talk these days.
We as foreigners will have no difficulties to convert our money into new notes, but this unforeseen incident delays the tour plan by at least one day.

Fortunately, in our clothes store we can pay for Elisabeth’s clothes by Visa card, after in the first store we were told that they would no longer accept ‘old’ money. The money exchange offices are also refusing – nobody will give away 100 Rupee notes! Today we still get a good meal in our hotel and there is enough mineral water. But we do not know what it will look like tomorrow. We can imagine how the beggars on the street are getting on. Nobody will give them small money today because everybody needs it himself. We give a very gaunt old man a 100 Rupee note which we still have in our pocket. He is very happy because with this he is sure to get at least today a meal at the next street stand.

Back to the latest events in Nepal: everybody and we too are very satisfied: some projects are still in process, others are already completed.
The well in Methinkot demanding the incredibly heavy excavation work of at least one month could be finished. All concrete rings are installed and the ground water begins to fill the well. When the last ring was installed we asked whether the villagers are satisfied with the result, our friend Nawang said: “They are not only satisfied, they are overjoyed. This new well will be a great blessing to the people here!"
For the training center for young people all material was bought and delivered. A competent engineer is assisting the villagers for one month to accompany the construction and complete it professionally and earthquake-proof. We were able to document the start of the work with photos. On our next visit we will report further.

In the gallery you will find many photos of the last days in Nepal. For example, the construction oft he training center, of greenhouses, the well construction and the distribution of caps...

 

 

Sat, Nov. 5, 2016 - 8:30pm, written by Frank, published by Frank

Back to Kathmandu

Today, Frank could talk with Alexandra on the phone for a while. The last few days have been very successful and the team is quite satisfied with the results. At the medical camp >100 patients were taken care of, material for the greenhouses was bought, building material for the training center was purchased and the well that was started during the last stay was completed.
As soon as the first building material was delivered, construction work on the building for the training center was started. In the months since the last visit of Michael and Alexandra the villagers had already levelled the soil and prepared it for the foundation. Until the next visit, everything should be finished so that the training with the already purchased sewing machines can start.
During a „break“ they had another close look at the well. In the gallery you will find some photos of the construction, and today already all concrete rings were inserted for a permanent reinforcement of the well walls  - wow! The young men have done an incredible job during the last few days! Alexandra reported that during the „eulogy“ for their achievement the workers smiled shyly and then were incredibly happy about the small extra award...
The medical camp was also a great success. Michael and Christina were able to provide more than 100 patients with medical care. Though the line of waiting people never ended, there was time enough to examine carefully the complaints with the help of Dolma translating. The gallery is built like a picture story so you can get an impression of what treatment the two could carry out with the equipment brought along.
Very early tomorrow morning the team will start the return journey to Kathmandu. There they will run some more errands before flying on to India on Monday where they will meet on Tuesday with the second part of the team consisting of Jürgen, Elisabeth and Adil arriving from Frankfurt.

Alexandra has taken a lot more beautiful pictures from the distribution of caps, etc. which will be selected and sent. As soon as possible you will be able to view these in the gallery of our website. Since Frank will be on a business trip abroad starting Monday morning, there might result some short delays in publishing the reports ...

 

Fri, Nov. 4, 2016 - 11:30pm, written by Frank, published by Frank

Medical camp - new photos - report will follow

Today the activities in the medical camp continued. You will find 18 new photos in the gallery.

 

Thur, Nov. 3rd, 2016 - 7:10pm, written by Alexandra and Michael, published by Frank

Start of construction work for the training center and medical camp

On the morning of Nov. 3rd, further errands are run to be able to start the construction of the training center. In addition, bamboo poles are needed for the construction of additional greenhouses for the cultivation of vegetables - a project which was already begun during the tour in August 2016.

In the afternoon, most of the materials are already delivered and unloaded.

The new photos in the gallery are arranged like a picture story ...

 

Wed, Nov. 2nd, - 11:20pm, written by Alexandra and Michael, published by Frank

Second day in Nepal

Today, many purchases are done. In addition to the water line which was completed last August in Bach Pokhari and which represents a great relief for the people there, the construction of a training center for young men and women is planned.
Bricks are needed for the floor, corrugated sheet for the exterior walls and plywood panels for the interior walls. Cement, sand and iron pipes for the corner posts and additional roof slabs are needed as well.
In addtion, four kilometers of hose are purchased, which are cut into pieces to direct the water from the main water tank to the houses...

In Methinkot, the village where since a month the hard rock in the already 10 meter deep well  is being removed in hard work by hand with pickaxes centimeter for centimeter, our team meets today the four diligent workers

View the new photos in the album online.

 

Tue, Nov. 1st, 2016 - 5:00pm, written by Alexandra, published by Frank

Arrival and first day

Arrival
Michael, Christina and Alexandra landed in Kathmandu in the morning of Oct. 31st. Since our friend  Mingmar, who actually is a mountain guide, cannot be with us this time as he is on a mountain trip,  today Nawang picks up our friends at the airport. He will accompany the three in the following days and will organize the tour.
Fortunately, Nawang has organized a big car. The nine large pieces of luggage, full of medicine and woolen caps from the knitting ladies (plus our hand luggage) must partly be placed on the lap of the passengers. But finally – as always – everything is made fit...

First day

In the morning of Nov. 1st the team drives for about an hour and a half by taxi and with an extra jeep full of bags and suitcases to Banepa, where the next camp will be opened.
Our friends quickly realize that after the Diwali festival of lights which was celebrated on Sunday, there is another holiday when "brothers and sisters" of the families are visiting each other and making presents. The streets are unusually empty and hardly any store is open.
At our arrival the hotel which we booked in advance, this is also deserted. There is only the guardian who tells us that the hotel staff probably had forgotten us. He will try to get keys to the rooms by this afternoon. Therefore, we decide to visit the projects which were started and partly completed in May.
In the village of our Dalit friends where this time the medical camp will take place the water line with the various intermediate tanks and pumps to our delight works perfectly. Also the hilly area on which a training facility for young men and women is planned, has already been prepared by the villagers so that the construction can start.
In Methinkot the well which has to be quarried out by hand from the hard rock with pickaxes and other tools, has advanced. During the rainy season it was not possible to continue work, but now the progress can be seen every day.
In the evening in our room we are sorting the drugs from numerous suitcases and boxes, which we partly brought along from Germany and which were partly bought last time already in Kathmandu waiting to be put to use.
  

Mon, Oct. 31, 2016 - 12:50, written and published by Frank

Departure to Nepal – safely arrived

Last night, Alexandra, Michael and Christina flew from Nuremberg to Kathmandu. They had with them a huge quantity of luggage, among other things drugs and of course self-knitted caps. Thanks to Turkish Airlines for approving the excess luggage smiley!

In the next few days, a medical camp is scheduled to be set up. After their arrival this morning they set out to do the first errands ...

 

Published: 31.10.16
Text: Frank, Michael, Alexandra Photos & Videos: Alexandra und Michael
© Copyright by FriendCircle WorldHelp. All rights reserved. Any further processing, re-publication or permanent storage for commercial or other purposes without the express prior permission from FriendCircle WorldHelp is prohibited.
Alexandra, Michael and Christina before the departure in Nuremberg
On the morning of Nov. 1st, the team drives for about one and a half hour by a taxi and with an extra jeep full of bags and suitcases to Banepa, where the next "camp" will be opened. On the same day they will go to Methinkot to have a look at the well under construction.
In the evening the medicines stored in many suitcases and boxes and partly brought from Germany, partly purchased already last time in Kathmandu are sorted and waiting to be used.
Here two of the men are working in the well shaft. If ground water flows, this must also be pulled up with buckets on a rope.
On the morning of Nov. 3rd, further errands are run to be able to start the construction of the training center. In the afternoon, most of the materials are already delivered.
Here is a greenhouse, which we can visit in the late evening. The material was purchased during the last stay. Tomatoes and chilli plants grow in full splendor.
Today, again two teams are working. While Nawang and our friendly taxi driver together with some villagers take care of purchasing the remaining materials, the medical camp is open from early morning to dusk for patients from the area.
Although this time, not so large groups of people are waiting for the doctor, however, the chain of patients does not leave until the dark.
Again, Cristina measures the blood pressure while Dolma notes down the dosage of the tablets for the patient.
Here Michael makes a blood glucose test with Christina assisting.
Tomorrow the man will come back for the after-treatment
Christina keeps on sorting out the many drugs and gives Michael what he needs.
He gets an infusion. As he complains of severe abdominal pain, an appendicitis is excluded by means of laboratory tests and ultrasound.
In addition, bamboo poles are loaded for other villages to complete the other greenhouses.
Right on the morning of this day the warm colorful caps made by our knitting ladies give much pleasure.
Here an infected wound is cleaned.
From time to time there are fruit bits and cookies for the small and adult patients. The boy is quite fascinated by the bag containing his "treasures" ...
At the end of the camp, these two boys are given the sleeping bag by Michael ...
All materials for the construction of the training cente for young people were bought and delivered.A competent engineer will assist the villagers for a month to accompany the construction and to finish it professionally and earthquake-proof. We will continue to report on our next visit. Here stones are delivered, which are needed for the foundation of the center.
... all are very motivated and help wherever they can.
The scaffolding is covered by a plastic tarpaulin.
And, of course, many wonderfully warm caps from our knitting ladies find happy owners.
...here a cuddly warm baby blanket is handed over ...

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