Manager visits HADA Board…
We were delighted to meet with Dr Julie Lincoln, Australian project manager, and hear of the achievements, challenges, and future plans in Nepal…health promotion and support, women’s health sessions, pregnancy support, school hygiene programmes, general support for the community by ACN, loss of key staff members, tree falling on female rehab centre and their disaster response. As always, it was motivating and heartwarming to talk with Julie and witness her dedication and love for these people and this vital work.
Health promotion well received…
Recent awareness teaching included heart disease, high blood pressure, cervical cancer and nutrition among schools, women and community groups was well received…especially amongst the women who cannot access this information in the villages and are unable to travel to the cities due to distances, household responsibilities, and limited finance.
After cervical cancer awareness sessions, many women, after initial shyness, were able to freely speak on issues surrounding women’s health.
Pregnant women are encouraged to create a birth plan to be birth prepared to prevent 3 common delays in seeking lifesaving treatment…delay in problem recognition, delay in seeking care, and delay in receiving care at health facility. Nutrition advice is given for antenatal and postnatal stages. Pregnant women from most vulnerable situations were provided with basic nutrition pack.
Disaster Response…
The government has asked ACN on several occasions to assist with disaster response because of their excellent track record!
Challenges…
- Some training participants in Sarawal expect to receive monetary allowance for attending training (larger NGO’s in Nepal often provide travel allowance, accommodation, food, and significant cash allowance to encourage people to attend trainings).
- Several key staff have moved away due to family reasons and are sorely missed. Not all are replaced yet increasing the workload of others.
Other achievements…
- Female drug rehab centre is producing food and income for clients by chicken keeping and vegetable gardening.
- Sewing machines at rehab centre are repaired for use in training.
- Building good relationships with government officials.
- Rebuilding of houses damaged in flooding is completed.
- Livelihood seeds and fertiliser provided to households affected by flooding to plant before monsoon rains.
- A staff retreat was profitable.
You can help…
If you wish to help with the health promotion, sustainability and empowerment projects or disaster relief in Nepal, please click on “Donate to this Project” in the right sidebar.
All gifts are tax deductible and will benefit this project in their entirety except for bank fees.
