What can you do?

We are now on our way to Nepal, sitting in the airport in Abu Dhabi and looking forward to our trek up to the village of Thakani to see the school, the playground that the students from SJK built last year and the new health post.

The first time we met Roshan Chaudhary in 2003, son of the Headmaster of Dhauleshowary, R.N. Chaudhary and his wife Sabita Miss, also a teacher at the school, he was a young boy. Although he was shy and soft-spoken, he had a smile that could melt your heart. He proudly showed us around the village, including an abandoned health post, in perfect condition, just on the outskirts of the village boundary. We were told that this was built and stocked by a Scandinavian group but the project was cancelled because visas and interest ran out. He proclaimed then, that he would like to one day be a doctor and reopen the health post because it was badly needed by the people of the region. Our tour continued to see the school, then quite small, the village shop, and finally his family’s home, a tiny adobe room above the stable where the water buffalo slept – pretty basic by any standards.

We are about to embark on another visit back to the Dhauleshowary School – now a lower secondary school – offering classes up to grade 8 to some 130 children from the surrounding villages. We have had a close relationship with R.N. Chaudhary and his family over the years and have watched both his children grow. We sponsored their daughter, Joyti, through her nursing education and she graduated in Sepetember 2009. Their son, Roshan, is the younger sibling and is now finishing his second year at the Lord Buddha Academy, Nepalgunj Medical College. We have talked about the health post each time we’ve visited as it is the parents’ dream to see it reopen and be staffed by his children. Both Joyti and Roshan have promised that if they would be given the opportunity to do so, they would practise medicine at this health post.

Roshan is in need of sponsorship as medical college in Nepal is very expensive. Although R.N. Chaudhary is the headmaster at the village government school, his salary is the same as that of a teacher in Kathmandu. He is able to live comfortably in the village on this salary but is by no means able to pay for tuition, boarding, lodging and books for Roshan.

Roshan remains motivated and positive and hopes that sponsorship will be found for his medical education. He wishes to continue his studies and work towards this dream of bringing health care back to Thakani and the surrounding villages of Sindupalchowk.

How can you help? For those who would like to donate online you can do so through the organization, called the Canada Nepal Medical Society (CNMS www.cnms.ca) and click on 'associated projects for specific information. You can then specify which project you would like to donate to. 3% is taken by “Canada Helps” which is the organization that provides an internet presence for many charities and the ability to make a donation on line. Tax receipts will be issued for donations over $20.00.

Stay tuned for updates and pictures as we near our destination. Thanks to those who have already given so generously.