Nepal Visit 2014

Rotary in Nepal

In March 2014, along with representatives from other supporting clubs, Rotary Club of Elgin visited two completed projects designed to bring clean drinking water to villages in a district in Nepal

After a 3 hour precipitous drive in off-road vehicles, the Rotarians and their wives were greeted by Drums, Horns, Dancing and Singing when they visited the remote village of Kades in the hilly Baglung district of Nepal.

The reception from several hundreds of villagers was overwhelming, with the gifting of garlands, and the ceremonial application of Tikka.

The whole visit confirmed why support with Water, Health and Sanitation is so important in this poor country.

"The villagers' gratitude was heart felt" reported Rotarian Bill Ross, and all of the party of 23 visitors were impressed by the work achieved by and for the 1106 villagers in 194 households. 58 new tap stands were constructed reducing water collecting times to a few minutes a day compared to the 2-3 hours previously. The Water is now disease free, radically improving health, and the supportive hygiene programmes have changed the whole village.

Equally moving was the visit to Bhaja, reached after a 9 hour drive on earth tracks, with the Himalayas as a backdrop, and then 3 hours on foot and a 3,000 foot climb to reach the village.

Bhaja, in an even more remote area of Baglung District, has a population of 1,808 scattered on the hillside. Many of the households are Ultra poor, meaning that their only source of income is from sporadic day labour work, and this in a country where the average weekly wage is equivalent to £8.00. Hence Bhaja is a community dependent on Rotary's aid.

Visiting Rotarians were given a wonderful welcome and were able to see how the 12 new tap stands, including one at the Primary school of 131 pupils, the 306 new latrines, and the Health and Hygiene programmes have transformed the lives of the people. Particularly impressive also were the new drying racks, and the many new vegetable gardens. These vegetable gardens make the villagers self sufficient, saving a 3 hour trek to the nearest supply source.

These visits to Kades and Bhaja will live long in the memory and act as a further spur for Elgin Rotarians to support future essential projects in distant Nepal.