Jenny Limond Sends Report From Rotary Water Project in Nepal

I attach this initial report which was compiled for the participating Rotary Clubs for this Water Aid project. The main fund raising was channelled through the Elgin Club, Moray.

I thought it may be of interest for your meeting to-day as I travelled under the Oswestry banner!

Kind regards,

Jennifer Limond (Brian Lort's daughter)

BANCHORY ROTARY IN NEPAL

After a 3 hour precipitous drive in off-road vehicles, a Banchory Rotarian was greeted by Drums, Horns, Dancing and Singing when he 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 Banchory Rotary Past President, David Holmes, 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