HearingNepal has been active in Nepal and India since 2009, with more than ten visits from Australia, and now also assisting local clinics in Nepal.
Solu Khumbu Region – September 2011 (last visit April 2011)
The planes are reluctant to fly. The road is cut with land-slides. The locals are blaming “climate change” on the extended rainy season where it rains all day, instead of building up from a clear morning (when the planes can see where to go) and raining in the afternoon. There was also a plane crash and a bomb scare at the Kathmandu airport the day I arrived, 5 hrs late.
Flying into Solu Khumbu
So we take a small helicopter, cramming in the five of us, plus primary ear care, screening, audiological assessment and hearing aid fitting equipment and accessories.
We are not equipped to fly continuously through clouds, which is where the mountains hide anyway, so we duck and weave our way around in the rain, and then we are there!
Team leader Sangye Tenzin, “old hand” Dhargye and new recruit, Chodar (Deputy Head Master of Kopan Monastery School) are all from Kopan Monastery. Keshab, our primary ear care man, is from NAHOH organization, in Kirtipur, near Kathmandu. Lew from Australia (HearingNepal coordinator) completed the team.
Trekking to Thubten Shedup Ling Monastery
The rain soon stopped, and we scurried from Paphlu airport hut to local guest house. Great lunch, then up the hills, past Salleri to the “Little Kopan Monastery” Couple of hours!
Geshe Thubten Yonten la, Head of Thubten Shedup Ling Monastery (Little Kopan) warmly welcomed us as we arrived in dribs and drabs. Fit, less fit and gear appeared into the court yard. Good guest rooms, quiet (after the little monks collapse into their beds) and spotless squat toilets. Warm showers late in the day were also a treat. Sherpa food is the best, fresh greens, spuds with attitude, and bits of meat. Rice and Tibetan breads filled the plates. So now, too fat, so sad!
“Little Kopan” Monastery
They had an earth quake the other day, not too much tumbled. And busy they have been since April this year, old huts down and four new class rooms built with money from sponsors in Czechoslovakia. So “this is us”, as the young ones say. Dining hall and “through the window reception” in one, Keshab and Dhargye primary ear care in another, Sangye screening in the next, and Chodar and lew assessing and fitting in the last.
This visit was to continue the primary ear care program, and fit 45 custom moulds to replace the temporary Doc’s Pro Moulds. These are made with love by our dear friends at Bernafon and Sonic. We also had 15 hearing aids and 3 Maxi ALDs to fit from last visit waiting list. And now we have a new and even longer waiting list for next year.
Sangye, Norbu (with new Maxi ALD) Geshe Thubten Yonten and Chodar
Bernafon angels are checking and reconditioning redundant hearing aids, which supplement immensely our new purchases, so if everyone can send any old aids to Whitsunday Hearing please do. Donations can also be made directly to the HearingNepal program – see our wishlist page.
Sarita and Lew rejoice
You can be the cause for comments heard this time from Sarita, a lady of 23:
“I am very happy, because I did not believe my deafness was curable. I hope to find a husband now”
Or…..
Keshab and Jeet and mascot Black Bear – all smiles
“I can not hear since 16 years. It happened suddenly. I went to hospital and they gave me some little tablets. They don’t work!” Jeet, 40 years of age male relates.
HearingNepal is committed to continuing our work by supporting and training locals to deliver all facets from primary ear care to ENT ear camps, hearing assessment and rehabilitation programs, including fitting and maintaining hearing aids and alternate listening devices. We fit hearing aids to losses that have caused people to withdraw from their world, or to children who were performing lower than they could at school.
Each age has their special reason to rejoice, the young can learn and develop their social skills, and marriage and family joys becomes a possibility for others, and for the “oldies”, well they can “stay in touch” with the grand kids and their peers, they can hear what is said at district meetings, or in the Gompa or church.
Volunteers are welcome to join us, but you must read and agree to the sentiments expressed on the HearingNepal web site “Volunteer Policy” in the volunteer section. This is a culturally sensitive area, and our program is for those with a good heart, wishing happiness for others.
On the first day, eleven hours of clinic, interrupted by electricity supply “load shedding”, a steady stream the next day, and the third started quietly, and so up the hill for some peaceful time, amongst the autumn flowers (my wife Sue knows all their names, so I am missing her for yet another reason. Sue is dedicating a week in remote Australia, tending to Aboriginal community hearing needs)
And later, more visitors to our camp.
A local lad, who only had to walk for four hrs, was so happy to be here. Some villagers have walked three and four days!
Karma has a moderate conductive hearing loss, since sickness as a small baby. He went to the hospital ENT department, where they also diagnosed ossicular chain dysfunction. They said an operation would only be effective for one to two years, so therefore not worth doing. He could not afford a hearing aid, and so went back to his village, expecting a life style sadly depleted due to poor hearing. Now he is happy, thanks to a recent donation to the HearingNEPAL Program from John Formosa and family, in Mackay.
Parsuram hears every word about caring for his hearing aid.
A 50 years of age gentleman who works with animals was very sick as a baby, left untreated, he has had a moderate to severe loss since. He did not know that assistance for hearing loss was possible, and so now is excited to begin a life also talking easily to humans.
And the next young man walked with his friend for 11 hrs from his village, yesterday and this morning. He is an only son looking after his deaf mother. With a severe hearing loss since birth, Jeet Bhadur had no hope of finding a wife due his disability, a social outcast. He can thank Jim Theroux, a yachtie from Queensland for his new life to come.
Another day brought more variety. A lady reports a “lightning strike” 16 years ago, and has had severe hearing loss since. She was supported by her family, who rejoiced when she could join in a conversation at normal levels. This time a lucky strike!
Chapka can now hear his friends
It is so cold and raining heavily, and in come two young ladies and their friend Chapka, 29 years of age male, who was hard of hearing since birth, and then had a fever at 9 years of age and could no longer understand speech. This inability to communicate, or even show a sign of comprehension, is interpreted by the community as “stupidity”. He speaks some Tamang. We were able to fit him with a powerful hearing aid. We asked one of the girls to ask him a question, in a normal voice, from behind.
No answer…… “He’s crying, exclaimed Chodar, realizing the enormity of the change possible to people’s lives. Chapka is overcome with emotion, ever so happy. And then he answered in a sentence. We hadn’t given him a hearing aid, we gave him a “brain”! We all cried with joy! He promised that he will practice conversation with the girls. They disappeared back down the valley, clouds, rain and a spring in their step. What compassion the girls showed by bringing him up here!
Thank you so much, Geshe Thubten Yonten for inviting us again, and caring so well for us. Sangye, Keshab, Chodar and Dhargye worked so well together, for the benefit of all. Continuous training in each section left us all more skillful, as we all learn each others specialties.
Impressions taken for 19 new hearing aid fittings will be sent to Bernafon (angels) in Australia to make custom ear moulds for each hearing aid. We will bring these back in November, and they will be fitted, replacing the temporary moulds.
Other HearingNepal Program news.
- Beanies for Tsum nuns – As we said last news letter, we took sweaters to Tsum. They were kindly knitted in Australia by the NAFA “nifty knitters”. As all the nuns did not receive one, we decided to utilize our JOY (Nepal Foundation) friend Ramita, who in turn organized 120 lined beanies with “pig tails” to be knitted by her local village. As we speak they are on their way to Tsum, with the 10 extra sweaters the NAFA ladies knitted for them.
Little monks reading some of the donated books
School library support. – Sue is involving local Australian school librarians to “find” good quality science books for the monastic schools in Kathmandu, Tsum and Solu Khumbu. The Australian schools have shown a willingness to learn more about the Nepali people, and what a great way to forge a link.
If you are a qualified teacher, would like to teach English in Nepal and have at least 3 months to spare, then contact Ani Fran, kopan@mail.com.np School terms start middle of April This is not for everyone!
- Next visit to Nepal – November 2011.We will revisit Tawal (third visit), with NAFA supporters and our gang from Nepal. The project is in the Hilly region near Dharding. An eye specialist from Germany will join us, looking at all the young ones eyes, and giving reading glasses to the adults.
Keshab proudly sits in his new NAHOH office in Kirtipur. Thanks NAFA (Nepal Australia Friendship Association) in Brisbane, for paying for the rent and some new furniture. NAFA is an invaluable supporter of our program, both financially and loving kindness.
Keshab (NAHOH) now volunteers 3 hrs per week with Nepali ENTs. This maintains his professional development and importantly gives ready access to their services, at an affordable cost. Thanks NAFA (Nepal Australia Friendship Association) in Brisbane, for paying for the rent and some new furniture. NAFA is an invaluable supporter of our program, both financially and loving kindness.
- Bozzy and Doug at GN Otometrics replaced the mother board and calibrated our Itera audiometer for cost of parts. They are such good boys, for those who don’t know them!!
- Thanks “Probus Whitsundays” for your kind collection of monies, that will pay for the medications issued in Solu Khumbu.
We dedicate the happiness enjoyed by the benefits of our HearingNEPAL Program to the source of our inspiration and program direction, Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup, who has left us for a short while. May his wishes benefitting all be realized quickly!
lew
