Completing our first year in the Dhanusha region
APRIL 5th to 10th 2016
5 Camps
- Primary ear care: 770 total – including 324 persons 21yrs and younger
- 65 hearing aids fitted – 12 to younger ones, from 6 to 25yrs
So let’s look at the difference between Solu Khumbhu on the Mt Everest trail and the Terai plains of southern Nepal, Janakpur.
Most of the NGO’s operate in tourist or “spiritual path” areas…and that’s why they are better resourced by outsiders and the Government alike (keen to maintain the best foreign image possible)
Solu Khumbu
- 5 camps since 2012
- about 25 clinic days
- 123 hearing aids fitted
- 9 persons under 25 yrs of age
Janakpur – Dhanusha
- 9 camps since April 2015
- 10 clinic days
- 81 hearing aids fitted
- 16 persons under 25yrs
The Terai region (except for the immediate vicinity of the Buddha’s birth place in Lumbini), does not enjoy the attention of tourists and the pressure of the tourist industry. They are survivors in oblivion.
In Janakpur there are only private medical clinics, unaffordable for most, and the hospital services are pretty lean…for example, once per year they offer Prolapse correction surgery, for just a few days….
Our third ear camp site was in a ‘house’ built by a Minister in the Government, other camps were in rural schools, and in the large town of Janakpur we conducted the clinic on the veranda of rented premises by the Community Family Welfare Association, with whom last year, in April, we sponsored the Prolapse program and introduced our first hearing camp. It was very hot and dusty, and can you believe that we also had to develop skills in crowd control!
So this was the most confronting time I have spent in Nepal or India.
Approximately four times (compared to Solu Khumbu ) the number of young hard of hearing persons presented each camp day, many with drastically impaired speech…if any recognisable speech at all… and I emotionally struggled with each new young person who came in, painfully aware of their plight.
Thankfully, some came to help their parents or grandparents and were fine themselves, what a rollercoaster journey, yet so happy to be there!
Tears of relief by young recipients seemed like they would never stop, tears of joy rolled down the faces of family members.
We will never know their full suffering, but enough to know we are really needed here…
Are we doing all we can?
So far, in 12 months we have:-
- Conducted 9 primary ear care and aid fitting camps – there are nine provinces.
- Next series of camps will be 4 x 2 day camps in November 2016.
- We have trained and supplied audiometric equipment to local staff.
- Local staff have made 14 school visits specifically to raise hearing problem and treatment awareness.
- We have committed to two visits per year by the HH&H program staff, training, fitting and repairing aids.
- We shall supply transport (a scooter) as soon as licenses are obtained, so our program can reach more communities.
- We have donated half the required money in order that CFWA can purchase land to enable a hearing clinic to be incorporated within their ‘under construction’ office building. This will become a permanent hearing care ‘hub’ in the region. This adjacent land would allow windows to be put in the side of the building under construction for essential cross flow circulation, right now it is very hot, windy and very dusty….the monsoons will relieve that, but flood the surrounding area. The largely open area would then be used for assembly and enrolment, car park and a shelter, that would also serve as Keshab’s outdoor Primary ear clinic. The concept of them being involved in something as encompassing as the first local regional hearing program has only been raised in the last 12 months. We are also now able to be involved in building modification recommendations, for example, putting a clinic area on the ground floor, which will be also used as offices in our absence.
Just one of the stories that touched us all…
A lady who had a profound loss since birth, with little speech, was brought to us by her family.
- She is 21yrs old, married with a small child
- Her husband works in a foreign country
- He is not able to communicate with her in his long periods away from home
- All were very distressed
Thanks to you who support us, we were able to fit her with powerful aids which should help.
Dhanusha region – Camp and personnel data
5 camps:
1st @ CFWA office Janakpur – 2 days (31 fittings)
2nd @ Hariharpur-7 (Primary school)
3rd @ Mithleshwar Mahuwahi VDC- Baidanath Mahaseth House
4th @ Hanspur Kathpulla VDC-Primary school
5th @ Dhanusha Dhan VDC-office
Service providers:
CFWA – Kamala,(Audiometry), Rajnandan (assisting Keshab), Ramlesh (enrolments)
NAHOH – Keshab (Primary ear care)
HH&H – Saraswoti (assisting Kamala) & lew (device fittings)
Cheers
lew
Our gratitude to all our supporters…that is how it can happen!
