Kopan Monastery is situated just north of the ancient Buddhist town of Boudhanath in the Kathmandu valley.

Kopan Monastery had its beginnings in the Solu-Khumbu region of the Himalayan mountains. In 1971 Lama Zopa Rinpoche, the reincarnation of the Lawudo Lama, a yogi of the tiny hamlet of Lawudo, fulfilled the promise of the previous Lawudo Lama to start a monastic school for the local children. The school was called the Mount Everest Center. Twenty five monks moved down from the mountain to Kopan in 1971 – prompted by the harsh climate at an altitude of 4000 m, which made study barely possible in winter.

Now Kopan is a thriving monastery of 360 monks, mainly from Nepal and Tibet, and a spiritual oasis for hundreds of visitors yearly from around the world. Nearby is Khachoe Ghakyil Ling Nunnery, home to 380 nuns. Both the monastery and the nunnery are under the spiritual guidance of Lama Zopa Rinpoche, and the care of the abbot, Khen Rinpoche Geshe Lhundrup Rigsel. And it is the wellspring of the FPMT, a network of some 140 centers and activities world-wide, themselves expressions of the Buddha activity of Lama Thubten Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche.

Our work with Kopan began in November 2009.

During a personal study program at the monastery, Lew was approached to see if he could help a senior monk who had been taken to Kathmandu for hearing assessment. It was deemed that nothing could be done to improve his hearing ability, based on their test results. Communication would be via shouting, gestures or not at all!

After reviewing the results, it was clear that further diagnostic tests were required, before the current assessment could be endorsed.

Sue, at Whitsunday Hearing sent a diagnostic audiometer to the monastery.

Tests revealed that power hearing aids would be beneficial and these were sunsequently fitted successfully.

This highlighted the real need for a complete diagnostic battery of test results to be available, and for the best professional advice to be offered.

Sangye Tenzin, in charge of the medical clinic at the monastery, and his team were enthusiastic in establishing a sustainable program of assessment, medical follow up if required, and provision of robust rehabilitation devices. This free service was initially provided to the monks and nuns at Kopan and locals from the surrounding villages.

With the success of the program at Kopan, services were expanded to include the Thimi VSN School and Tawal village in the Hilly region.

Kopan Results

Over three visits from November 2009 to  February 2010,

  • 42 hearing assessments were completed,
  • 5 referrals for medical follow-up were made
  • 16 hearing aids (with dry aid kits) were fitted – 15 monaurally, 2 binauarally.

Equipment was left at Kopan in a secure storage area for future use in all Nepal programs

  1. Video otoscope and display unit and otoscope tips
  2. Otoscope (hand held
  3. Itera Diagnostic Audiometer, air, bone conduction, masking capability
  4. Surge protector, battery power back up, adaptors, multi meter, screwdriver set
  5. Impression taking : Earlights, Syringes, otoblocks, impression putty
  6. Mini Vac vacuum cleaning pump for aids and moulds
  7. Hearing aid batteries, Spare Hearing aids, mould tubing, ear hooks, temporary moulds, tubing blower, cleaning tools
  8. Medical wipes and sterilising materials
  9. Spare batteries, dry aid kits, Miracell ear oil, ear wax solvent

Total value $10,330

Some equipment was taken back to Australia but will eventually be supplied and left in Nepal, for use at all clinics

  1. 2 laptop computers, 1 for hearing aid fitting, the other for diagnostic assessment and collation of results.
  2. MT10 screening tympanometer, with IPSI reflex assessment capability
  3. Otoflex Diagnostic Impedance meter
  4. Screening audiometer, battery powered, Air Conduction only

Total value $20,780

Subsequent trips in July and October 2010 built on the initial program and provided a reliable power source (essential for hearing testing and aid fitting) and more extensive training of local ear health workers in use of the equipment and ear and hearing evaluation.

More info to come, but here are some pics of our work at Kopan.