Sight is one of the most vital aspects to the life of any individual both directly for themselves as well as for their families and communities. Often even simple health and screening measures can prevent, stay or even reverse many degrees of blindness.
Ms Yamuna Ghimire (Demlitar Community)
Rose Charities often supports its impressive partner VTN (Vision Together Nepal) founded by Optometrist, Mr Sakar Subedi. This NGO specializes in travelling to extremely remote villages in hard-to-access areas of Nepal to screen for disease, treat if possible or at a minimum, facilitate transport to a surgical eye center if more complicated procedures are needed. In addition a refraction service can assist in obtaining glasses for a needy patient.
At a recent eye camp in Demilitar Rural Municipality, assistance was given to an excellent local initiative to establish a simple Eye Centre. Trained staff were needed so VTN supported by Rose Charities facilitated training for two village members to be assistants. Ms Yumuna Ghimire (Demlitar Community) and Mr Roshan Dahal (Sindhuli Community) were sponsored to undertake basic optical dispenser training courses.
Further eye center initiatives are planned in rural Nepal for the near future
Rose Charities Canada has sent funds for the Rose Nepal Programs Group under Ms Sarala Adhikari to urgently supply around 3000 medical masks, primarily for people in the Pharping area with a focus on kids. While the protective benefits of mask wearing have become well appreciated in the area, simple lack of having them has been impeding their usage. Great work Nepal Group !
Rose Charities Canada is supporting the Rose Charities Nepal Program Group in assisting an urgent local initiative, along with other groups and individuals to provide an oxygen unit for the Manmohan Hospital. The program to date has already raised around 50% of the required NPR 60 lakh (appx CAD65,000) allowing equipment already to be ordered (oxygen production, cylinders, beds etc, as well as ambulance refurbishment).
At the time of writing, Sars-Cov-2, having spread in from India is ravaging Nepal. Resources are strained to beyond their limits and at the end of May 2021 there were over half a million cases with some 8000 deaths. One of the essential treatment methods prevent death, the use of oxygen, has been made almost impossible give to to the majority of covid sufferers due to the overwhelming demand depleting supplies. Ref https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/10/hopeless-situation-oxygen-shortage-fuels-nepal-covid-crisis
The Government is doing what it can but itself has limited resources to spare amid the numerous other national demands from the pandemic.
Manmohan Memorial Community Hospital. Dakshinkali
Dakshinkali, in the Pharping community lies on the southern edge of the Kathmandu Valley, an area containing apprximately 2.5 million people or some 8% of the entire population of Nepal The Manmohan Memorial Community Hospital in Dakshinkali town provides a vital role in serving the people both of the local areas and its surrounds. Its services however have been overwhelmed by the current pandemic.
Manmohan Memorial Community Hospital doing its vital work for the poor
Rose Nepal ‘Buhari’ trainees. Advanced education for women
‘Buhari’ means married women / daughters in law. This is the name that Rose Nepal gives to its advanced education program for women. It is well documented that women’s education is one of the most effective parameters in advancing communities in all areas in almost every parameter index, from health, poverty reduction, peace and Rose Nepal promotes these strongly in it Buhari program. The program operates from the rural Pharping area of the Kathmandu Valley. Notable (see image) is Sushima Thapa magar, one of the best achieving students to date from Kopu Village close to graduating in Engineering and Architecture. She will be the first female Rose-Engineering graduate from this small community.
Sponsorships in the Buhai Program and run at around CAD 600 per student per year which include both tuition (CAD 300 appx) and living / course material costs.(CAD 300 appx) It is hard to find an initiative of better value as it creates both a active, involved and hugely needed future for the student herself, as well as a panoply of secondary benefits for her family, community, region and country. Partial assistance (ie covering a proportion of the costs at any level) are equally welcomed and will be pooled by Rose to complete the amount for a full Buhari Scholarship.
Rose Charities NZ has worked with Ms Sarala Adhikari (Rose in Nepal) to cooperate with the Shikharapur Community School (Principal Mr Binod Mahat, Campus Chief , Mr Niroj Shrestha) in the beautiful and holy Pharping area in the Kathmandu Valley Nepal. http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Pharping
Rose Charities NZ provided the funds for an entire and much needed new rood for the school in return for 7 students to be sponsored to grade 10 and 2 to even higher level.
It is anticipated that this program will meet with every success for the girls and will lead on to further cooperative efforts to increase support (especially female) education both in Nepal and worldwide.
Shikharapur Community School has close links with Tribhuvan University Kathmandu.
Vigneswara Tamil Vidyalayam is located in Hopton, a “tea plantation” village in Lunugala town in the middle of a mountain range (about 150 km from Colombo and elevated about 750 m above the sea level).
This school was started during the British colonization period in 1938 with only one “shack” building. The persistent effort of the villagers made it possible to upgrade this school to a Secondary School (grade 1 to Grade 11) with 480 students and 30 teachers. Guided by the current principal Mr. S. Thiyagasundaram, this School became a “model School” with awards and achievements.
The Community around this school is very poor with the parents are mostly plantation labours. The main agricultural product of this community is tea. There are many beautiful tea estates in Lunugala. For generations, the majority of the villagers are labours in the tea estate. Additionally people cultivate pepper, cinnamon and cacao and do home based small business.
Presently there is awareness for education in this area. The villagers need help and support to find the resource for education. This was identified by Rose Charities Srilanka two years ago. For RCSL, it has been a new experience to work in the Hill Country.
For the last two years RCSL provides educational support. Since 2014 Rose Lanka Microcredit has also started a village group in Hopton, Lunugala with the support of AMDA. So far there are 52 active members from this village group.
This school became the main recipient of various types of support from Rose Charities Srilanka and Rose Lanka Microcredit pvt ltd. For the last two years education materials, books and other supports were given to this school
This year the volley ball team of Vigneswara Tamil Vidyalayam (under 15 age group) came third place in all island level. This is a milestone in the history of this school. Rose Charities Srilanka and Rose Lanka Microcredit gave volley ball, nets and shoes to those kids. Few of the boys who were achieved this were from the microcredit families of Rose Charities.
The story did not end here. Like the previous years, 8 Primary students have passed in the Grade 5 Scholarship Exams held this year. They were felicitated by Rose Charities Srilanka and Rose Lanka Microcredit. Medals were awarded to these kids.
The school community is grateful for what has been done and welcome the efforts of Rose Charities Srilanka and Rose Lanka Microcredit for future support.
