Nirmala is affectionately known as “Nirmala Sister” in Waku village. Born and raised in Waku, she completed her schooling and dedicated herself to community service by becoming an Auxiliary Nurse Midwife. She is now in charge of the Waku Health Post. 

Nirmala Sister takes immense pride in the health improvements achieved in her village. She recalls a time when the absence of a birthing centre in Waku, led to a high rate of home deliveries with limited options for intervention. 

Thanks to the support of Action For Nepal and AHF, the Waku Health Post has been transformed into a well-equipped birthing centre. However, the challenge persisted, with 18 home deliveries recorded alongside 15 institutional deliveries in 2022/23.

“My team and I have been personally visiting every house in the village each month, engaging with men, women, husbands, wives, fathers, and mother-in-laws. Our aim is to emphasise the importance of institutional delivery and the risks associated with home delivery. Convincing them is not easy, we have to use different strategies, as it’s challenging to shift their traditional mentality.”

Another major hurdle to reducing home deliveries is the village’s remote location. Pregnant women struggle to travel the considerable distance to the health centre, often hindered by their limited financial resources, not able to cover the cost of transportation. 

To encourage more institutional deliveries, the health post team pushed for more maternity support from Mapya Dudhkoshi Rural Municipality. They initially said no – until Action for Nepal intervened. The Rural Municipality finally agreed and increased the funds for pregnant women coming to Waku Health Post – a change that has been a big help for local women. 

Nirmala Sister praised Action for Nepal for their deep understanding of local contexts, proactive approach in addressing concerns, and effective collaboration with stakeholders. She emphasised that this played a crucial role in fostering connections between the community and the Rural Municipality, significantly benefiting the entire community.

In the past six months, there has been just one home delivery compared to 13 institutional deliveries. For Nirmala and the entire health post team, this signifies a substantial reduction—a long-desired outcome ensuring the health and safety of mothers and babies. 

Nirmala is very grateful for the support for the Solukhumbu Women’s Health Project, funded by generous AHF donors and the Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP). 

posted July 2024

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Bimala is the Chair of the Health Mothers’ Group in Khaptadchanna, Bajhang in West Nepal. In the past, there were rarely any meetings organised in her ward to talk about women’s health issues.

Now, every month, female community health volunteers hold Health Mothers’ Group meetings. Bimala shares that these gatherings serve two purposes. First, women not only get important health messages, but they also have a chance to share experiences, address concerns, and build a sense of community. Health Mothers’ Group members have played a crucial role in helping new members and creating an environment where joy and past experiences are openly shared.

She extends gratitude to Action for Nepal for providing refresher training to the volunteers, highlighting that the training has been vital in enhancing their capabilities.

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At a secondary school, nestled in the heart of Chaulakharka in the Solukhumbu district, stands as a testament to the transformative power of education in rural Nepal. As a vital member of TTQIE initiative, the school has overcome significant challenges to enhance its Early Childhood Education programs. Until recently, the school faced fundamental issues, lacking essential facilities such as proper insulation, child-friendly furniture, and adequate materials for its children.

These problems not only hindered the physical comfort of the students but also had a profound impact on their enthusiasm for learning. The absence of engaging learning environments made it challenging for school administration to sustain student interest during class hours, resulting in below-average learning achievements.

Understanding the significance of suitable infrastructure, REED Nepal allocated funds to facilitate the construction of child-friendly furniture specifically designed for Early Childhood Education to grade 3. They also organised a five-day training for Early Childhood Education teachers.

One of the teachers who attended the training was Kalpana, who was born with a polio-related disability that makes it challenging to fully use her arms and legs. However, Kalpana dreams of becoming the best teacher in the Solukhumbu. With the knowledge she gained from the training and support from her colleagues, she decided to make her classroom (and subsequently many others in the school) a better place for learning, decorating the room with bright and interactive educational materials.

Now more parents are visiting the school, and teaching has become easier. The students in the basic classes are happier and are more interested in coming to school. Parents are happy too, and they even joke that now that the students have better facilities than the teachers. In fact, the school now boasts some of the most well-equipped and child-friendly classrooms at the foundation level within the Solukhumbu district.

Kalpana has become a school hero. Despite facing challenges with her legs and arms, she took on the important task of making the classrooms look better. Her exemplary classroom management and decorations have not only transformed the educational environment within the school but also set a benchmark for other educational institutions. Kalpana’s unwavering determination has also shattered stereotypes, proving that disability is not a barrier to fulfilling your dreams.

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