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Nepal Resource Pack

Home to the mighty Himalayas, Nepal physically sits on the top of the world. But Nepal is classified as one of the world's five least developed and poorest countries and is subject to frequent natural disasters, floods and landslides. With 45 percent of the population living below the poverty line, and a population growing fast, the country just cannot cope. Nepal's ongoing civil conflict with the Maoists has exacerbated poverty and hampered the delivery of basic social services. Education and development started only several decades ago. Although there has been striking progress in what is a historically short time, the population does not yet have the technical and organizational skills it needs to create a sustainable prosperous nation.

Nepal's future depends on the rapid development of its population and, at the same time, the wise conservation of its limited, fragile natural resources.

GVN volunteers work in a variety of fields with our partner organization in Nepal. In an impoverished country like Nepal, education undoubtedly is substandard and limited. Volunteers work with local teachers to teach and help them with their English, in order for these skills to be passed on to future students using more efficient and innovative methods of teaching. Youth clubs and women's groups wanting empowerment through informal education are also taught English by volunteers. In an orphanage a volunteer's role is to act as an older sibling to care for, look after and nurture the children, something that we take for granted, but that these children are starved of. The children also learn general life skills, including health and sanitation, as well as arts, crafts and music. The community environment and school maintenance program recently completed projects include a communal toilet, compost bins, health seminars and distribution of jute shopping bags to cut down on plastic waste. Future planned projects include energy efficiency, waste management, nutrition and agricultural improvements. On top of this project work, volunteers utilize their spare time in organizing the youth and women's groups of the community to do some worthwhile activities like building a smokeless stove, toilet by using local materials, making a soak pit, kitchen gardening, making a solar dryer, garbage management or paper recycling.

"Nepal is a unique country, an ancient country, but also a very poor country. Being here immersed in the lives and problems of these people have changed me in many ways. The most notable of these changes being that it has, of course made me appreciate what kind of life I have back home, and how privileged I am to have that kind of life. However, after coming here it has made me realize that with that privilege comes responsibility to those who are less fortunate. Its hard not to fall in love with the Nepali people and their simple way of life, being here accepting what I now feel as a member of a first world country, its my responsibility to allow these people to have the same opportunities I had growing up in Australia. As with any challenge, it makes you take a good look at yourself, understand how you work, what your limits are, what your motives are and thus change yourself for the better. By doing this one grows into a better person, more capable of living a fulfilling meaningful life, and more capable of helping others reach their full potential also." James Wheatly June 2005.

Easy Facts

For the Nepal Easy Facts sheet, click here.

Articles

Trading Home Comforts for Dreamy Mountains in Nepal: http://www.volunteer.org.nz/media/articles/britta.php.

Further Reading

Nepal's Children Forced to Fight, Bikash Sangraula, Torsello/Zuma Press, 28 June, 2005: KATHMANDU, NEPAL: When Maoist forces broke into the house of farmer Pasang Sherpa in eastern Nepal, they were looking for one thing: an able body. They took Mr. Sherpa's 15-year-old son, Pemba.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0628/p06s03-wosc.html

The Maoists of Nepal: 3 Perspectives, B. Raman, Director of Institute for Topical Studies, July 13th, 2001: "Ultimately, we will have to fight with the Indian army. That is the situation. Therefore, we have to take into account the Indian army. When the Indian army comes in with thousands and thousands of soldiers, it will be a very big thing. But we are not afraid of the Indian Army."---Prachanda, leader of the Maoists of Nepal, in an interview to a Maoist journalist of Latin America.
http://www.saag.org/papers3/paper277.html

Country Profile

For Nepal's country profile, click here.

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