NEPAL
It’s hard to overestimate the power of teamwork. In partnership with Impact Nations, we led a team to Nepal bringing a medical clinic to the foothills of the Himalayas where health care is hard to find. The five-hour trek into the area was an adventure in itself as we crossed interesting bridges, noticed the many waterfalls on distant hills, passed children singing, and followed the paths along with terraced fields.
We got to sleep and eat in homestays and felt like we experienced some of the daily life with the people. These basic, yet comfortable lodgings were started by Five 14 to help provide income for families to prevent exploitation of their young girls. While the nurses tended the sick, another part of the team trekked further to distribute filters in a neighboring village.
Poverty is the main thing driving exploitation in these remote areas as families struggle to put food on the table and a roof over their heads.
Did you know that more than 10% of Nepal’s workforce between the ages of twenty and forty years old go to work abroad? They send money back in the form of remittances to provide for their families. There are many pros and cons to finding work abroad: higher pay, increased awareness of other cultures, but also higher exploitation, and dangerous situations if, for example, work is in construction areas or brothels.
Not only did we benefit the local economy in a practical way, but we also got to provide clean water and medical care.
