Key facts about projects & visit to Nepal
Our visit to Bhumesthan is already over. It was short, but very beautiful and intense. What we saw and experienced fills us with joy and optimism. The people are overjoyed and proudly showed us the many improvements that have been made.
Significant progress has also been made on the government's side regarding infrastructure. Electricity has been flowing in the village since September 2017, supplied by the power company. However, aside from lights, some music, and a few TVs, no other appliances are yet operational.
We will likely publish a more detailed travel report later. Below are the key facts about our projects and our visit.
32 cows
Four "hybrid cows" are already in the village and were shown to us. These cows look more like the cows we have here in Switzerland. They produce about two liters of milk per day, compared to the approximately 0.5 liters produced by a local cow.
Everyone is eager to have one of these "dairy cows" because the milk is very popular. It's drunk, added to tea, and used to make yogurt and butter. The butter (ghee) is particularly prized, as it's used for cooking. This eliminates the need for purchased cooking oil. Once all the cows are in the village, and thus a large amount of milk can be produced, the residents plan to collect the "surplus" milk and process it into cheese.
reconstruction
27 of the 32 houses are finished and occupied. A few still need their corrugated iron roofs replaced with the blue roofs, which offer better insulation.
This year's monsoon season was long, but the autumn harvest was bountiful. Now is the time to get back to construction. Work is now beginning on the remaining five houses. We spoke with the five families, and they are happy to be able to start building as well. Their advantage is that they can benefit from the other families' experience in house construction. For example, some of the new houses have the kitchen built into the side of the house, which reduces smoke and soot throughout the building and provides an additional room.
Generally, the houses are two stories high, with two rooms on each floor. The walls extend all the way to the roof, and the first floor is made of wood. The roof structure is also made of wood, covered with the blue corrugated iron sheets. This makes the roof much lighter than the previous stone roofs, which will cause less damage in the event of another earthquake.
Bhumesthan Help
We were asked in advance if we could please bring Voltaren pain relief gel again. So we put together 10 "medication bags" with plenty of Voltaren, some bandages, and Bepanthen cream.
In addition, we supported two families with $80 each. Most families were able to invest some extra money in their homes because their children earn money abroad or in the tourism industry. These two families are childless, so they didn't receive any additional financial assistance for the construction. They also had to pay more laborers. With this money, they can now improve their homes, build a better barn for their cow, or make other purchases.
School fees for girls
At the school, we were able to observe the agricultural program, which has been running for two years. A large number of the girls, whose school fees we cover, participate in it. From our perspective, this offers two advantages. Firstly, there is currently very little professionally grown produce in Nepal, which opens up many career opportunities. Secondly, this knowledge is also useful at home.
Medical assistance
Two minor inquiries have been received regarding this matter.
Family contribution
A young man living in the region is unable to speak. He is already 20 years old, but this disability is a major disadvantage. He cannot find work to earn money. His parents are very poor but support the young man as best they can. We supported this family with $150. To ensure the money isn't wasted, Arjun gives the family nearly $40 every three months, providing them with some relief for at least a year.
Eye problems
A boy was tending his flock of goats at night when one of them urinated in his eye. Since then, he has suffered from severe eye inflammation. We are sending this boy to Kathmandu so that a doctor can examine his eyes. Kathmandu has excellent ophthalmologists who provide professional care for their patients at reasonable prices.
General Conclusion
We are truly happy and grateful. Thanks to all the generous donations, we are able to help the residents of Bhumesthan. Whether it's rebuilding their lost homes, providing medical assistance, or making a small investment in their future, for example, by raising cows,
the villagers are an inspiration to us, showing us what social cohesion means and how to make the most of almost nothing. In turn, we are an inspiration to the villagers in certain ways. We never litter and even carry small ashtrays with us. This has made an impression. Before our arrival, the entire village was cleaned; there wasn't a single piece of trash lying around.
The money the village received from us was deposited into a bank account. The interest rates are excellent; in three years, $800 in interest accumulated. This money is used for general village expenses. For example, we bought a sound system, paid for the picnic to welcome us ($270), and purchased trash cans, which are distributed throughout the village. Is this how we hope to create a second little Switzerland?
We are grateful and proud of the residents of Bhumesthan. They handle our donations with great care. Through discussions, they seek the best path for the community and always consult with us.
