A day to remember

Yesterday we went out to donate some items to some of the needy people of our district. We borrowed a bus for the day, loaded it up with goodies and piled in. We first headed out to Palinchowk, to a school for intellectually disabled children - the 'Mentally Challenged Rehabilitation Center'. It took us about 2 hours to get to this school, along winding cliff hanging roads. We were quite surprised to find the school located in what felt like the middle of nowhere.  This school does a fantastic job of looking after some of the most vunerable children in Kavre District, as well as providing primary and secondary schooling for ordinary children. Sadly many intellectually disabled children are badly neglected here, often being locked up and hidden from the public. The 19 children and young adults who come to this school have mostly been placed here because there are hostel facilities provided. Many have downs syndrome, while others conditions are undiagnosed.  The few staff there are to manage the classroom and hostel are very stretched, but work hard to provide a good level of care. The children all looked very happy, and particularly enjoyed their muscial performance for us. We donated tracksuits to all the children on behalf of the Goodwill Community Foundation, USA. 

The Children waiting for their new tracksuits

 

One of the young boys proudly displaying his new clothes

Thanks to the Goodwill Community Foundation, USA

While on the road we also took the opportunity to donate 2 wheelchairs, one to an elderly women in Baluwa Village and one to a young boy living on the outskirts of Dhulikhel. 



The wheelchair on its way to its new owner



Elderly women with new wheelchair in Baluwa

In Baluwa we also met the young women whose son has been treated for club foot thanks to the kind generosity of Jim Carroll from New Zealand. She was all smiles showing off her sons corrected foot.

Young boy who received club foot treatment

Lastly we took the bus down a road that perhaps no bus has travelled before (it was not designed for such a large vehicle, but lucky we had a good driver).  There we stopped to donate the 2nd wheelchair to 15 year old Van Bahadur Gauten who has no ability to move his legs, and limited ability to move his left had since birth.  The wheelchair replaces an old broken chair, and will enable his friends to take him with them to school. Unfortunately, due to the steep terrain he has limited mobility personally, even with a wheelchair. His house is perched on the edge of a steep hill, and access anywhere is difficult for him. However, the wheelchair will mean he will be able to continue his schooling.

Van Bahadur with his new wheelchair

The boy's bedroom - downstairs as he is unable to go upstairs

This road was not designed for buses!