Gurje Community Health Service Centre
In 2008 The Umbrella Foundation and our partners SolHimal France asked the poor rural communities of Gurje what were the biggest challenges facing them and their children. Education was a close second but Health Care was a unanimous first.
In the same year the Haar Family in France who are close friends of SolHimal agreed to fund the building of a Health Post, or Health Service Centre. As with all development projects community involvement and ownership was paramount if the project was to be a long term success.
However involving the community and dealing with the varied social issues which are typically widespread in these areas obviously brings it share of trials and tribulations. The construction began in 2009 after long talks and contests with the different political and ethnical representatives about where exactly the building would be situated.
Over the past 2 years we have had monsoons, harvesting seasons, religious festivals, landslides and many other ups and downs but at the end of January 2011 we finally had a health post. And even though the construction was behind schedule it was clear to see that we had made the right decision with including the whole community by seeing the pride on their faces on the opening day.
The next part was operating the Health Post but as our expertise lies in rescuing, caring and reintegrating children we needed to find the best and most professional way to provide these services to the people.
In 2009 we began talks with another organisation called Community Action Nepal which is a UK INGO. CAN was set up by Doug Scott a famous mountaineer from England who has already set up 10 Health Posts in the most remote regions of Nepal. Many rural areas have no access to health care and others have very limited access with second rate Government operated ones.
People often walk for days to reach a Health Post operated by Community Action Nepal and we are delighted to have signed a formal agreement with them. For the next 5 years Gurje Community Health Service Centre will be funded by The Umbrella Foundation and operated by Community Action Nepal. During this time CAN will engage the local Government and Communities in development building so as to prepare them to take over both the operation and funding when the time comes.
We know that together we will make a great team and look forward to working with the guys at Community Action Nepal and the communities of Gurje.
