As the sun rose yesterday our team of national and international volunteers loaded a bus with over 4,000kg of supplies for 3 villages, Arukharka, Ghormo and Parchyang in off the beaten track in Rasuwa District, North West of Kathmandu.
After a long, slow, winding journey initially following the Trishuli River before climbing up towards the Langtang National Park, we were met by the smiling faces of the village headsmen. After initial confirmation on what we had brought and in what quantities, we set to work to confirm the number of households in each village, so the relief supplies could be split evenly.
These urgently needed food, shelter and hygiene supplies were divided between 291 households, reaching in the region of 1500 people, possibly more. The relief and thanks in their faces as they came to help carry the supplies up to what were once lively, bustling villages was palpable. All 3 communities have been forced to camp out in their summer grazing pastures, given that their entire villages and all their homes were raised to the ground in the massive 7.9 magnitude earthquake that hit Nepal two weeks ago.
As part of each mission we also take doctors and medical supplies to help treat and educate the locals. We were taken to see a 75 year old lady, who before the quake was strong, fit and healthy. She was unable to tell us exactly what had happened, but she is now unable to walk and is confined to her house. Her left knee was hugely swollen and her knee cap off to one side, leading Dr Hement to diagnose a suspected fractured patella. Her family, ignorant of severity of her injury had not sought medical help, but in their efforts to help her, they followed their local tradition and brought the Shaman to visit her.
Her son now needs to register the injury with the local health post, which will then refer them to a larger hospital in Kathmandu for further treatment, noting that it is an earthquake injury. By following this procedure we hope it will open doors to free health care. Having exchanged contact details, once they arrive in Kathmandu we will follow up with them and ensure they get the help they need.
Following up on our first mission, the elderly man with the festering wound and suspected fractured arm has now received treatment at the district health post and was diagnosed with nothing more serious than a hairline fracture. Thanks to the thorough cleaning and treatment of his wound by our doctors and the ongoing care from the health post his arm is now healing well.
His smile says it all.
Everyone pitches in – even the kids
Suspected fractured patella