Author Elizabeth Thipphawong

The images in the attached document are from the 9th Annual Health Clinic, hosted by Asian Forum and We Friends Korea. Every year these two organizations collaborate to provide a week long, free health clinic in a rural area of Nepal.

The location for the clinic is selected by Asian Forum Health Programme Staff based on months of needs assessment and targeting areas with high migrant populations. This year the Dolakha Region was selected, following the 2015 Spring earthquakes, which left the area especially vulnerable, with many of their health facilities damaged or destroyed as well as the local population sustaining a high level of long term injuries. The Clinic was comprised of more than 40 staff and volunteers from Asian Forum, the Tsho Rolpa General Hospital and multiple hospitals from Korea, and served more than 3000 patients over the course of the week.

Advocacy groups, Government officials and individuals from across Nepal gathered on the morning of March 8th at Bhrikuti Mandap, Exhibition Road, to march together to Ratna Park at the City Centre in recognition of International Women’s Day. The theme for this year is Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step It Up for Gender Equality, reflecting the Sustainable Development Goals which address gender equality issues, specifically in education and health.

In early February I had the opportunity to travel with members of the Asian Forum team to conduct site visits of the Home Stay project which was launched in January 2015 in the Kalabang, Kaski and Ranagaun, Tanahun Districts of Nepal. The Home Stay Project is a division of the JMDI (Joint Migration and Development Initiative) Programme with Asian Human Rights and Culture Development Forum, and is funded by Swiss Development Corp (SDC) and the European Union. The Home Stay Project is one of two JMDI Programmes currently operating in Nepal, the other being facilitated through OXFAM.