Health for All - Dr. Sabi Gurung (Medical Volunteer)

Session in Progress

Subash Chettri, a friend of mine, told me of a small fund he got from Australia and was trying to invest it on health. It was perfect opportunity for me to design a project, which I had envisioned for a very long time, for Koseli School children. The children live in various slums around Kathmandu under horrible conditions.

Animated discussion

My project idea was nothing fancy, tackle Koseli children’s health issues, guide and help them lead a healthier life style. My team, Zoya Gurung and Dr. Nabita Rai, and I discussed and researched health related real life stories and tried understanding matters regarding health, hygiene and diseases. I was amazed to see that the Koseli students brought topics like gender discrimination and sexual abuse / violence and how it affects their health. 

My idea was all about making the students participate as much as I possible, so that they get the maximum benefit from the project.  The students brought about the health issues from their daily experiences of living in one of the worst slums in Kathmandu, Jadibuti slums.

Seniors sharing their ideas

I highlighted the importance of reproductive and sexual health issues among the students. I conducted detailed sessions on above issues with students above the age of 13. The students then wanted to share their knowledge with the younger ones at school. So, we formed another session the next day. I was moved when one of the girls said that health knowledge should not be limited but also spread to the other people who are illiterate and ignorant. The older students told the younger ones to report issues of sexual abuse, touching private parts, for example. The student understood that keeping silent on such issues would only make things worse. Often times, children in slums are victims of sexual and mental abuse by their own relatives.

Work done by the kids

The issues of drugs and alcohol dominate Kathmandu slums. The children shared experiences of drunken people misbehaving with girls, beating up their wife and children. One student shared his experience of hiding in the sewage when his relative went wild after getting drunk.

We showed them some documentaries on street children, slavery and educational cartoons based on health issues. Besides, we bought medical supplies, multivitamins, first aid kits, water bottles, educational and stationery materials, clothes etc.

I asked the students how their lives changed after coming to Koseli. Some said free education, others free food!  One little girl said, "Koseli is the last hope in my life to help me become an educated person and get me and my family out from that gutter."

volunteers & kids

The project was truly an amazing experience for all of us. We were inspired by the enthusiasm, honesty and aspiration of Koseli children. Living with minimal life supplies in slums has not discouraged them from aspiring to change the world.

goodies for the kids

Lastly, I would like to thank all the people who invested their heart and mind into this project. Our deep gratitude goes out to Denis and his amazing team in Australia for trusting us on our ideas. Koseli children made cards and wrote letters to you!

Also, I want to thank Dr. Nabita Rai, Zoya Gurung , Subash Chettri, Subhash Ghimire, Krishna Mani Baral for their amazing support! Thank you Renu Bagaria for being an amazing role model for all of us. 

team of volunteers

A Friendly Touch from Hong Kong

Tenzin Tsering met Suraj Lama through You Tube (posted by Lex) before he met anyone else at Koseli. He was so touched by his story that he googled Koseli and found us on the internet. The next step was obvious , he wrote to us on 2nd March and expressed his desire to support us. With the new term due to start on April 15th, our most pressing needs were books, stationery and school dresses. We also needed to a add tin shed but that could wait.

Even before I realized what was happening, he was already talking to his friends and scouting for ideas to raise funds for the text books. The communication was extremely fast paced. Before I could come up with questions, he was ready with the answers. 

Tenzin Tsering is 26 years old and lives in Hong Kong with his family. He runs a small Cafe and is satisfied with his life. He realized that he was spending a lot of money on frivolities and so constantly had this nagging feeling of doing nothing meaningful with his life. He decided that he was going to change the last aspect about himself. 

"Man is the most selfish animal of the animal kingdom. His world starts with I, Me and Myself", said Tenzin. And so when he saw Suraj Lama, a 12 year old boy beggar boy with a very strong desire to study, he knew he wanted to do something for such kids.

He asked his friends to donate a small of amount of money to his cause. It was extremely difficult to convince people. They came up with weird questions to which he had no answers. To make matters worse he had never visited Koseli and obviously didn't know the people behind the project at all. How Tenzin handled all that is a little difficult even for me to imagine.

We exchanged mails daily and his only request was that he wanted me to post the names of the people who have donated on the web site, so that the donors would know that their money actually went to needy kids.

26 days and 31 mails later, on 28th of March we received NRs.61000 for our text books. 

This is the first time that a total stranger ( a stranger till now)  has donated something to Koseli Kids.

We would like to thank Tenzin, and his team of donors for this beautiful gesture and having faith in us.

As per His request, below is the list of the people along with the amount they donated. The amounts are in HKD.

Michelle Price(white stag) - 500, Thapa Samir (players) -501, Rai Nabin-500, Uma Rai-520, Gagan Gurung-500, Mary Gurung(nauman)-500, Rai Muna-250, Limbu Yuwa-250, Anita Gurung(typhoon)-201, Sheela Gurung-200, Bhuwan Sunwar(xperience )-101, Milan Gurung-101, Mina Rai-101, Gurung Deepak-100, Dilip Shahi-100, Thapa Som raj-100, Jagdeep Gurung-100, Upama Thapa-100, Danish Rai-100, Dinesh Tamang-100, Anish Limbu-100, Anhu Mala Thapa-100, Amrita Gurung-100, Sidartha Bega-82, Shree Limbu-71, sujan Thakure-51, Thapa Sunuwar , rabin-50, Shyam Sunuwar-50, Gurung Razoo-50, Mina Rai-50, Milan j Gurung-50, Raj Kumar Gurung-50, Gurung Micheal-46, Lawati-30, Roma-25, Tsering-25, Birendra Gurung-20, Gurung Tara Bhadhur-20 and Lok Tamu-20

design of the ticket used by Tenzin to raise funds

Sports Day - article by: Prerna Golchha

When I first started volunteering at Koseli, I realized that the kids were doing all that they needed to do - study, art n craft, reading and other co curricular activities. They were also playing sports but not the way I had played during my school days. 

So, born was the idea of a “Sports Day”. A day (which later stretched to a week) full of competitive sporting activities, participation spirit and a bonding which would last beyond their years at Koseli. 

The two weeks that I spent preparing for the Sports Day brought me closer to the kids like never before. There was a palpable enthusiasm in the whole school. The heats for the athletic events were a lot of fun. 

The children during that week almost forgot that their main purpose of being at school was to study. Looking at their faces glowing with joy, my eyes welled up with tears.  Was this not what I had always wanted; to bring that lovely smile on these young vibrant faces which would eventually illuminate the whole environment. It reminded me of my school years and my own Sports Day.  So how were these kids different from the so called privileged classes. I came to the conclusion that kids are kids and given an opportunity they all excel equally.

On the day of the event we were so preoccupied about things being in order that we forgot everything else. The hard work of the kids was more than evident. Their faces were radiant and the event was perfect to the last detail. The children were awesome and in the end each one of them proved to be a true winner. 

  

Since it was 24th December, the event concluded with Santa Claus distributing sugar candies to everyone. The happiness in the air was genuine that the feeling warmed my heart for days to come. I am am hoping that this was just the beginning of an annual event.

I cannot finish writing this article without mentioning Pulkit. He was with me right from the day this event was conceived and probably the last one to leave the premises of Koseli after the event was over. Saying a thank you to him would be demeaning him and all that he does for Koseli. But I do wish that together we  organize many more such wonderful Sports Days at Koseli in the years to come.

I also want to thank the other volunteers who helped us making this event a great success.

I would like to express deep gratitude towards our chief guest Mr. Nilendra Shrestha (President- Nepal Amateur & Athletic Association) for gracing the event and all the guests for encouraging the kids.


See You all Next Year,


Prerna Golchha
                                                       Highlights of the event

•    March Past

•    Fun races 

•    Professional races 

•   Group dances by the kids

•   Drill by the whole school

•   Prize Distribution

•   Cake Cutting 

•   Sugar Candies by Santa

L-R: Prerna, Renu, Tanuj
& Pulkit (behind)