HOPE and HOME team with volunteers
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Namaste!
I am just writing to tell you about my good time in Nepal
doing volunteer work with hope and home. My placement has
been in Sarangkot near Pokhara, teaching English at a public
school . I did not have any teaching experience when I came
to Nepal, so it was a may or challenge in the beginning bur
fortunately it come to me fast once I got started. Ofcourse
there was the language barrier, but I still got to know the
children very fast and they were really interested in
learning . So most of the time the children were working
with me and not against me.
While teaching I was staying with a local family and that
was a great experience. This way I really got "Under the
skin" of the Nepali people and learned about their culture
and habits. But just a watching for the people who think
about doing volunteer work like this, it is very hard to
leave once you have finished your program. I left a very
kind and loving family who actually accepted me as part of
their family and also may good friends among the students.
But it is nice to know that I have actually made a
contribution to the education of these children and that I
have many new friends that still will be here in some years
when I come back and visit them.
Jesper Mortenson
Råhøjvænget 11, århus 8260
Denmark
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From the first second i stepped out of
the Kathmandu airport I have experienced nothing but the
friendliness and great hospitality from the Nepal people.
Even though the Kathmandu city is over crowded and polluted
but you can always find a friendly smile and helpful people
whenever you need help.
Spending time in the DRC was worth every second of traveling
from Switzerland to Nepal. The children are so open-minded,
health warming and unbelievable adorable. they have given me
so much more joy, love and inspiration than i could have
imagined. Also the hospitality from my host family was
amazing. I have been so well looked after and felt like
family friend from the first moment i arrived. Thanks to the
lovely people from HOPE AND HOME, this has been an
unforgettable journey to me (Incl. trip to Pokhara) and will
definately not be my last visit to Nepal. Thanx
Christa Heuberger
Oststrasse 24
9000 St. Gallen
Switzerland
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The most beautiful thing about Nepal may at first appear to
be the diamatic mountains on the lush hills. In a small
village outside of Pokhara Naudanda I taught beautiful
children about English, western culture, and proper school
behavior. But they taught me about life and living in the
community while I think my lessons may help them for the
next few months, their will live with me for a lifetime.
I could myself blessed to learn and experience Nepal in such
an intimate way. Hope and Home gave me such incredible love
and support during my journey. I wish you the same growth
and success.
Valerie Li
Colorado 2006
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I think this was the best trip of my
life. The combination of the beautiful sites, working and
living with the children, the folks at Hope and Home, and
just the overall energy of Kathmandu came together to give
me a very memorable trip. This was the first time that I
took a trip that was combined with some sort of “service”.
This experience convinced me that getting closer to folks,
staying put in one location, and making an effort to
communicate and understand the local culture offers,
ultimately, a much richer and satisfying experience than
just seeing sites and passing through. I now want to eat Dal
Bhat every day!
Hope and Home offered a unique combination of language and
cultural training, tourist activities, and a placement with
local folks who I could interact with, get to know, and
ultimately care a great deal about. I will never forget the
kids at “Support the Children of Nepal”, Rabindra, Tikka and
Goma, their neighbors and finally the Hope and Home staff
who made it all happen. I know I will now have a lifelong
connection with Nepal and hopefully some of the kids at the
home. I plan to stay in touch and will try to help them in
any way I can.
Thank you, Rabyn, Bijen, Youzeena, and Sristy.
Elaine Miller
EMiller@nwalliance.org
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Dear Hope and Home,
Thank you so much for placing me in such an amazing
orphanage. I cannot help but use the cliché it was life
changing. I have drawn so much wisdom & inspiration from the
ladies that run this place and have fallen in love with the
children part of my trip.
I cannot recommend this place enough. xox
Jessica Hasker
78
Waddells Rd
Mackay, Qld 4740, Australia
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Jessica with Kids |
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Namaste from Sylvia, Henry and Jenny from Singapore!
We are happy to have discovered 'HOPE and HOME'
organization. They have been helpful and committed in
partnering us in improving the Disabled Rehabilitation
Centre (DRC), the home, we were attached to. Mostly
importantly, we are blessed to have a wonderful host family
looking after us for the period we were here. Basudha and
Shristi have made our stay in this foreign land a
comfortable one. It is only through a home stay with a host
family that we get to know Nepalese lifestyle up close and
personal especially the food.
I must say that our first impression of DRC was quite
overwhelming for us, Singaporeans. The place needed a number
of improvements eg: environment and personal hygiene. Our
project included introducing the importance of a healthy
living environment and how to maintain it. With the help of
Hope and Home, a gas water heater was installed (prior to
this, they had to bathe in icy water even in winter). The
children loved the new study room that we created. Now they
have a blackboard to make teaching and learning easier. All
these changes are made possible due to the willingness and
strong support of the children and staff members of the home
even in such a short time, 2 weeks! DRC showed their sincere
appreciation on our departure which made us extremely
touched. They have made us felt like we have become part of
their family! It is indeed a fruitful and memorable
experience for all of us!
Sylvia, Henry and Jenny
Singapore
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 I
would like to say a big thank you to everyone at Hope &
Home. You have made my stay in Nepal very enjoyable. It has
been such a rewarding and invaluable experience for me. Hope
and Home have given me guidance and support and provided a
good network with the other volunteers. I have met some
really good people and made some really good friends during
my time in Nepal and I would like to return to Nepal to
volunteer in the future. Thank you all so much
Joanna (Jo) Lee
Templedene Avenue
Staines, Middlesex TW18 1LH
England
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Volunteering at the Disabled
Rehabilitation Centre Nepal - July-August, 2006
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"Nepal challenges your perceptions about
yourself, your belief in life itself… The
breathtaking beauty of Nepal puts you in touch with
absolutes. It seems to stir you to your full
potential and enables you to say with Nepali poet
Gopal Prasad Rimal: A day comes / but once in an
age."
It's often a challenge to do something outside
your normal life and perhaps your comfort zone, but
it is often these experiences that prove to be the
most worthwhile of all. |
Michelle with Dan Bahadur and
Noula |
DRC touched my heart with their kindness and love. They
welcomed me with open arms and made me feel like a member of
the family. The children are incredibly sweet, caring,
hardworking, determined, spirited, beautiful individuals
with so much to give. I felt like I had never laughed and
smiled so much before- it's good to feel truly alive.
Every day at DRC was exciting whether we were dancing
with the laundry, visiting the zoo, having a drawing
competition, playing hide and seek (and giggling like crazy
in the cupboard!), singing Bob Marley and Resham Firiri,
playing in the paddling pool, cooking tarkari and daal… or
simply doing homework.
My time there was richly rewarding and will always be
deeply cherished- the people, the landscape and the culture
were unforgettable. I can't wait to visit DRC again this
summer (2007) and highly recommend volunteering here.
Michelle Yong
London, UK
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Our
Experiences as Medical Student
Hope and Home has been an excellent company from the first
email I sent to our last day in Nepal I always thought
organising volunteer work, especially medical volunteer work
has very difficult: However using Hope and Home was very
simple.
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Three friends and I volunteered
at Kanti Children Hospital in Kathmandu for two
weeks at the end of August. We had a magnificent
time from being shown major sights in Kathmandu to
meeting all the staff and patients at Kanti. Being
1st year medical students we did not expect to be
able to do very much at the hospital but we were
pleasantly surprised when we were able to do the
medical elective course which final year students
complete.
This was an excellent opportunity to observe new
medicine is approached in Nepal and the many
tropical diseases which its people face. We were
rotated around the hospital which enabled us to
experience working in many different units; from
Burns to Oncology. Only working half days also
allowed us to explore the city. |
Rebecca and Jes on
Canoe |
Hope and Home did not just organise our volunteer work but
helped us organise many aspects of our stay in Nepal. We
were able to organise Trekking, White water rafting , Safari
and Bungee Jumping all at a very reasonable price!
Our language lesson at the beginning of the trip were
particularly useful, enabling us to communicate with the
Nepalese throughout our trip as well as preventing us from
ripped off when purchasing various goods.
I would like to recommend to anybody HOPE and HOME. if you
are looking to do any kind of volunteer work then Hope and
Home will certainly look after you before during and after
your stay in Nepal. all at a reasonable price, which is
often unusual amongst similar companies.
Thanks Hope & Home, Especially Rabyn!
Rebecca Hall
Peninsula Medical School, England.
Three friends and i completed a medical placement in Kanti
Children Hospital for two weeks, we shadowed both Doctors
and nurses in all the wards for eg in oncology we observed
lumbar chemotherapy injections being administered. in
cardiology we experienced echo being performed on the
patients. In the burns unit we had the opportunity to
observe and take part in the redressing of the burns. These
are just a few of the ward we participated in our time away
from the hospital went to numerous sight-seeing attractions
in and around Kathmandu including the many temples and
stupas. As well as a cultural dinner and dance evening which
was great fun.
After our placement Rabyn really helped organise trekking
around the Annapurna Mountain, white water Rafting on the
Seti river, Safari in Chitwan and a 160m Bungee jump at the
Last resort.
We had a great time in Nepal and we learnt so much not just
from our placement but from the culture and way of life here
too. There's so much to see and do in nepal for everyone's
interests plus being a volunteer you get discount off loads
of stuff.
I recommend this placement to anyone who wants to learn
lots, help others and have a great time in the process
Thanks to Hope and Home , especially Robyn.
Jes Verwey
Peninsula Medical School, England.
I came to Nepal having only completed one
year of medical training hence I was not expecting to get
involved much. I was looking at this placement more as an
opportunity to see how a third world hospitals works rather
than to practice clinical skills. My placement begun on the
27th of August and finished on the 8th of September 2006. In
this time I was able to observe different wards and clinics
on a two or three day rotation. Initially I started in the
neonatal intermediate care with my colleague.
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Here we were able to witness
first hand the conditions that affect neonates such
as jaundice and sepsis. Initially my knowledge of
these conditions was very basic but now due to the
research and talking with the doctors I know a lot
more. It was a similar case with the other wards
such as cardiology and oncology. The doctors would
introduce us to the patients and their conditions,
from there its up to us how much more we learn.
After a morning session at the
hospital we would regularly go to the hospital
library or an internet café to deepen our
understanding of what we saw in the morning.
I
also spent time in physiotherapy where I got involved with
the physiotherapy of cerebral palsy (CP) children. I never
knew much about CP let alone how to handle an affected
child. |
2 Fed on Safari |
I probably enjoyed my time here more than in any of
the wards. I learnt so much and performing physiotherapy on
a CP affected child is really rewarding because by the end
of the session they are less tense and more flexible. My
experience in the burns unit was not very pleasant. I'm glad
I attended because I got to observe redressing on burns
victims. At times however it was very sad to see small
children crying and being scarred for live from avoidable
dangers.
Overall I found my presence in the hospital to be an
invaluable experience, which enabled me to learn a great
deal. I'm glad I did it although if I were to do it again I
would learn more Nepali in advance so I could communicate
with patients.
Frederick Campbell Jones
2nd year medical student
Peninsula Medical School, England.
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If you have any questions, please
contact us, we would love to hear from you. |
