Australia vacancy

ali.wilkinson — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:15:05 -0500

INF Australia needs someone to take over the Personnel Manager position at their office in Chatswood, Sydney. They are seeking a part-time staff member to take responsibility for recruiting and placing volunteers in Nepal. Reporting to the INF Australia CEO, responsibilities will include owning the recruitment and applications process, support of existing staff and volunteers, reviewing policies, working with other mission agencies and representing INF at conferences and events.

From Sweden to Nepal

ali.wilkinson — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 01:50:23 -0500

Swedish students Beatrice Andersson and Anna Fransson are doing disability research at INF's Green Pastures Hospital and Rehabilitation Centre in Pokhara. 'We're here for two months to do our Bachelor's thesis,' say Beatrice and Anna. 'We're undergraduates in Prosthetics and Orthotics at the School of Health Sciences in Jönköping University. We're exploring the situation in Nepal with regard to international conventions on the rights of people with disabilities.

Pratibha's novel

ali.wilkinson — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 04:53:44 -0500

INF Nepal Donor Liaison Officer Pratibha Manaen has published her first novel. 'A friend in a thousand' is the beautifully written story of Tara and Manushi, two girls living in a Nepali village. Both of the friends have difficult lives because of their gender, caste and lack of education. However, Manushi dreams of being able to read and write one day, and Tara encourages Manushi to realise her dream and find her voice.

Dutch runners back INF

ali.wilkinson — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 05:50:35 -0500

More than thirty Dutch Christians last week began training to run a sponsored half-marathon for INF in June. Led by INF supporter Jan Janssen, the runners will all be competing in the annual half-marathon in the town of Zwolle. They hope to raise around €11,500 [around US$15,000] for INF's work among people with disabilities, enough to buy twenty wheelchairs and pay for disability-friendly modifications to the homes of eighteen disabled people.

World Leprosy Day 2012

ali.wilkinson — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 04:52:34 -0500

Today is the 59th annual World Leprosy Day. This special event is marked each year in different countries all over the world in order to raise public awareness of a disease which, according to recent estimates, still affects around four million people worldwide. INF has served people affected by leprosy in Nepal since the 1950s. Although leprosy has now been statistically 'eliminated' in the country it has yet to be totally 'eradicated'. Please click here if you would like to help INF help people with leprosy and other disabling conditions.

TB award ceremony

ali.wilkinson — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 04:14:35 -0500

A special ceremony was held this morning in Nepalgunj to celebrate the award of the prestigious Kochon Prize to INF for its tuberculosis work. The Kochon Prize is awarded each year by the Stop TB Partnership and the United Nations World Health Organisation. Nepalgunj in Nepal's Banke District is the location of INF's main TB clinic.

Musical couple support INF

ali.wilkinson — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 23:37:10 -0500

UK couple David and Ann Morgan have helped to raise £165 [US$250] by organising a musical concert to support INF's Green Pastures Hospital and Rehabilitation Centre for people with disabilities. 'A group of five of us put on a concert at Saint Barnabas Church Hall in East Molesey,' says David. 'Ann and I were accompanied by a friend on piano and sang songs. Two professional musicians who live locally also played, Anthony McColl on oboe and Catherine Leonard on piano.

Help a child go to school

ali.wilkinson — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 23:09:16 -0500

'Prem Kumal is 12. His brother Arjun is 8 and his sisters Ramaili and Ramita are 6 and 2. They live in Balchaur village in Nepal's remote, mountainous Mugu District, the poorest in Nepal,' says Rajendra Bahadur Sunar, the Field Manager of INF's Mugu District Programme. 'Their parents have left them and they are looked after by their elderly grandparents, who are unable to support their education financially. The literacy rate in Mugu is 49%, and just 38% for women. It is estimated that around half of the children in the district do not attend school,' adds Rajendra.

US group visit

ali.wilkinson — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 03:16:33 -0500

A group of ten guests from the USA visited INF's Kathmandu office yesterday at the start of an INF North America 'vision trip' which will also include visits to INF projects in Nepalgunj and Pokhara. Led by INF North America Director John Taylor, the group will today visit INF TB and HIV work in Nepalgunj, as well as work among Nepali migrants to India.

Help a child like Yubaraj

ali.wilkinson — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 05:23:16 -0500

Yubaraj Pun, 6, lives in Pokhara where his mother Juna has been treated for leprosy at INF's Green Pastures Hospital and Rehabilitation Centre for people with disabilities. After her initial treatment at Green Pastures, INF's Partnership For Rehabilitation [PFR] programme provided Juna with vocational training so that she is able to earn an income from working as a weaver. PFR also provided Juna with the financial support necessary for Yubaraj to start at school. One of the 34 gifts in the INF gift catalogue is 'School books and equipment for a child'.

The Best Christmas gifts

ali.wilkinson — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 05:49:05 -0500

UK property investment company The Best Group has bought some very special Christmas gifts for its business clients this year. The company CEO, former INF Member Brad Lincoln, decided to buy stool tests from the INF gift catalogue for all of Best's business contacts - and sent a specially designed e-mail to hundreds of them with the news. 'At Best we decided to help a part of the world that really needs help this Christmas,' says Brad.

Help a client like Bholanath

admin2 — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 16:08:44 -0500

Bholanath Dhital, 35, was disabled and had to start using a wheelchair after he injured his spine in a road traffic accident in Nepal. INF's Partnership For Rehabilitation programme in Pokhara provided the technical and financial support necessary for the installation of a wheelchair-accessible toilet in Bholanath's home in Kawasoti in Nepal's Nawalparasi District, enabling him to live more independently.

Help someone like Asari

admin2 — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 19:26:36 -0500

Asari, 23, is from Patarasi village in Nepal's remote, impoverished Jumla District. At INF's clinic in Jumla's district centre she was diagnosed with leprosy and was admitted as an inpatient for three months so that reactions to her medication could be managed. She is now much better and is able to work again in her home and out in the fields.

Help a patient like Doti

admin2 — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 15:13:51 -0500

Doti Prasad Gharti, 51, comes from Mathauni village in the Dang District of Nepal's Mid Western Region, the poorest part of the country. He was referred from INF's Dang District programme in Ghorahi to INF's specialist centre in Surkhet because of reactions to his leprosy medication, as he was suffering with a fever and blemishes on his hands. INF changed his medication and his condition soon began to improve.

Help a student like Arjun

admin2 — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 16:09:35 -0500

When teenager Arjun Chhetri arrived at INF's Green Pastures Hospital and Rehabilitation Centre for people with disabilities in Pokhara he was suffering from reactions to his leprosy medication and had a high fever and blemishes on his face. While he was being treated at Green Pastures Arjun was also helped by INF's Partnership For Rehabilitation programme. Arjun wanted to continue his studies at school in his home district of Kapilvastu but lacked the financial resources to do so. INF provided Arjun with the financial support necessary for his further education.

Prospectus out now

admin2 — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 03:56:00 -0500

INF has published the latest edition of its annual Donor Prospectus, which gives the details of the financial needs in INF's programmes. The largest need currently is at INF's Green Pastures Hospital and Rehabilitation Centre in Pokhara, which has a shortfall of around US$93,000 [€66,000 / £58,000] in its US$636,000 [€456,000 / £396,000] budget for the Nepali financial year to mid-July 2012. This shortfall is equivalent to approximately 15% of the income needed at Green Pastures.

Shoes for someone like Bala

admin2 — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 19:40:17 -0500

Bala Bahadur Rawat, 55, comes from Chhumchaur village in Nepal's remote, impoverished Jumla District. It takes five hours to travel from his village to the district centre. Bala was first affected by leprosy twenty years ago. He was diagnosed with the disease at INF's Jumla clinic and was provided with regular medication. His hands and feet have become insensitive as a result of leprosy, and often develop ulcers. Although Bala has been cured of leprosy, the insensitivity remains.

Help a tailor like Uma

admin2 — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 16:11:15 -0500

Uma Gurung, 24, is an INF client with disability. INF's Partnership For Rehabilitation programme helped Uma to train as a tailor and start work in Pokhara. Now she is able to earn between 4,500 and 5,000 Nepali Rupees each month [between US$54 and US$60]. This income helps Uma to support the school education of her younger brother and sister. She now plans to set up her own tailoring shop. Uma was helped by funds raised by the INF gift catalogue, where one of the 34 gifts is 'Tailoring materials and training'.

Kit out someone like Chhipa

admin2 — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 23:44:20 -0500

Chhipa Adhikari, 60, comes from Mahaboipatarkhola village in Nepal's remote, impoverished Jumla District. Chhipa travelled for a day and a half from her village to the district centre, where she was diagnosed with leprosy at the INF clinic and was able to begin treatment. The leprosy has caused her hands and feet to become insensitive, and she has problems with ulcers, wounds and clawing fingers.

Help someone like Dasiya

admin2 — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 16:38:00 -0500

Dasiya Mahato, 72, has been disabled by leprosy. Her hands and feet have become insensitive and deformed. As a result of the social stigma related to leprosy, Dasiya was separated from her family and had to live in a hut in the forest for twenty years. However, INF's Partnership For Rehabilitation programme in Pokhara organised health education and counselling for Dasiya's family and community in Nawalparasi. INF built accommodation and a toilet for Dasiya, who is now back with her family and hoping to receive a widow's allowance from her local government authorities.