Doing what works to give a hand up, not a handout.
From Our Volunteers | 21 July 2011
Smack between our two weeks of volunteering at Helping Hands Hospital Kylene and I embarked on a two-week trek around part of the Annapurna Circuit. After one week of extremely rewarding experiences in the high stress environment of a low cost private Kathmandu Hospital, a trek was exactly what the doctor ordered; and if you are planning to volunteer in the big city of Kathmandu, a trek of any length is a must do if you want to get a more complete vision of the stunning country of Nepal.
Scott from Mountain Fund was more than generous with his time and expertise on trekking and, after deciphering what was and wasn’t sarcasm, felt he was truly encouraging us to embark on this journey even though it wasn’t traditionally the best time to go. Because of the revolving door of people coming and going and departing and arriving we were able to talk to other people who had completed treks and we were even able to meet some of the guides they employed. After meeting the kind and genuine Gelbu Sherpa, we hired him as our guide/porter for the trek.
The trek itself was beyond any description I am capable of writing, but I can say that the beauty of the area was constant and ever changing. Expect to hike between 3 to 9 hours a day and realize you will most likely experience some discomfort and fatigue as you approach the higher ...
From Our Volunteers | 21 July 2011
by Ryan Lally
On my last night in Nepal, I sat down next to Scott MacLennan in the living room of the Mountain Fund volunteer house in Kathmandu. During my two months in Nepal, MacLennan and I had discussed a number of things: the circumstances that led to his founding of the Mountain Fund; the work the organization does to improve healthcare, education and human rights in Nepal; the obstacles he faces daily due to a new, fragmented and often stagnant Nepali government. However, as I sat on the couch that night, I quickly realized that the circumstances weren’t quite right to continue such a serious dialogue. We were sitting in the middle of a dance party.
Despite the serious cause that drives his work in Nepal, MacLennan has the unique ability to bring much-needed levity to a volunteer experience in the developing world. In the house that night, volunteers from the United States, Canada and the UK danced to American and Nepali pop music with MacLennan’s family and his dedicated Mountain Fund staff – an ever-growing group of young Nepali men and women whom MacLennan has welcomed into his life and provided with a loving home, access to a good education and the chance for a more promising future. All around us, the house thumped with the beat of the music and laughter filled the room. For everyone ...
From Our Director | 19 July 2011
Wanna change the game? Here's how. The girl on the right lives in the place on the left. It doesn't cost much more than a dollar to have her in school. That changes everything. At Mountain Fund, we don't have victims of poverty, we have victory over poverty, one brave child at a time.
...Healthcare | 19 May 2011
Dr. Ari Stern, Mountain Fund Board President is no stranger to Nepal. After spending time here in 2005 as an elective for medical school he has returned over and over to give his time and expertise to the people of Nepal. This year he's again traveled half-way around the world to give basic medical care to the poorest people in Nepal. In a series of four back-to-back medical camps, Ari first lead a team of volunteers for ten days through the Rasuwa District where three camps were conducted. Arriving back in Kathmandu and having only a couple of days to re-pack the intrepid doctor next visited Cheapang villages in the hills above Chitwan where, assisted by volunteers and two Nepali staff nurses he saw a record 917 patients over the course of just two and a half days. Ari never seems to grow tired of the seemingly endless lines of patients and remarks only that "this is why I came to Nepal" and vows to stay at his post each day until every single patient has been seen. Kudos to our leader !
To see Ari's photos from these medical camps visit both links below. One is from Rasuwa medical camps, the other from the Chepang Villages.
http://gallery.me.com/ari.stern#100132/IMG_1051&bgcolor=black
