Coronavirus in Nepal – Tim Trehearn

Posted on August 19, 2020 by Angus Mccoll - member contributions, news bites

In March, as the pandemic was unfolding, Som was in Batase. Before his urgent repatriation to Australia, he was able to secure essential supplies including rice for the village. He reports that morale in Batase is very high with extra hands available to help with farm work and to advance essential development projects.

Construction jobs underway include a stone retaining wall on the hostel access road and Jonathan Clayton’s greenhouse project. Anil and his family are constructing a new house with the help of many of the FHC and TON staff in their spare time.
The school has been closed but children at the hostel are being tutored by Bijay and some of the other senior students. Som is also linking students to BTN programs that relate to the Corona crisis so that children can understand why life has changed for them and why volunteers are no longer visiting the village.

Projects that have been put on hold include Nijita’s hip surgery that was scheduled for May and Jitman’s trip to Australia for a prosethetic leg. The resilience of Nepalese people shines through. Many endured extreme hardship during the 2015 earthquake and many recall the devastation of the civil wall. They are meeting the various challenges of Covid-19 with courage and enthusiasm and appreciation for the ongoing support of FHC.