ETC, devoted to Nepal

By NEETA MASKEY

Pamela Carson came to Nepal in search of peace, following the teachings of Lord Buddha. Her spiritual journey found a new beginning, not in a monastery up in the Himalayas but on the streets
of Kathmandu.

An encounter with three homeless children gave Carson a new purpose in life. The homeless, hungry kids didn’t ask for shelter or food. They told Carson they wanted to go to school. By fulfilling their wish, Carson fulfilled her own yearning for peace.

Her compassion didn’t stop there. On her return home to the United States, she founded a non-profit organisation called Educate the Children (ETC) to help more Nepali Children go to school. Carson died of stomach cancer in 2000. But a group of American and Nepali staff, volunteers and donors continue to run the ETC. Over the 11 years of existence, ETC has moved from sponsoring school education for kids toward broader community-based programs that include non-formal education for women and income-generating projects.

This is just one of many inspiring stories behind the non-profit organisations that have been established by Nepalis and non-Nepalis alike in America. Some organisations get started with inspirations of people like Carson. There are others that simply start out as small gatherings to socialise and celebrate Nepali festivals. In no time, these gatherings become fund-raising events to improve the lives of people in Nepal. In the process, a new non-profit organisation is formed.

These organisations are spread throughout North America. They include the America Nepal Society of California, Greater Boston Nepali Community, Florida-Nepal Association, Nepa Pasa Pucha of Amerikaya, Nepal Center of North Carolina, Nepal Seattle Society, Association of Nepalese in Midwest America, Nepalese Society in Texas, Nepalese Community Network of Canada, Nepalese Association in Southeast America and Nepal Culture Society of BC, Vancouver. This is just to name a few.

Perhaps the largest organisation is the Association of Nepalis in the Americas (ANA), with about 12 hundred members that include more than 300 lifetime members. The organisation has been assisting Nepalis back home in various ways. It provides scholarships to students from Nepal in the United States. At present, there are four college students from Nepal studying on ANA scholarships in West Virginia. The ANA is also constructing schools and providing safe drinking water projects in remote villages of Nepal.

Just recently, the ANA donated medical equipment valued at a half a million U.S. dollars to Nepal. But when the donated equipment reached Nepal, there were problems, says the ANA president here in Washington, D.C., Krishna Niroula. First, getting through the customs was a challenge since the package was viewed with suspicion. Then, a whopping tax was levied. "They just wouldn’t consider the fact that it was a donation from overseas," says Niroula. Next was red tape, followed by lack of trust and coordination between the government and non-govenmental organisations. Nirola says that the ANA has yet to find reliable individuals or parties in Nepal willing to handle the frustrations and the responsibility of accepting and distributing their donations.

For Educate The Children foundation, this seems less of a problem. It has staff and volunteers in both the United States and Nepal to help carry out and monitor its programs. And, the local people decide where in their community the ETC should mobilise its funds. "They work in partnership with the ETC at all levels, from formulating projects to carrying them out," says co-director Colleen Flynn Thapaliya.

The projects are small in scale aimed at the grassroots level, particularly for women and those from socially-disadvantaged ethnic groups and castes. "They, nevertheless, give a sense of empowerment to those who previously had no voice of their own," says Thapaliya. In fact, the ETC helped women in Nuwakot form their own co-operatives - Shrejana and Samukta - which work in partnership with the ETC.

The ETC has received help from other organisations of Nepalis in America to make their programs possible. Co-director Thapaliya specifically mentions Empower Nepal, an organisation formed by Nepalis and ex-Peace Corps volunteers in and around the Minneapolis area that helped the ETC get established. Empower Nepal also is involved in small community projects at the grassroots level. But its endeavours have been relatively small. Sambedhan Bhattarai of Empower Nepal says the group is considering future partnerships with other similar organisations in America to achieve greater results .

These organisations also work in partnership with governmental and non-governmental groups established in Nepal. For example, the America Nepal Medical Foundation (ANMF) - an organisation registered in the U.S. - has been working together with hospitals and local medical groups in Nepal. The ANMF provides educational materials (books, journals and CD-roms) to Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital and Kathmandu University Medical School libraries. It provides medical expertise from North America to Nepal and also funds projects related to healthcare and health education in Nepal.

Unfortunately, the worsening political situation in Nepal has taken somewhat of a toll on ANMF projects. A partnership with Nepal Medical Association and HealthNet Nepal to extend internet and medical information outside Kathmandu had to be suspended. The medical education that visiting health experts from America were providing through the efforts of ANMF has been either cancelled or postponed.

ANMF president Dr. Sanjaya Khanal says that it is becoming very difficult for the organisation to recruit members, mobilise resources and operate due to the Maoist insurgency in Nepal. There is a lot of goodwill to help Nepal. But the change in Nepal’s image from a peaceful developing country to a violent one has hurt ANMF’s ability to get aid from North America, says Dr Khanal.

For similar reasons, the ETC has stopped sending volunteers from the United States to Nepal. The ETC will not send volunteers as long as the state of emergency is in effect, says co-director Thapaliya. The ETC, like other organisations, has had to also move its programs from remote villages to areas closer to Kathmandu.

Dr Khanal hopes that this crisis is short lived. "We are still moving ahead with our activities with this hope," he says. So are other such organisations. Nepalis in America are already planning a flurry of activities to celebrate the Nepali New Year in April. Such events inevitably become a means for Nepalis to raise funds for a good cause in their home country.

Seed supply in emergency

By NANU JHA

Seed Production and Supply Programs are key to food self-sufficiency and  also to raise farmers’ income. A major factor contributing to the present crisis in agricultural production is the inability to increase crop yields. It is well known that quality seed is one of the cheapest and most effective essential inputs in crop production. The paramount issue that now arises here is how to insure quality seed supply in the country in the wake of decreasing government responsibility and intervention.

Locally available seeds or local seed supply systems are vulnerable, especially with regard to civil disturbance and ecological disasters. When crops fail, farmers may have no choice but to consume their last stock of food i.e. their home stored seed for the coming season. Farmers in risk-prone areas are known to stock more seed, than is required for one season planting. This is expedient in situations such as that of early-planted crops being hit by a sudden drought and necessitating planting. Any extra seed can also be used as security stock in case of failure. When two or more successive harvests fail, farmers’ face severe problems. Social structures, which may solve individual shortage, may not be effective, in case where large areas are affected by drought, floods, hailstones or any other natural calamities, in a uniform manner. This can also be true when large areas are affected by social disturbance like civil war and political unrest.

The international communities’ usual immediate response to such disasters is to provide food aid. Relief operations of this sort may be necessary to address acute shortage of food in the short term but wrongly targeted food aid can cripple local agricultural production by decreasing commodities prices. Restoration of the supply of agriculture inputs such as seeds and basic agricultural tools, is a first step to rehabilitate local food production.

Basically, two methods can be used to supply seeds in emergency situations. Firstly, supplying seeds to the farmers in the affected areas as a seed aid programs. Secondly, improving seed production and seed storage capacity in the area itself as seed security program.

In a very severe situation, such as a massive resettlement of refugees, there is no choice but to supply the basic needs for farming for which seed is one of the most vital. The source of seeds can have a significant impact on the success of such an aid program. Supporting agencies try to purchase certified seed of adapted varieties for distribution, because, its viability and purity are guaranteed. Seed aid programs of this short can work very well if the varieties are truly adapted to the target areas. However, since disasters can affect large areas, and the certified seed often has to come from afar, there is a significant risk of insufficient variety adaptation, which may lead to crop failure or reduced acceptance of the production.

To avoid these problems, the aid program can be adapted so that variety adaptability is ensured and rehabilitation of the agriculture in the affected area is enhanced. Local stocks of food grains are identified, bought, and distributed as seed (possible after cleaning, testing and treating with poison if necessary). The major problem with this method is that it requires a lot of work for the executing agency, the staff have to be sent to the area to identify the stock having proper germination, make the deals, collect the locally grown seed and condition it for distribution. Another concerning is that large amount of cash transaction involved can create problems of accountability and facilitatecorruption. This is a situation that supporting agencies want to avoid at any cost.

Seed security programs can be initiated in risk-prone region / areas, when the planted crops being hit by a sudden drought, hailstones or floods, landslide, some insects, pests and diseases. Natural calamities have become the permanent phenomena in the country. These catastrophes come almost every year in the region as a whole or some parts of districts causing big losses to lives, property, and planted crops. The government launches relief programs for the victims. Our farmers are poor and they do not have enough resources to replant their field. They totally depend on the government relief program. In this situation, seed relief program may become one of the cheapest and most effective programs. It is, therefore, the government’s first step to revamp food supply in affected areas. The supply of agricultural inputs for farming is of great importance; and for them seed supply must be assured in the affected areas. Buffer stocking of seed is very important to meet spurts of demand in the times of aforesaid natural calamities and absorb excess supply in cases of glut situation.

His Majesty’s Government of Nepal has introduced buffer stock scheme in 2000. The Agriculture Inputs Corporation has been operating this scheme since June 2000. The corporation received Rs.10 million from the Department of Agriculture on 100 percent cost bearing. The corporation produces seeds in Terai and stores at Daman and Palpa in its own seed warehouses, where temperature is relatively low round the year in comparison to Terai. Seeds can be stored safely up to two years without decreasing their viability and vigour. The quantity and varieties of seed crops were placed as per the decision of the National Seed Board. The quantity and varieties of the crop for buffer stocking is decided well ahead. Buffer must be result of an ex-ante decision and not ex-post facto realities of unsold or carry over stock. In other words, unsold or carry over seeds at the end of the season is not shown as buffer stocks. Buffer stock is rotated offering the old stock for sale after stated time interval, say after one season and fresh stocks replace them. This helps to avoid loss involved in condemnation of seeds on account of loss of vigour, infestation, or the defects caused by efflux of time.

The hypocrite preacher

By RISHI RAM POUDYAL

Mr Kuber (fake name) went to the Philippines to study theology. When he did this, people in his surroundings wondered why he had left his job and went to that far-off country to study religious doctrines.

"Well, the world is difficult to understand. You never know what happens the moment after this, they said. "The world is changing so fast that we often fail to understand that the rapid change is directing affecting us."

One of the men in the gathering dished out a puzzle: "In this world of computer, science and technology, many people go abroad to study information technology, computer science, management, medicine, marketing and so on. But why is this guy leaving his job and opting for theology?"

Another gray-haired man spoke: "Well, he told me that he has now completely changed. His aim has been changed. And that he was born in this world to serve others."

"Listen to him," a man with spectacles said just to give a signal that the speaker could go further without delay.

"And after his studies is completed, he would denounce materialism and would serve others and become a real servant of God."

"Very good. He will be one out of a million. And God will bless him abundantly," a short fellow said. "Our best wishes are with him."

The good man with good heart set off to the foreign land leaving his nearest and dearest ones in tears and making his friends sad.

After his completion of studies, the spiritual man with good mission came back to Nepal. Everybody who knew him welcomed him and expected a lot from him. They thought he could become another Mother Teressa.

The good man thus started his mission:

First of all he tried to get a big position in a religious institution but he failed. Then with his degree in theology he ran like a squirrel in a cage to many NGOs and INGOs hoping to find a higher position. But as luck would have it, there was no position available for him.

At this he was shocked. It seemed that his dreams weren’t going to come true. He had a plan to build a house, buy a car or a motorcycle and there were other things he would like to do. Theology didn’t seem to help earn quick money. He felt disappointed.

However, soon he discovered his potential and got self-employed.

Do you know what kind of job he got at last?

Preaching.

If you want to listen to his sermons and be blessed don’t delay. But make sure that you have enough time and you don’t disclose your salary. His words flow like a river and he is always in search of a giver. He persuades you to give him some money to help the poor but he never help them.

Do you also want to be a preacher? If yes, leave your job and go to the Philippines.

Or do you want to serve God truly?

If yes, don’t amass wealth for yourself, help the poor and show a good example that God is good.

Climate change and human health

By DR BIDUR PD UPADHYAY & DR BASUDHA GHIMIRE

Human beings have a great capacity to adapt to varied climates and environments, but they are still vulnerable to marked changes in meteorological conditions. Illness and deaths due to extreme heat or sudden cold temperatures are common. In some parts of the world, the onset of rainfall often results in an outbreak of endemic diseases such as malaria, encephalitis and cholera. Furthermore, extreme weather events, such as tropical cyclones and severe floods, cause loss of life and the destruction of property and often create favourable conditions for the transmissions of various diseases. In particular, such events destroy food supplies and contaminate freshwater, causing malnutrition and the spread of certain disease such as diarrhea and cholera.

There are two basic aspects of climate influence on disease: the relationship of climate factors to disease organisms or their carriers and the effects of weather and climate on the body’s resistance. Many diseases are associated primarily with certain climate or with a season because of the temperature, moisture and other requirements of the microscope organisms that cause them. Few diseases are caused directly by climate. A given combination of climatic elements may modify the metabolic rate, respiration, circulation, and the mental outlook of the individual so as to either strengthen or weaken his resistance to disease.

The potential health effects of climate change include the easily foreseen health effects of changes in the intensity and frequency of extreme temperature events; for instance, more heat waves. Well-publicised death tolls from heat waves in 1995, 1998 and 1999 have focused public attention on the effects of warmer temperatures on human health. Heat stroke, or hypothermia, develops when the body is unable to maintain its heat balance at high relative humidity and air temperature above that of the body: it may led to death if deep body temperature rises above the critical level of 42o C. Symptoms are fever, nausea, dizziness, and headache. The more disastrous heat waves accompany subsiding continental air: they affect large regions for several consecutive days and cause numerous heat deaths. In the United States, during the drought year of 1930 when, nearly 15,000 people died as a result of failure to withstand heat stress. Since, heat stress and heat stroke relatively are dependent on climatic factor so changes in climate are likely to have a significant effect on the occurrence and severity of these diseases. Death rates can rise to over 50 per cent above normal baseline levels during unusually hot episodes. Elderly people are the most vulnerable to the effects of thermal stress. Besides, this climate change effect will also be exacerbated in cities by the "urban heat island effect," which involves the night time release of heat stored during the day in cement and metal urban materials.

As in the case of vector-borne diseases, water borne diseases are also concentrated in Nepal, which may rise due to effects of a changing climate. These include (1) diarrhea disease caused by a variety of organisms (2) Hepatitis A and poliomyelitis, and (3) Protozoon diseases. Change in monsoon patterns can breed more organisms resulting in a cholera outbreak. Alternatively, there are many other vector-borne disease for humans for which infection agents develop in animal. The animal acts as a reservoir for the disease, serving as hosts for the reproduction of disease agents in between human outbreaks. Should climate change improve longevity, increase reproduction, and enhance biting, it could result in an increase in the number of infected people.

Malaria is currently increasing in many countries where it had previously been eliminated or greatly reduced with vector control measures. Nepal is no exception where malaria remains the most common vector-borne disease. The vectors exhibit definite seasonal prevalence. Increasing temperature and rainfall would most probably allow malaria vectors to survive in areas immediately surrounding their current distribution limits. Potential lengthening or shortening of the vector-breeding season may lead to shifts in malaria incidence and prevalence. The Department of Health has estimated that the vast majority of Terai residents live in malaria risk areas, and as many as half of those residing in the hill remain at risk, placing an estimated total of 16 million people at risk. Besides, it is likely that recent trend in average rise in temperature has also begun to influence the pattern of malaria epidemic. In Nepal alone, it is found, under blood examination, that slide positive trend has increased from 4.5% in 1995/96 to 6.2 % in 1997/98. Even incidence of malaria was observed in highland areas of Nepal, which was considered malaria-free historically. The endemic areas include those with annual rainfall greater than 120 cm (Terai and Inner Terai) altitude less than 150 m ASL, and between 150-300 m ASL, and annual mean temperature between 27.5 to 32oC temperature (Sikka and Kulshrestha, 2001).

The vector of arboviral diseases are known to breed over a wide range of climatic zones and may invade areas that are not infested at present, if temperature and humidity rise. Because arboviral diseases can, under favourable environmental conditions, change from endemic to epidemic forms, as a result of climate change. An increase in temperature shortens the reproductive cycle and extrinsic development period of the pathogens, allowing transmission of diseases, such as Japanese encephalitis (JE). JE occurred for the first time in Nepal in 1970. It is mostly a disease of children, estimated to be 40 per 10,000. But of the people who have serious diseases, one third die and one third have serious neuralgic sequallae. According to a report of ECCD, 2000, this disease has created hinterland in 24 districts of Nepal where 11.5 million population are at risk. The recent encephalitis outbreak in Nepal (1998-1999) has recorded 169 human fatalities when 1729 cases were registered.

Global climate change may affect human health by changing levels of air pollutants and pollens. For example, air inversions in stagnant high pressure systems are associated with the highest levels of particulate, ozone, nitrogen oxides (NOx), and sulfur oxides (SOx) and heat waves are usually marked by high humidity and elevated levels of these same air pollutions. The spread and concentration of these particles and gases are very dependent on the prevailing weather conditions, air currents, temperature variation, humidity and precipitation. Actual episodes or "attacks" of asthma, however, have been linked to the presence in the air of certain dusts, pollen, and particles from animal furs, ozone, other air pollutants, or a mixture of some of these. Thunderstorms have also been observed to trigger asthma attacks in the United Kingdom and Australia.

Extreme weather events-severe storms, floods, hurricanes have well-documented short and long-term effects on human health. Extensive precipitation producing floods, avalanches, or mudslides, can cause immediate injury and death. Prolonged drought can also produce long lasting and far-reaching impact on housing, food production, drinking water, and social infrastructure, which can result in infectious diseases and economic disruption.

The major threat from climate change on human health in Nepal could arise through a change in monsoon rainfall; the climate change will alter agriculture productivity. Significant decreases in agriculture productivity would adversely affect the health of the people; higher local food costs or unavailability make adequate nutritional intake difficult for any segment of the population. In addition to concerns over food quantity, climate change has raised concerns about bacterial contamination of food (Bentham and Langford, 1995). Food-borne infections are generally more common in the warm summer months. Higher ambient temperatures are likely to increase risk of bacterial growth sufficient to cause human infection. Besides, long-term changes in climate may lead to altered plant distribution and increases in the number of allergen species (Emberlin, 1994).