During treks in beautiful but very poor Nepal you will as a tourist encounter abnormal living conditions, especially on a medical level. The natives will ask for medicines or treatment of large, inflamed wounds. As a tourist you cannot help them as giving medicines is irresponsible. E.g. antibiotic treatments are never finished or medicines are pashed on to other sick family members. When medicines are distributed without control, patients loose faith in medicines. It is much better to pass on patients to the local "Health post" but these are rare and the government cannot provide sufficient medicines.
In the fall of 1993, we started a medical project and Sponsortrek in the beautiful area of Ganesh Himal. At the request of the locals, we made a camp in Keronja and provided medical aid for three weeks. Pim Heemskerk stayed until December and provided medical aid in different parts of the area. The trekking group that accompanied us continued their trek to Betrawati and Ganesh Basecamp. They were so satisfied about the trek organized by Island Trekking and our medical aid projects that we decided to continue our activities.
Together with Save the Children U.S. a plan was made to build a health post in Keronja and this was opened in May 1995. We acknowledge the voluntary help of Tendy Sherpa of Iceland trekking who build the health post which took only 3 months. The building is 6 by 12 meters (18 by 36 feet), has a toilet and shower and only costed US $4000, a very low price, even in Nepal. We can now supply medical aid to about 10000 Gurungs, one of many tribes in Nepal. Also, we regularly supply medicines to the Health post of Laprak, Uhia, Gumda and Keronja and organize "medical camps" in the area. The participating doctors and nurses are, like us, volunteers and do not get paid for work or travel.
Now we have several beautiful projects and please see under "projects" what has been realized in the last 16 years!
You could also participate in a sponsor trek and visit a relieve project. The next pages give information on Sponsortrek. We hope to greet you as a Sponsortrek participant!
We are no travel agency, so all participants book their own flight and trekking.
| Rob Kölber Chris Bek-Alberts | ||
| (Chairman) Secretary |
We started the projects in keronja 1993
Up to keronja Ganesh Himal