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June 14, 2010
I had been trying to contact an organisation called Shanti for some time (Dr Singh and the free medical clinic) and had been awaiting permission from the German donors to film their operations. They contacted me and we scheduled a tour/interview for thursday morning. The organisation provides free medical assistance to the disadvantaged and needy members of Nepali society. Many of whom are physically disabled mostly from leprocy.The work they do is absolutely amazing, their facility has three large buildings, two of those buildings are workshops where the patients have been given actual jobs to suit their capabilities. It was incredible to see those deemed incapable of anything by society actually produce high quality hand crafts. Women with no fingers sewing intricate patterns or wheelchair bound patients hand crafting jewelery. The atmosphere there was like one big happy family, every body laughing and smiling. These people would have been cast out of their society and ended up crawling the streets of Kathmandu begging like so many others but instead they have a home, food and a job which empowers them and makes them feel part of something. The crafts are a wide range of traditional Nepali handy crafts such as wood carvings, textiles, paper products, kids toys, jewelery etc. which are sold directly from the home and also in a shop in Germany. The standard of craftwork was exceptional and all funding goes directly back into the organisation. The other building is a medical center, which offers free medical assistance to locals and also takes care of disabled and terminally ill patients. There was a surprisingly positive atmosphere there, hard to describe. All the patients, terminally ill and disabled, together, socializing and being able to enjoy what they have left of life. I had also been invited to come to their other home which looks after disabled children. We set off the next morning to Budhanilkantha, around a 40 minute drive from Kathmandu. I was also able to get an interview with the doctor working there. The home offers free medical services to the locals as well as rehabilitation housing and a school for disabled children as well as the children of patients. We took a tour around the home and met with the kids and the dedicated team of staff running operations such as the school, rehabilitation, counselling, and the medical clinic. It really is amazing work they do but unfortunately there is simply not enough organisations like them in Nepal. Their website is http://www.shanti-leprahilfe.de/en/en_shanti.htm
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