Prevention & Well being during COVID19 in Nepal

Dear Friends,
Namaste!

Pray that you and your family are keeping well.

There is uncertainity all around the globe, no two doubts about that! The Corona Virus is nearing an explosive number of a million deaths and no signs of infection decreasing any time soon.

Vaccines are months away and we've got to live with the corona virus until (the least) 2022, says WHO, ofcourse with safety precautions etc.

The third world country like ours get affected the most: people have lost jobs and are fighting relentlesslly for survival and not to forget the mental health!

Our country has already been in the lockdown in the past for 120 days and right now in the second phase implemented by the local governments as per the situation. More than half of the 77 districts are in lockdown currently. Sadly, with out proper managements and no pragmatic steps ahead.

As an organization, it has been difficult to operate. We are used to taking action(s) on the field, visiting families, providing them with nutritious food, education support, health and awareness but with the virus very active and of course the prohibitory orders, we are crippled. We have, however not lost hope, and definitely not stopped any suuport.

Through out the first lock down we delivered food suppies and items of hygiene to all our "Educare Families" for 3 months unsure of how long the lock down would continue. Post the easiness, we were worried about the children. Our team constantly talked to the mothers and the children on a regualr basis keeping them aware and asking them to follow the sops' in their daily lives.

By the grace of God, none of our beneficiareis have been infefcted with the corona virus (although there has been very little testing) atleast there have been no complains of any related symptoms.

We have distributed education supplies to all the children that we support. A total of 105 children received them stationary and books so that they could continue their education through whatever means possible. Some of them have been engaed through schools with online classes while the majority remain far eluded from this facility. However we have asked the mothers to engage them in their studies for a couple of hours daily. 

At present, more than 30,000 cases and around 150 deaths have been reported . So far, the government's handling of the COVID-19 has been inadequate and largely mismanaged to say the least. 

Besides our regular beneficiaries, the TEAM also feels for the people in our surroundings that are desperate. 

Our focus has been on "Awareness" On every level, the management and the board has broadcasted messages of awareness where possible.

The second action has been feeding people, taking into consideration, people have lost jobs and are on the verge of defeat mercilessly! We cooked nutritious food and delivered to the homes of the most disadvantaged families and this in cordination with the local government authority.

The third action has been providing baby foods to the families having children below 2 years of age. 

This is the least we could do with all the rseources at our disposal. 

We can not thank our donors, friends and families enough for their kindess and generosity. These are not big deeds but definitely acts making major difference to the lives of people and the socitey!

THANK YOU, 

TEAM Bahini Foundation

Dear Friends,
Greetings from Nepal!

As you all know, the global-pandemic did not stop on the borders to Nepal and we find ourselves in a lock-down since more than one month by now and it has been extended until May 7^th.

This is a big challenge for all of us and we are trying to cope as best we can and continue the support for our beneficiaries.

It is very difficult to know how this crisis will unfold in Nepal and what the long-term consequences will be, but we have prepared an austerity plan for the coming months to make sure that our beneficiaries will not suffer from food-insecurity and hunger. 

It is not all that bad here. The chronograph says 54 people  have been infected with the virus and 16 of them have receovered completely in Nepal but we have not seen an urgent enough escalation in testing and contact tracing and these figures could be widely underestimated. However there are no deaths.

There is a real danger that more people could potentially die from the economic impact of Covit-19 than from the virus itself. It is our MISSION to prevent the horrible suffering that is caused under these circumstances and we are more motivated and inspired than ever to do what is in our means support and protect the most vulnerable and at risk!

We have been trying our best to do what we can at various times. As soon as news broke out , the first thing we did was to ake aware our beneficiaries about the Corona Virus, the way its infected, the symptoms and ways to prevent. 

Followed by this we started in the process og General Awareness for everybody around through our social media (Organization and personal of our board members and staff).

Post the lockdwon, there were various reports that people were stuck in Pokhara city (where our organization is based). They could not go to their homes and with the closure, they started to worry about hunger.

The government tried to provide some relief but the number became too large as time progressed. The lockdown got extended as the numbers increased and people started getting anxious and worried that they'd die of huger than the virus itself.

We therefore decided to feed them people and their children in coordination with the local government. Till date we have fed 1600 meals to the most underprivileged and marginalised of them all.

Also staying true to our work, we found the other important aspect of concern was the kids below 1. These children would have no other means than 'mother's milk' and imagine the case, when the mother is herself half fed! We therefore distributed "Litto" (a porridge like butritive food for kids) to 35 mothers.

These are very difficult and challenging times in deed and all of us have to up the ante. In Nepal people find it easier to go into survival-mode and we are ready to make personal sacrifices if the situation is requiring this. But for the poorest, “survival-mode” is their reality since long and they can’t survive with less than what we are providing them, lest hunger and misery will knock on their doors.

In the name of our beneficiaries we humbly request for your support! Please donate whatever you can at this stage! Our work is more important than ever and we need your support to continue our work and if ever possible increase our support for our target-groups in the difficult times ahead.

Thank you!

Surendra & the TEAM