Local photographer’s month in Nepal

27 September 2015

Remember the Nepal earthquake?

It was only 5 months ago.

The people of Britain have been incredibly generous in their response to the need for disaster relief and reconstruction in this very poor country. But now the focus has switched to those desperately sad images of a dead child on a beach in Turkey and the awful and massive migrant problem that is facing Europe. And so it should, and yet … Nepal has not yet recovered – this will take many years and further major earthquakes are predicted. More resources are desperately needed to prevent starvation and disease making things far worse, and to start important rebuilding projects.

In this part of Yorkshire the needs of Nepal have not been forgotten and, through a unique series of partnerships, the generosity of local individuals and businesses is being harnessed to help where the need is greatest in a most cost effective and efficient way.

We have reported before in these pages about the links developed by Harrogate Brigantes Rotary Club in Nepal, about Brigantes’ amazingly successful literacy and economic regeneration project in the Panchamul Valley, headed by Rotarian Barry Pollard and run in partnership with the Rotary Club of the Himalayan Gurkhas. It is on the foundation of working successfully together on that project that much of the success of the Yorkshire Rotary earthquake relief work has been grounded.

We have also reported about Brigantes’ Kids Aloud concert in the Royal Hall in May that raised approximately £9000 for disaster relief in Nepal, but this is only part of a county-wide effort by Rotary to help Nepal that has so far seen over £44,000 raised. This money has been given to two partner clubs in Nepal – the Himalayan Gurkhas and Pokhara Fishtail. Rotary takes no cut of any of this and does not charge any administrative fee, so all the money gets to where it is needed. By transferring funds directly to local clubs even the normal 10% Nepalese government tax on imported money is avoided.

By working with local Rotarians they also guard against corruption and misuse of funds and ensure that the money has the maximum impact. Their fellow Rotarians in Nepal develop partnerships with local communities to ensure that the funds are not just seen as handouts, but rather become the drivers of self-help schemes. For instance, in one area the earthquake had altered the underground water flow and dried up the spring, depriving the village of its water supply. A new water source had to be located and then pipes lain from it to the village and storage tanks constructed.

Rotary partners in Nepal came to an agreement with the villagers. Money raised in Yorkshire would be used to pay a professional water engineer to find a new source and design a new pipe system and to purchase the necessary materials, provided that one person from each household in the village agreed to give four days unpaid labour to lay the pipes and construct the tanks.

The new system has been working now for almost three months. The money saved by using village labour has been used to help others, elsewhere, to start rebuilding their lives, and the focus of all this effort has been on the more remote, rural areas where government support and assistance from other major charities has been slowest to arrive.

Local photographer, Charlotte Gale has committed a great deal of time to the cause. Charlotte recently spent time in the country on a photo-documentary tour and was also key to the success of a charity dinner that raised over £10,000.

Some of Charlotte’s photographs, along with a video are below. Thanks need to be given to Charlotte for allowing us to publish them here.

 

One Month in Nepal – Website from Image Concepts on Vimeo.

Pupils at Shree Daraun Higher Secondary School
Pupils at Shree Daraun Higher Secondary School
Local children proudly show off their new pencils, Panchamul Valley
Local children proudly show off their new pencils, Panchamul Valley
Micro loan pigs
Micro loan pigs
Prayer flags at the 'Monkey Temple', Kathmandu, Nepal
Prayer flags at the ‘Monkey Temple’, Kathmandu, Nepal
The Panchamul to Pokhara bus
The Panchamul to Pokhara bus
Sarbodaya Higher Secondary School at Aruchaur, Panchamul Valley, Nepal
Sarbodaya Higher Secondary School at Aruchaur, Panchamul Valley, Nepal
Shree Guan Pharka Lower Secondary School, Panchamul Valley
Shree Guan Pharka Lower Secondary School, Panchamul Valley
Children in Panchamul village, Panchamul Valley, Nepal
Children in Panchamul village, Panchamul Valley, Nepal
Rotarians Barry Pollard (Harrogate Brigantes) and Major Lil Gurung MBE (Himalayan Gurkhas) meet shop owner Shanti Adhikari, one of the micro loan recipients
Rotarians Barry Pollard (Harrogate Brigantes) and Major Lil Gurung MBE (Himalayan Gurkhas) meet shop owner Shanti Adhikari, one of the micro loan recipients
Nepal-Panchamol-School
Nepal Panchamol School
Year 8 girls at Shree Tri Shahid Higher Secondary School, Panchamul listen to a presentation by Rotarian Barry Pollard (Harrogate Brigantes Rotary Club) about a twinning project with Rossett School in Harrogate
Year 8 girls at Shree Tri Shahid Higher Secondary School, Panchamul listen to a presentation by Rotarian Barry Pollard (Harrogate Brigantes Rotary Club) about a twinning project with Rossett School in Harrogate
Rotarian Barry Pollard (Harrogate Brigantes Rotary Club) shares photos of Rossett School in Harrogate
Rotarian Barry Pollard (Harrogate Brigantes Rotary Club) shares photos of Rossett School in Harrogate
Feminine Hygiene Kits donated to the girls at Shree Gaun Pharka HSS by members of a Rotary club in York
Feminine Hygiene Kits donated to the girls at Shree Gaun Pharka HSS by members of a Rotary club in York
Panchamol-School
Panchamol School
A lesson at Shree Tri Shahid Higher Secondary School, Panchamul
A lesson at Shree Tri Shahid Higher Secondary School, Panchamul
Team photographer and Rotarian, Charlotte Gale (Charlotte Gale Photography) shows primary school children some of the photos she has just taken of them
Team photographer and Rotarian, Charlotte Gale (Charlotte Gale Photography) shows primary school children some of the photos she has just taken of them
Looking across from Sirubari towards Panchamul School, Panchamul Valley, Nepal
Looking across from Sirubari towards Panchamul School, Panchamul Valley, Nepal
A micro loan buffalo
A micro loan buffalo
Major Lil Gurung MBE of the Himalayan Gurkhas Rotary Club (Kathmandu) with Barry Pollard (Project Leader) of Harrogate Brigantes Rotary Club - walking between schools in the Panchamul Valley
Major Lil Gurung MBE of the Himalayan Gurkhas Rotary Club (Kathmandu) with Barry Pollard (Project Leader) of Harrogate Brigantes Rotary Club – walking between schools in the Panchamul Valley
Colourful boats on the lakeside in Pokhara, Nepal's second largest city. The project team stayed here en-route from the capital Kathmandu to the Panchamul Valley
Colourful boats on the lakeside in Pokhara, Nepal’s second largest city. The project team stayed here en-route from the capital Kathmandu to the Panchamul Valley
Rapakot villagers listen to project team members talk about the importance of literacy
Rapakot villagers listen to project team members talk about the importance of literacy
Children at Shree Jana Higher Secondary School, Rapakot, Panchamul Valley
Children at Shree Jana Higher Secondary School, Rapakot, Panchamul Valley

 

Rotarian Andy Morrison (Andisa IT) and local technician Mya Gurung (e-Networking) set up the IT network at Shree Jana Higher Secondary School, Rapakot
Rotarian Andy Morrison (Andisa IT) and local technician Mya Gurung (e-Networking) set up the IT network at Shree Jana Higher Secondary School, Rapakot
Nepalese Rotarian Major Lil Gurung MBE of the Rotary Club of the Himalayan Gurkhas (Kathmandu) helps to set up the new computer equipment at Shree Jana Higher Secondary School, Rapakot
Nepalese Rotarian Major Lil Gurung MBE of the Rotary Club of the Himalayan Gurkhas (Kathmandu) helps to set up the new computer equipment at Shree Jana Higher Secondary School, Rapakot
Teachers from Sarbodaya Higher Secondary School in Aruchaur welcome the visiting Rotarians
Teachers from Sarbodaya Higher Secondary School in Aruchaur welcome the visiting Rotarians
Former Rossett pupils, Andy and Callum Morrison, receive a traditional welcome at Aruchaur School
Former Rossett pupils, Andy and Callum Morrison, receive a traditional welcome at Aruchaur School
Rotarian and IT Expert Andy Morrison (Andisa IT) proudly shows off the new IT Suite at Sarbodaya Higher Secondary School, Aruchaur
Rotarian and IT Expert Andy Morrison (Andisa IT) proudly shows off the new IT Suite at Sarbodaya Higher Secondary School, Aruchaur
Rotarians John Ogbourne and Andy Morrison (Andisa IT) receive a traditional greeting from a villager at Shree Gaun Pharka LSS
Rotarians John Ogbourne and Andy Morrison (Andisa IT) receive a traditional greeting from a villager at Shree Gaun Pharka LSS
Students from Shree Gaun Pharka LSS look on in wonder as Callum Morrison shows them a video of themselves on an iPAD
Students from Shree Gaun Pharka LSS look on in wonder as Callum Morrison shows them a video of themselves on an iPAD
Rotarian Guy Wilson helps train teachers from Shree Gaun Pharka Lower Secondary School
Rotarian Guy Wilson helps train teachers from Shree Gaun Pharka Lower Secondary School
Ex Rossett pupil, Callum Morrison, helps teachers from Shree Jana Higher Secondary School in Rapakot complete a basic Microsoft Word exercise
Ex Rossett pupil, Callum Morrison, helps teachers from Shree Jana Higher Secondary School in Rapakot complete a basic Microsoft Word exercise
Joint meeting of Head Teachers from Panchamul Valley at Shree Gaun Pharka LSS - the first meeting of its kind
Joint meeting of Head Teachers from Panchamul Valley at Shree Gaun Pharka LSS – the first meeting of its kind
Rotarian and team photographer, Charlotte Gale, performs a technical audit on the IT suite at Shree Daraun HSS. This suite had been installed on a previous trip
Rotarian and team photographer, Charlotte Gale, performs a technical audit on the IT suite at Shree Daraun HSS. This suite had been installed on a previous trip
Ex Rossett pupil, Callum Morrison, helps give local teachers in the Panchamul Valley basic IT training in one of the new IT suites
Ex Rossett pupil, Callum Morrison, helps give local teachers in the Panchamul Valley basic IT training in one of the new IT suites
The project team receive a traditional welcome from villagers
The project team receive a traditional welcome from villagers
Project team members walk to Sarbodaya Higher Secondary School in Aruchaur, Panchamul Valley to begin IT training for the teachers
Project team members walk to Sarbodaya Higher Secondary School in Aruchaur, Panchamul Valley to begin IT training for the teachers
Children from Sarbodaya Higher Secondary School in Aruchaur give the visiting Rotarians a traditional 'Namaste' greeting
Children from Sarbodaya Higher Secondary School in Aruchaur give the visiting Rotarians a traditional ‘Namaste’ greeting
Children from Sarbodaya Higher Secondary School in Aruchaur give the visiting Rotarians a traditional 'Namaste' greeting
Children from Sarbodaya Higher Secondary School in Aruchaur give the visiting Rotarians a traditional ‘Namaste’ greeting
Children from Shree Gaun Pharka Lower Secondary school welcome visiting Rotarians with a traditional dance
Children from Shree Gaun Pharka Lower Secondary school welcome visiting Rotarians with a traditional dance
Rotarian (Harrogate Brigantes) Barry Pollard carries out an educational audit at Shree Janahit High School, Panchamul Valley
Rotarian (Harrogate Brigantes) Barry Pollard carries out an educational audit at Shree Janahit High School, Panchamul Valley
Rotarians Barry Pollard, Major Lil Gurung MBE and Gill Poole (Education Expert and Consultant) carry out an educational audit at Shree Janahit High School
Rotarians Barry Pollard, Major Lil Gurung MBE and Gill Poole (Education Expert and Consultant) carry out an educational audit at Shree Janahit High School
Walking to Aruchaur School, Panchamul Valley
Walking to Aruchaur School, Panchamul Valley
Sirubari villagers returning home after a day in the fields, Panchamul Valley
Sirubari villagers returning home after a day in the fields, Panchamul Valley
A travelling salesman - one of the micro loan recipients
A travelling salesman – one of the micro loan recipients
Shop owner Shanti Adhikari
Shop owner Shanti Adhikari
Shop owner Shanti Adhikari, one of the micro loan recipients
Shop owner Shanti Adhikari, one of the micro loan recipients
Panchamul Village, Panchamul Valley, Nepal
Panchamul Village, Panchamul Valley, Nepal
One of the micro loan recipients
One of the micro loan recipients
A micro loan goat
A micro loan goat
Rotarians Barry Pollard and Gill Poole hand out pencils to local children
Rotarians Barry Pollard and Gill Poole hand out pencils to local children
Project Leader Barry Pollard visits some of the micro loan recipients
Project Leader Barry Pollard visits some of the micro loan recipients
Lady and her grandson in the Panchamul Valley
Lady and her grandson in the Panchamul Valley
En-route to the Higher Secondary School at Rapakot
En-route to the Higher Secondary School at Rapakot
Panchamul Village and the local bus - quite an experience!
Panchamul Village and the local bus – quite an experience!
Local man loads logs onto the bus en-route to Daraun village
Local man loads logs onto the bus en-route to Daraun village
Rotarian team members 'showered' in buckets of cold water whilst staying with their Nepalese host families
Rotarian team members ‘showered’ in buckets of cold water whilst staying with their Nepalese host families
The canteen at Panchamul School
The canteen at Panchamul School
Many of the villagers still cook on open fires in the kitchen. The traditional dish being prepared here is Dahl Bhat
Many of the villagers still cook on open fires in the kitchen. The traditional dish being prepared here is Dahl Bhat

Nepal-Charlotte-Gale-Panchamul-Valley-1876-8x6

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Advertising

Advertising

Go toTop