With a Grant from Balwyn Rotary, and the help of Rotary Clubs in Australia and Nepal, it was possible to establish a birthing centre in a health post in Kangel, a remote area of eastern Nepal.
Working with local Rotary Clubs in Nepal and three Clubs in Australia (Balwyn, Richmond and Bellarine North (9780), enabled us to purchase medical equipment in Kathmandu to kit out the new birthing centre.It must be noted that the journey from Kathmandu to Kangel takes at least 10 hours over rough, dangerous roads on a day without any incidents.
On the opening day a crowd gradually gathered, augmented by children from the local school. When speeches finally began, we sat in the sun amid the marigolds and listened. I felt a great surge of relief when I was invited inside to cut the ribbon and declare the birthing centre officially open.
The importance of a birthing centre in this very remote part of a very mountainous country is evident when many families have lost mothers and siblings when the mother goes into labour beside the road on her way to a distant hospital. The importance of the opening of the centre in Kangel was acknowledged in the National newspaper in Nepal. Since the opening, thanks to Rotary, four Kangel mothers and babies have had safe births.
