Construction of Bode Community Clinic
Bode is a traditional village located outside of Bhaktapur in the Kathmandu Valley. The population is about 9,000, and about 95% of the population is dependant on subsistence and agriculture. Cash income is also generated primarily by vegetable production. The people are of many mixed ethnic groups, and the village is home to Hindus and Buddhists alike.
The Maternal and Child Health Center in Bode is a community initiated and community run clinic. A General Practitioner, gynecologist, and pediatrician are each available 3 days a week. The local community donated the land through the Village Development Committee and collectively raised funds to build the first floor of the clinic which functions in addition to the above services as a dental office, a pharmacy with subsidized drugs, and as a community center and children’s club.
The community has worked extremely hard to achieve this multifaceted clinic and community center, and is now in need of assistance to finish the construction. The community needs approximately $11,500 to finish the second and third floors of the clinic that will function as a lab, gynecologic room, an X ray room, a salon for patient treatment and minor surgery and an office. The focus on child and maternal health is extremely important in an area with a high rate of issues due to over physical exertion and other strains on the health of women.
In addition to construction, the team can also assist in teaching in the local school and possibly in public health work. The volunteer team will stay in a local school building and will partner with Nepali community service organization Save the World during the duration of their collaboration. Accommodations in the school will consist of floor mattresses, divided rooms for men and women. Showering will be from the local tap. Food will be bought and prepared collectively, overseen by experienced cooks with knowledge of local cuisine and diet. This is an extraordinary opportunity to serve alongside Nepali volunteers, to live in an ancient village and experience the rhythm of traditional Nepali society.