gift stories
Toys for children with disability
Playtime at INF's Jumla centre
Nabin Mahatara is a young boy from Patmara village in Nepal's remote, impoverished Jumla District. Nabin became weak and stopped growing properly. His mother took him to INF's rehabilitation centre in Jumla where he was diagnosed as malnourished. INF put Nabin on a special feeding programme and provided his mother with basic training in nutrition, hygiene, sanitation and even physiotherapy. Nabin is now much better. As part of their rehabilitation, Nabin and other children play with special toys at INF's centre in Jumla. Toys like walking frames made of local materials, balls for exercise, building blocks and picture boards are used every day by INF in the rehabilitation of children like Nabin.
Food for a patient for a week
Jakron with INF’s Indira Tamang
Funds raised through the INF gift catalogue helped Jakron Khan. After Jakron went to INF’s clinic in Nepalgunj, it was discovered that she had tuberculosis. After hearing the diagnosis, Jakron was afraid she would die and was worried about what would happen to her daughter and son. However, she and her husband were regularly counselled and encouraged by INF’s patient advocate Indira Tamang and, after three months as an inpatient, Jakron was able to walk again and felt much more hopeful. She has now returned home where she is able to complete her course of medication.
A two-night stay in hospital
Rajaram with INF’s Bishnu Bhattarai
Funds raised through the INF gift catalogue helped 3-year-old Rajaram Chaudhary make an amazing recovery from encephalitis. Rajaram's parents live in Nepal's Bardiya District and are both blind, his father is also disabled. His mother supports the family by begging for food. When neighbours saw Rajaram was ill with a high fever, they collected the money to pay for travel costs and took Rajaram and his mother to the government's Bheri Zonal Hospital in Nepalgunj. At the hospital, INF's patient advocate Bishnu Bhattarai was able to use funds raised through INF's gift catalogue to ensure Rajaram and his mother got the help they needed. After a couple of weeks as an inpatient at the hospital, Rajaram made a complete recovery. Normally it can take two or three months for a patient to recover from encephalitis. 'The nurses at the hospital said God took care of this little boy,' says INF's Indira Tamang. 'The nurses at the hospital were all full of praises for God because He healed Rajaram so quickly.'
Leprosy self-care kit
Chhipa and her kit in Jumla
Chhipa Adhikari, 60, comes from Mahaboipatarkhola village in Nepal's remote, impoverished Jumla District. Chhipa travelled for a day and a half from her village to the district centre, where she was diagnosed with leprosy at the INF clinic and was able to begin treatment. The leprosy has caused her hands and feet to become insensitive, and she has problems with ulcers, wounds and clawing fingers. She was admitted as an inpatient in INF's Jumla clinic for management of nerve inflammation and ulcers, and was given self-care training so that she can avoid further injuries to her hands and feet. INF gave Chhipa a leprosy self-care kit and trained her how to use it at home. The kit is a big help to Chhipa and means that she does not need to make regular long trips to the INF clinic.
Shoes for people with leprosy
Jaya with an INF staff member
INF’s Surkhet District Programme has supplied Jaya with some very special shoes. Jaya has leprosy which has resulted in poor sensation in his feet, meaning cuts can go unnoticed and develop into sores or ulcers, leading to deformity or disability. The shoes have inserts giving protection against stones and sharp objects. ‘By providing Jaya with shoes and training in caring for his feet, we aim to ensure he leads a normal life,’ says INF’s Alan Barker. Every year INF’s Surkhet Programme provides hundreds of pairs of shoes to people like Jaya.
Kitchen garden training
Amar in INF’s kitchen garden
Amar Bahadur Basnet, 40, was diagnosed with leprosy at INF’s clinic in Surkhet District. INF not only treated Amar and showed him how to care for his anæsthetic hands and feet, but also gave him training at the INF kitchen garden in Surkhet in how to grow vegetables. ‘Growing vegetables will help me to feed my family, and earn money,’ says Amar.
School books and equipment for a child
Rajendra BK
Rajendra BK, 8, is from a very poor family. His father works as a cycle rickshaw driver and his mother works as an unskilled day labourer. Neither of them has much time to think about education for Rajendra and his brother and sister. Rajendra's parents found paid work for him, looking after cattle. However, when a non-formal education class started near Rajendra's home, organised by an INF partner organisation, Rajendra became involved. All the other children in his class watched and listened to Rajendra and learned from his example. Rajendra's mother was so surprised to discover what he was capable of that she changed her mind about education. Now Rajendra's parents are keen to find out what they can do to support the education of all their children.
Theatre time and materials for an operation
Daya Kandel
Daya Kandel suffers from leprosy and has anæsthetic feet. When he arrived at INF’s Green Pastures Hospital and Rehabilitation Centre in Pokhara, Daya had a deep ulcer covering much of the weight-bearing sole of one foot. In order to avoid amputation, an INF surgeon performed a flap operation to cover the ulcer, enabling Daya to start walking again.
Two goats, farmer training and equipment
Shivaram in Surkhet
Shivaram Karki, 63, comes from Dailekh District in Nepal's Mid Western Region, the poorest part of the country. 'Shivaram developed insensitive patches on his right leg,' says INF's Puspa Neupane. 'He was given herbal treatments by witch doctors, but with no effect. After eight months he lost sensation in both legs and in his fingers. Shivaram's brother took him to the INF centre in Surkhet District, where he was admitted as an inpatient and diagnosed with leprosy. Shivaram started multi-drug therapy and his condition improved. He joined a two-week INF course in self-care to learn how to prevent further injury to his insensitive legs. He also had training in health education and goat-keeping. After being discharged by INF, he returned home and is now able to get the medication he needs from his village's government health post.' Shivaram says: 'I'm so grateful to INF and all the INF staff for their work.'
Materials for one toilet
The toilet, house, Megan and Dal
Dal Bahadur Rawat, 48, is paraplegic. He was cutting down a tree when it fell on his back. INF occupational therapist Megan Barker arranged for Dal to go from Surkhet to INF's Green Pastures Hospital in Pokhara for treatment for a pressure sore. 'Dal was convinced he was going to die,' says Megan. 'However, after six months he returned with his sore completely healed.' Megan and INF's physiotherapist in Surkhet helped Dal improve his balance, strengthen his upper limbs and maintain movement in his lower limbs, working with his family and teaching exercises. Dal's family are very supportive. Now he can transfer himself from a wheelchair into bed and back, sit up without support, sit up from lying down and move on his bed independently. He can eat without help and wash and dress himself, and is much happier. Donations from two churches helped INF buy land and a simple house for Dal. Donations to the catalogue helped build a toilet for him. 'Dal says he owes his life to INF,' says Megan.
Transport for a hospital patient and helper
Suraj and Dhansari
Suraj fell into a kitchen fire when he was just five months old, and he was very badly burned on the top of his head. However, INF staff in Nepal’s remote Jumla District were able to arrange for free transport for Suraj and his mother Dhansari to a hospital in Kathmandu, so that Suraj could receive the specialist treatment that he needed. Suraj’s wound has now healed well.
Two weeks’ physio- and occupational therapy
Drupati after therapy
Drupati was shot in the back and paralysed during Nepal’s ‘People’s War’. INF staff performed an operation on her so that her wound healed, and helped her with a course of physio- and occupational therapy. She can now sit, dress herself, and transfer to a wheelchair.
Tailoring materials and training
Keshav and his children in his shop
INF leprosy client Keshav Chaudari has started a tailoring shop in Nepal’s Dang District. As a result, Keshav is able to earn between 100 and 300 Nepali rupees per day [between US$1.30 and US$3.90]. The income enables him to support his wife and two children. His wife earns another 100 rupees a day as a labourer, and their children are now able to attend school.
Wheelchair
Suraj Nepali with his wheelchair
Suraj Nepali, 13, has cerebral palsy. INF’s Dang District programme helped his family to pay for the construction of a special toilet for Suraj, and also provided him with a wheelchair which now enables him to attend his local school.
Artificial legs
Meena Chaudhary
Meena Chaudhary, 30, had a leg amputated after she was injured doing farming work. ‘My husband told me I should go to INF's Green Pastures Hospital and Rehabilitation Centre for people with disabilities in Pokhara, to see if they could help. I was concerned we wouldn't be able to pay for treatment, I didn't want to get my family into debt. To my amazement, INF gave me an artificial leg and taught me how to walk with it. Now I can contribute to my family's work. I can't describe the joy I feel. It’s like being a new person.’
Shop and training
Kamala Malla
Kamala Malla, 50, is from Ghorahi in Dang District and has been affected by leprosy since she was just 10 years old. As well as treating her leprosy, INF has helped Kamala to start a shop which now enables her to help support herself and her family.
Local Partner Organisation set-up costs
Belandanda group members on a health course
INF helps many Local Partner Organisations to become established. One group has been set up by internally displaced people who have settled in Belandanda in Nepal’s Dang District. INF assists the group members with income generation, literacy, sanitation, micro-finance and so on.
Small house for a person with disability
Mohan and his wife
Mohan Basnet, 41, fell and injured his spine. At INF’s Green Pastures Hospital and Rehabilitation Centre for people with disabilities in Pokhara he had surgery for a bed sore. INF also taught him self-care, provided him with pigs for income generation, and helped him to build a small house in his home area in Dailekh.
Vocational training
Hathana Musahar
Hathana Musahar, 33, has been affected by leprosy since he was just an 11-year-old boy. Hathana has been treated at INF’s Green Pastures Hospital and Rehabilitation Centre for people with disabilities in Pokhara, and has been trained at Green Pastures and by INF’s Partnership For Rehabilitation programme in bicycle and motorcycle maintenance. He is now employed in a workshop in his home town in Chitwan, and would like to run his own workshop in future.
An INF hospital bed for a year
Asari in Jumla
Asari, 23, is from Patarasi village in Nepal's remote, impoverished Jumla District. At INF's clinic in Jumla's district centre she was diagnosed with leprosy. She was admitted as an INF inpatient for a period of months so that reactions to her medication could be managed. She is now much better and is able to work again in her home and out in the fields.
