establishing field cred

according to this pretty hilarious blog establishing field cred is a must for the aspiring or already aspired development/aid worker. while i wouldn't classify myself as an aid worker - writing reports and running surveys is hardly saving lives/children/the world , I finally made it on a field trip last week. and i think i got the ball rolling with the field cred. while I didn't manage to get any photos of myself, DSLR in one hand, cup of chiyya in the other, wearing a Kurta, boots, jacket and shawl speaking terrible nepali to female community health volunteers, I can tell you that thats pretty much how it looked.

View of the himalayas (obviously) from the road

I didn't go on the trip with my organisation, but another Nutrition NGO where my colleagues sister works, and they invited me slash i invited myself along on their field trip tip to Jiri, Dolakha district, east of KTM towards the Everest Region. Jiri used to be one of the main trail heads for Everest Base camp, but the road goes further into the mountains now, so there are fewer tourists passing through .

the field trip was: white 4WDs on windy nepali roads. dahl bhat chiyya dahl bhat chiyya. coconut crunch biscuits, LBM, going to bed at 9pm, listening to nepali 24/7, indian pop music, cold, clean, clear, refreshing, a season of how i met your mother, a paul auster book, 2 sets of clothes, no shower, chiyya, dahl bhat, meetings, community participation, health worker training, chiyya.

 Jiri is home to an ethnic group called the Jirel, tibeto-buddhist's. this was the quite attractive stupa and only main sight in Jiri. According to one of the people on the trip inside they keep guns and weapons, should there be a fight.....i wasn't convinced. but who knows...

Female community health workers have been integral to Nepal's progress and success and health gains over the past 20 years. initially trained to distribute Vitamin A capsules, they now distribute ante natal advice, immunisations, important health care messages, nutritional training and advice, sexual health education and basically any other community based aspect of health care operating in Nepal. Part of the trip was training a group of FCHVs from around Jiri on nutrition and eating habits, what foods to eat, what to avoid and what is nutritious. The education package is simple straightforward and effective. The women may not know what micronutrients are at the beginning of the day but by day 2 they can competently advise mothers what they should and shouldn't be feeding newborn children and themselves.
I have mentioned Nepal's staggering problem with undernutrition - FCHV training forms an integral part of trying to eradicate hunger in nepal....

Female community health workers at the community nutrition training, lady no. 2 from the left had a striking resemblance to Patsy from ab fab. i swear.