Ready, Set..........almost Go!

Hey Guys,

Well hasn't the last three and a half months since I have been back in the UK gone quickly!?
Two months of that was spent in and out of the Drs surgery getting needles stuck in me but better safe than sorry. (That was TEN big scary needles by the way!)

My Italian friend Margherita owns a bookshop (Melting Pot -Via Vetabbia) in Milan, she sent me a customs and culture guide for Christmas, I was eagerly reading through it on Christmas day when I came to this section...........
"Rivers are polluted with refuse- floating, swimming, sunk and in the case of cadavers bouncing along bloated" .............right then, that would be the reason for the ten injections!

I've finally managed to (more or less) sorted out what I will be doing, or rather what I'd like to be doing. Fingers crossed that I get to do all the things planned. For those of you that don't know I really want to spend most of my time in an orphanage type project and try to fit some side projects in around that.

In Nepal almost 50% of children under five suffer some form of malnutrition so I am really hoping to see some of the valuable work done in a rehabilitation clinic that is trying to address this. According to the UN it's one area that seems to be showing signs of improvement.
The second thing I am really keen to get involved with is one of the projects for street kids. Nepal has some 5-6000 street children and that number is growing by 500 a year. Most have run away from home to avoid domestic violence, heading for the bright lights of one of the big cities. What they find is usually a life of danger, intimidation and exploitation, leading the vast majority into alcohol abuse and the street kids food substitute of choice; a glue sniffing habit.
Finally, if that's not enough to keep me out of mischief, many people believe that Nepal is where Africa was ten years ago in terms of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Although levels of infection in the general population are relatively low, certain groups, child labourers amongst them, are on the edge of an epidemic explosion. Children, girls in particular are often affected indirectly by being taken out of education to care for a sick parent.
Widows and orphans (who are often seen as "parent eaters") are discriminated against enough without the added stigma that HIV can bring. HIV+ children are not allowed to be schooled in mainstream education, a lucky few manage to find places in the small number of schools that have been specially set up, often staffed by HIV+ adults. I'm hoping that I will be able to spend atleast some of my time teaching in one such school.

So that's the plan when I'm there, I also want to collect some supplies to take with me.
I have written lots of begging emails and letters but as usual it was for the most part you generous people that have filled my suitcase rather than the big boys.
I have yet to put it all in one pile, .......................at present there are various smaller piles around my house.

A huge thanks to all of you that sent me toothbrushes, vitamins and "liberated" promotional pens from work. I have used some donated cash to purchase (at a big discount)12 kids polo shirts from Marks and Spencers while working there over Christmas and various second hand books and games from charity shops.
HOPEFULLY Etihad will decide to be benevolent and let me have an excess baggage allowance, Yes thats you ETIHAD!!!! ..........remember publicity can be both good and bad!!!

Final few bits to sort out this week, nit combs and scabies lotion...........I notice you were all too chicken to pick those from the list!!

Thanks also go to Morten Svenningsen a Danish photo journalist for letting me use one of his amazing photos, hopefully I will soon be able to take some of my own
.....................thanks Michelle for the use of the camera!
In the mean time take a look at the professional ones: http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/612621

I am currently using facebook
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_171378486223965
but will be moving to here once I leave.

Itchy feet means its clearly time I was hitting the road again so it's a good job that next Tuesday is D-Day!!!!

Please please please get in touch if you can help, have contacts, hints or tips........

Thanks Alot Guys
Sarah x