Volunteering.....

Ok so here comes the serious bit, the reason I am actually here.
I am volunteering at the Punarbal Plus school for children with and/or affected by HIV/AIDS. The school supports children who would otherwise not receive an education because of fear and stigma preventing them from attending mainstream school.
http://www.punarbalplus.org/
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/group.php?gid=114096779316
Many of the children whether they are infected or not come from economically deprived backgrounds due to loosing one or both parents to HIV/AIDS. Even when the parents are alive they are often shunned by their families and communities which drastically restricts their ability to earn a living. Lack of income leads to a poor diet, a poor diet means that opportunistic infections have a greater chance to take hold leading to periods of prolonged illness and even death.
These families can barely put food on the table, much less buy school uniforms and pay school fees.
The school supports these families with free education and at least one hot meal a day.
They also advocate for a more inclusive practice amongst mainstream schools, opposition coming mainly from the parents of non infected children.
The stories of discrimination I have heard so far beggar belief, bodies of victims being only partially cremated then tipped in to the river for fear that the virus will be released in the smoke.
Community members threatening to set fire to a victims family home if they didn't move, refusing to share eating and drinking utensils, or even the same table. Being told "You don't need to eat because you will die soon"

Many people believe that Nepal is on the brink of if not experiencing a HIV epidemic and that it is where Africa was 10 or even 20yrs ago in terms of dealing with it.
Although within the general population the infection rate is relatively low, certain groups are seeing disproportionately high numbers of infection, intravenous drug users, sex workers, economic migrants to india who then come back and infect their wives and street children. Child carpet workers are also thought to be one of the main sources of child prostitutes due to the extremely low wages and poor conditions, there is also a common but mistaken belief that sex with a younger partner means there is less risk of HIV.

Ten years of civil war, ineffectual government and slow economic development have lead to a chronic shortage of jobs and although 25% of Nepal's budget is made up of foreign aid, it rarely reaches the poorest remote regions. This has in turn lead to mass economic migration firstly towards the Kathmandu valley and then often to the bright lights of India's booming economy further south.
Away from home for months even years at a time many men succumb to the temptations of the big cities, and knowingly or not return to their wives HIV+.

HIV is very much a taboo subject even between man and wife and as is very often the case women are dis-empowered by it. There have even been cases where husbands lie to their wives about their status thus preventing them from seeking treatment for themselves and future children. The risk of a HIV+ woman with the correct medical treatment giving birth to a HIV+ child in the west are less than 1%, here there are no available statistics............
There was even a case of a man who knew his status and was receiving treatment. yet when his wife questioned why he was taking medication he told her it was for indigestion.

Women's lives are hard here, when they are not cooking, washing up and doing their families laundry in cold water in a bucket at the bottom of the garden they are mostly responsible for the house and childcare. In such a traditional, conservative, patriarchal society it takes a particularly strong and often rebellious woman to speak out.

All in all I am glad I was born where I was with the opportunities and freedom that I have.

Thanks to all of you that donated towards my excess baggage by the way, as Etihad kindly donated the fee I used your money to replace the younger children's school room carpet.............42euro well spent, today I also ordered new curtains at an extortionate 4.50euro!

Left my memory stick at the house, so will post the photos here next time...........or you can look on the facebook group page

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/home.php?sk=group_171378486223965&ap=1

The school is also raising funds for new bunkbeds if anyone or company wants to sponsor one or contribute towards one.
Items the school needs are.........
bunkbeds for two students 107euro 3 needed
mattresses 40euro 6 needed
bed and pillow cover 8euro 6 needed Please email me if you are interested I will be doing some media promotion when I come back so you would (if you chose) get some free press.

Thanks Guys you have all been more than generous already
xx