About

Raheesa's Journey to Nepal

I was super excited excited in 2016 to be able to go to Nepal to volunteer my time and work at Chitawan Medical College. Having spent my summer there I was very touched by the friendly people and how they welcomed me to work with them. All the volunteers were so supportive and friendly. Everyone I spoke to was there to make you feel welcome and were very appreciative for having me spend time with them to learn about their country and their culture.

Despite the language barrier I felt connected with all the people that I metbecause of their sincerity, passion, and love. The family that I stayed with made me feel a part of their family. They were genuine, respectful and warm and I will always remember my time with them.

The mother of the family made spaghetti for me once (even though she had never made it) because she knew I missed western food! The daughter made me feel like I had a sister and I will always remember going to see an Indian movie with her which we both thoroughly enjoyed in an air conditioned theatre!

I learned that the culture of Nepal is a mixture of the Indian subcontinent and Tibet. As an Ismaili Muslim with roots from East Africa I found many similarities in the culture of Tibet, particularly the food, dressing, music and dance. Before I went to Tibet I knew very little about their lifestyle, culture and traditions all of which were absolutely fascinating and beautiful.

Poverty is a major factor in Nepal and this explains the weak infrastructure and service delivery. Hospitals are under-resourced and can face significant service delivery challenges.

As a student from the industrialized world, I felt it was important to actually spend time in Nepal to fully understand the concerns, problems and needs of the people. My whole experience in Nepal was absolutely amazing and inspiring. Even though there were times I felt exhausted especially because it was so hot in the summer the adventures I had more than made up for it. I still laugh about the time when I was sitting on an elephant and getting sprayed cold water before the elephant decided to dump me in the water! The people that I was with made the trip an extraordinary adventure that I will never forget.

I made friends not only in Nepal but also other students that I have remained in contact with and would love to visit also. It is with this experience that I would like to share and bring awareness of the needs of the children in Nepal. I believe through joining forces with other local community organization we can strengthen our cause and make a difference.