Nepal Trip Presentation Overview

Wendy De Luca presented on her recent trip to Nepal, sharing insights about the country's geography, population, and key locations she visited including Kathmandu, Sunduli, Chitwan, and Pokhara. She discussed Nepal's historical significance, particularly regarding the British invasion attempts in 1838 and the role of the Gurkha forces. Wendy also mentioned the recent swearing-in of Nepal's new Prime Minister Balan Shah, who previously served as Kathmandu's mayor and was known as a rapper before entering politics.

Nepal School Project Update

Wendy shared her experience from a trip to Nepal with the RAWCS team, where they worked on converting a classroom into a dining room and kitchen for Sri Kamala Secondary College, and revitalized a damaged shipping container to be sent to another school. She also conducted professional development sessions for teachers at the Senduli Community Technical Institute and visited remote primary schools as part of their sponsorship program. The team faced challenges with road access, which prevented them from delivering the revitalized container to its intended recipient school.

Nepal School Support Program Update

Wendy presented an update on the Nepal school support program, which has been running for 8 years in partnership with the Rotary Club of Kathmandu. The program provides uniforms, school supplies, and support to underprivileged children, particularly those from Dalit castes, helping them attend school on equal footing with their peers. Wendy noted that while the program previously included lunch support, the Nepali government has now implemented a national lunch program for public school children, allowing the sponsorship cost to remain at $75. Wendy invited the club to consider making this program a club project and requested a link to their website be added to the club's website.

RORCS Program in Nepal

Wendy presented on the RORCS (Rotary Outreach for Children's Support) program in Nepal, which currently supports 900 children across 18 schools with a budget of $75 per child per year. The Rotary Club of Kathmandu handles local implementation, including delivery of supplies and community engagement, while Wendy manages funding from Australia. Wendy emphasized the importance of community buy-in and noted that local materials are prioritized when available, with some supplies sourced from Nepal and others imported from India or China.

Community Project Ownership Strategies

Wendy discussed the importance of helping communities take ownership of projects rather than creating dependencies on external help. She explained how the Nepal school kitchen project was designed without Rotary branding to encourage local maintenance and pride. Ros asked about sustainability and community willingness to take ownership, to which Wendy responded that remote hill schools showed more community-mindedness and independence compared to larger towns. Wendy also shared insights about healthcare challenges in the region, noting that while a new hospital was built, it lacked essential services like anaesthetists due to funding limitations.

RORCS Program Uniform Discussion

Wendy discussed her experience with the RORCS program, which involves students participating in school clean-up activities and receiving uniforms and supplies. She explained that fundraising is done both in Nepal through the Rotary Club of Kathmandu and in Australia, with support from various Rotary clubs. Wendy also addressed the issue of uniform durability and reuse, noting that some uniforms last only a year due to constant use, while others may be passed down to younger siblings.

Healthcare and Political Developments

Ross shared his experience meeting a midwife in New Guinea who had delivered 957 babies, highlighting the important healthcare needs in the region. Wendy agreed about the potential for RORCS programs in PNG but expressed concerns about water quality and security issues. The discussion also touched on political developments in Nepal, where the new prime minister had already taken action against corruption by arresting the previous prime minister following a judicial inquiry into deaths during last year's uprising.

The club discussed upcoming events and speakers for the year, with inviting members to share what they were looking forward to in both Rotary and personal contexts. The conversation ended with plans to continue discussions about future activities and speakers.