Nepal 9, Our Mission

Our mission has taken months of planning and it was to visit The Ghurka Welfare Trusts retirement home.
My dad pays part if his RAF pension to the Trust and I think he wanted to reassure himself about the work they do for vetrans and their particularly their widows.
In Nepali Culture once a woman married she joins her husbands family and if he dies then she can be left destitue, alone, even ejected from the family and there is no welfare system here.
We were expected and welcomed with white scarves by a retired Captain of the Ghurkha’s. We were given a short presentation and then a tour of the facilities.

They have a doctor’s surgery that is also open to non Ghurkha patients and he said right now they have a six day waiting list which he was embarrassed about. We told him it was three weeks in the UK.
We saw first hand physiotherapy being conducted. The is no such thing as privacy here and that’s a cultural thing too!
We visited the residential home, it was a lovely, clean, light airy place, the residents seemed happy with lots to occupy them. When we arrived a couple were playing cards. Another was having her toenails trimmed! The oldest resident is 103 years I believe.
We were shown a residents room, it was small but adequate and it had ensuite facilities in a simple format.
They give their residents an allowance and also try to assist there families to stay in touch. Recently they paid for one woman to fly back to her home for some event and she had never been in a plane before.
Dad was able to chat to a man who was his contemporary, he had served in the UK and he had probably been transported by my dad while he he was serving.
They have outreach provision and supply services for the community as a whole, building schools, quake resistant homes, upgrading the homes to be sanitary provide extras, toilets, kitchens etc.
They also provide support for any disabled children (including adult children) of ex Ghurkas.
There was a beautiful garden and more importantly a vegetable garden that the residents can tend if they wish.

It was very impressive and Dad asked if he could book a place! Not sure my mum would approve of that!
Anyway we will now write something for our respective organisations to try and raise awareness of a well run charity.