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 Latest News From Our Volunteers in Nepal

VOLUNTEER COMMUNITY CARE CLINICS IN NEPAL

Nepal remains one of the poorest countries in the world and has been plagued with political unrest and military conflict for the past decade. In 2015, a pair of major earthquakes devastated this small and fragile country. 

Since 2008, the Acupuncture Relief Project has provided over 300,000 treatments to patients living in rural villages outside of Kathmandu Nepal. Our efforts include the treatment of patients living without access to modern medical care as well as people suffering from extreme poverty, substance abuse and social disfranchisement.

Common conditions include musculoskeletal pain, digestive pain, hypertension, diabetes, stroke rehabilitation, uterine prolapse, asthma, and recovery from tuberculosis treatment, typhoid fever, and surgery.

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COMPASSION CONNECT : DOCUMENTARY SERIES

Episode 1
Rural Primary Care

In the aftermath of the 2015 Gorkha Earthquake, this episode explores the challenges of providing basic medical access for people living in rural areas.

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Episode 2
Integrated Medicine

Acupuncture Relief Project tackles complicated medical cases through accurate assessment and the cooperation of both governmental and non-governmental agencies.

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Episode 3
Working With The Government

Cooperation with the local government yields a unique opportunities to establish a new integrated medicine outpost in Bajra Barahi, Makawanpur, Nepal.

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Episode 4
Case Management

Complicated medical cases require extraordinary effort. This episode follows 4-year-old Sushmita in her battle with tuberculosis.

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Episode 5
Sober Recovery

Drug and alcohol abuse is a constant issue in both rural and urban areas of Nepal. Local customs and few treatment facilities prove difficult obstacles.

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Episode 6
The Interpreters

Interpreters help make a critical connection between patients and practitioners. This episode explores the people that make our medicine possible and what it takes to do the job.

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Episode 7
Future Doctors of Nepal

This episode looks at the people and the process of creating a new generation of Nepali rural health providers.

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Compassion Connects
2012 Pilot Episode

In this 2011, documentary, Film-maker Tristan Stoch successfully illustrates many of the complexities of providing primary medical care in a third world environment.

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From Our Blog

Lynn Lobo | Acupuncture Volunteer Nepal

My trip to Nepal was an amazing life experience with many shared gifts. I feel like I have been challenged and grown enormously in my skills as a teacher and community facilitator. I went to Nepal for 3 weeks to teach the beginnings of a much larger acupuncture course. My students were the translators who work for ARP. To make the training more practical, I combined mindful body awareness practices with acupuncture theory and point location. The community also asked me to inform them on high blood pressure. To address this request, I worked with our students to put together a play called 'Blood Pressure, the Stranger in our Village'. We went with this title because strangers are regarded as mysterious and untrustworthy in the village. They may hide in the jungle and disguise their footprints. Blood pressure is a little like this as it creeps up on you, and often we don't know why it's there. This play uncovers some of the issues that affect blood pressure in the community, and how the community can take responsibility for it. The play got amazing feedback with people wanting a longer and bigger outdoor production. Over 100 people came with families walking for 1 hour or more to see our play. All the students worked really hard and after hours to pull this play together in a short period of time. I saw each one of them meet challenges and grow. It was very rewarding for all of us.

Lynn Lobo | Acupuncture Volunteer Nepal

I was able to benefit the community through teaching the translation team the beginnings of a longer acupuncture course. Many of them indicated an enthusiasm to continue with their studies. I and they believe it is possible for them to become acupuncturists for their community. The team as a whole took on a greater responsibility to gain experience in community health education. Their roles as translators has grown into acupuncture student and health educators. The community also received a play about themselves and witnessed a better health potential for their lives. This is a great material resource for the Acupuncture Relief Project.

Lynn Lobo | Acupuncture Volunteer Nepal

I too feel that I have grown enormously as a person. Throughout my time away, I had a sense of feeling at home in myself. For the first time in my life I had a sense of feeling settled and kind of 'natural'. I'm a little shy to even talk about it, but I'm relishing the feeling. I felt so welcomed in Nepal, with people open to what I have to offer. It really brought out the best in me. I've always felt like I have such a mixed bag of skills that don't quite join up. An acupuncturist, a painter with playback theatre skills, a light footed bush walker, and a Process Work student. Strangely, all these things came together with ease in Nepal. The most exhilarating thing was when I would suggest things to people and they would say 'why not!' I'm adopting the 'why not!' attitude for myself. I realise that knowing people from other walks of life allows me to see some of my self imposed limitations and engaging with this community has opened up potentials I was barely aware of. I glimpsed what is possible when all of my skills work together. It was surprising to me and I know there is more to come.

Lynn Lobo | Acupuncture Volunteer Nepal

I have put together a 15 minute video of our play. It will give you a feeling of the atmosphere on the day. I also worked closely with Tsering Sangpo Sherpa on a translation of the play. It's included below and well worth a read. Thank you dear reader for sharing this journey with me. --Lynn Lobo

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Our Mission

Acupuncture Relief Project, Inc. is a volunteer-based, 501(c)3 non-profit organization (Tax ID: 26-3335265). Our mission is to provide free medical support to those affected by poverty, conflict or disaster while offering an educationally meaningful experience to influence the professional development and personal growth of compassionate medical practitioners.


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