Dear sponsors and supporters,

warmest greetings from Ram Kumar Tamang from Kathmandu. Unfortunately, he will not come to Germany this year because of the Corona restrictions. However, the numerous communication channels make it possible to communicate well with each other even during this time and to continue to accompany the existing projects.

Corona News

Ram Kumar Tamang, NHEFoN, informed us on 08/01/2021 that the Corona situation has improved.

• The incidence has dropped since mid-May from 210 to currently 55. While saying this, it is clear that, realistically, it was much higher in May. People have been reluctant to make their infection public. Most people lacked the money for testing and there were insufficient opportunities to get tested.

• There are now significantly more treatment places because, in addition to hospitals, military and public buildings have been converted into health stations with foreign support. Treatment could then be given there without payment.

• The official daily death figures have fallen sharply, but the reported infection figures remain high or are rising again somewhat, because more people are going to the hospitals and are thus also registered and included in the statistics.

• The strict travel restrictions in the country were effective. These have now been lifted to a large extent. Tourist travel is not really possible yet. A 10-day hotel quarantine is required, and there are no regular flights for visitors.

• Hope for normalization lies with the vaccinations starting up. There are now more and more vaccines from numerous supporting countries. Currently the vaccination rate is only 5.99% fully vaccinated and 13% first time vaccinated. Information about the necessity of vaccination is not being accepted by many or is not even reaching the population.

• Schools continue to be closed. Children and adolescents receive digital instruction, but at a very basic and variable level. Many families cannot afford the additional cost of internet and of functioning smartphones.

• Our sponsored families are well provided for through your support. The consequences of inadequate teaching, now for 1.5 years, are not foreseeable.

Dear sponsors and supporters, through your help, in Kathmandu as well as in the health stations in Betang and Bhorle, suffering could be reduced, infections could be prevented and severe courses of illness could be alleviated.

Thank you to all who made this possible with financial support!

A new project is emerging!

Despite the difficult time, we have initiated a new project together with Ram. We will build another health station together with the population in Gope in the Solo Khumbu, 80 km beeline south of the Everest region. Thanks to Ram Kumar Tamang of NHEFoN, the architect Madhav Regmi and the very active villagers of Gope, the preparations and approval procedures could almost be completed despite the difficult circumstances caused by Corona.

The successes in Betang and Bhorle show that the establishment of a health centre improves the lives of the mountain people in the long term. All this is only possible in cooperation with you, the partners in Nepal and last but not least with the local people who want to change their situation by their own initiative. We trust in your continued support of the people in Nepal. Detailed information about the construction of the health centre in Gope will follow soon.

Best regards from

Anne Peter, president Gecotec e.V. Germany,
Elisabeth Schwery-Kinzler, president NB&G Switzerland and
Ram and Maya Kumar Tamang, NHEFoN Nepal