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Introduction:
The mountain kingdom of Nepal receives some 400,000 visitors each year. They come to trek in the Himalayas, visit bustling markets and ancient sites in the Kathmandu Valley, or one of Nepal's sacred temples or monasteries. But, despite this geographical and cultural wealth, Nepal is still extremely poor, especially in remote rural areas.
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Arrival in Kathmandu:
After 30 hours of air travel, our plane descended slowly into the dark cradle of the Kathmandu Valley. The mystery and seclusion of Nepal, the myths of Shangri La, and the remoteness of this tiny kingdom came rushing at me as I peered through the dark airplane window at the twinkling tiny lights below.
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The Adventure Begins:
The Himalayas spread out to our right like an immense spine of rock and ice. Rising higher, we soon were flying through enormous glistening white clouds. It felt as if we were sailing through a bright blue sea of icebergs.
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"Namaste" in Kolti:
I took a moment to watch the busy street below: small children with sticks herded cattle and buffalo, while groups of brightly dressed women passed by on their way to fetch water. Male porters, some quite elderly, carried large loads on their backs. The smell of burning firewood and cooking onions wafted upwards. Despite its first appearance as a sleepy little village, Kolti was swarming with activity.
Solutions for Kolti:
We crowded into the back room of the carpenter's shop. The smell of cut wood and sawdust surrounded us. Payrunath Sunaer had first learned carpentry at a far-off technical school. He had worked for 14 years on his own, but six weeks before, with business and marketing help from CARE, he had been able to open his own shop and hire workers of his own.
A Five-Year Plan:
As we passed lush fields filled with wheat, millet and maize, I found it hard to believe that this region ever suffered from drought. However, less than 20 percent of families in the area cultivate enough food to feed themselves throughout the year. To help families cope, CARE has introduced higher-yield, drought-resistant seed varieties, encouraged the planting of fruit trees and promoted "kitchen gardens" for families to grow nutritious vegetables including pumpkins and mustard greens.
Education and Safe Pregnancies:
Traditionally during childbirth, women in Nepal are isolated from the household, moving themselves to the cattle shed. They are not to be touched. They eat separately and, even after the baby is born, stay separated for up to 35 days. If there is a complication during childbirth, a woman can ask for help, but often it is too late. Efforts by CARE and the government of Nepal have helped bring down infant and maternal mortality rates in Bajura District.
The Return to Kathmandu:
We wished the Bajura staff good-bye, snapped photos, and thanked them for an extraordinary trip. As soon as we had fastened our seat belts, we were taxiing down the short runway. The take-off was so fast that we barely had a chance to look back at the crowd below. We made a 180-degree turn to the right into the deep valley between the mountains, and headed south for Nepalgunj.
Kathmandu: On Top of the World:
The tiny triangles on the map did not do justice to the peaks rising around us. I traced the route with my finger as we passed Dorje-Lakpa, Cho-Oyu and Pumori, hoping for a glimpse of the elusive peak of Everest, often hidden by clouds by this time of day. We were lucky: within minutes, the captain called our attention to the exposed summit of Everest, peeking out from a heavy layer of clouds that obscured its base.
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