Giving is happiness for many. Yesterday, Save the Children
in partnership with Social Tours and Kathmandu City Cycling community had
organized a press conference to promote the Kora cycling event. Although only
one journalist arrived for the press meet, working as an external communication
person I was happy. The happiness came from seeing hundreds of people – small
children, young boys and girls, professionals from all walks of life come to
the press meet not just to listen to what we had to say but to pledge for the
cause.
This is the third edition of the Kathmandu Kora cycling
event organized in partnership with Save the Children. This year’s cause is to
raise funds to build a new birthing center in Pyutar VDC, Lalitpur 1. The
Auxiliary head nurse serving in the one room birthing center from Pyutar VDC
was also present at the meet to share her job experiences and her ordeal while
performing her job. Gyanu Ghimire, Auxiliary nurse said, “I didn’t know all of
you were raising money for us and that too by cycling. I am so grateful to all
the cyclists. In the past 18 years I have delivered new born in dire conditions
sometimes holding a torch light in one hand and delivering with one hand.”
What Gyanu Ghimire narrated as her ordeal is not limited to
the health post in Pyutar VDC but her experiences are similar with all the
Auxiliary nurses working in birthing centers in Nepal. In Nepal, there are more than 3000 birthing centers but more than half of them lack skilled
human resource to assist in birthing. Pyutar’s case is a bit different – an
independent birthing center does not exist, it only exists in name sake after
the one room allocated for the birthing center in the VDC secretariat was
brought down two months ago.
However, there is hope for the Pyutar birthing center
because more than 1300 cyclists have registered to cycle and raise funds
independently as individuals. Among the 1300 cyclists I spoke to few who had
come to donate funds they had raised from their friends and family members.
Anil Maharjan is an IT professional said, “This year I raised NPR 10,000 because
I support the cause which will support a birthing house in Pyutar.”
Another fellow rider Claudia Cocha said, “Last year I could
only raise NPR 2,000 but this year we have a group of 10 riders and we have
raised NPR 11,000. Being a mother I feel strongly for this cause.”
Bhusan Tuladhar who has been a part of the kora cycling
event for the past three years mentioned that it is a family event for him and
his daughter and his wife have been raising funds too. “My target is NPR 45,000
if I don’t meet it I will put it from my own pocket.”
Every person I spoke to mentioned they learned about the
event through facebook. The power of social media has been a great influence in
reaching the general population of Kathmandu. While I have been constantly
hooked on to Facebook to promote the event I saw a post where a mother had
mentioned that her daughter would pledge the amount from her piggy bank. I almost welled up when I read this post. This
cause, which is part of a people
mobilizing campaign of Save the Children
and facilitated by Social Tours is now a cause for everyone to call for action
to say "no child should be born to die". The ownership exhibited by the Kathmandu City Cycling community to support
the cause is beyond words – youths giving time and inquiring how they can help.
We couldn’t ask for more.
Through this platform I want to thank every individual who
are cycling and raising money for the Pyutar birthing center.
The money raised through this event will be channeled through
Karma Foundation with zero incurred administrative cost to the District Health
Office Lalitpur. Save the Children has received a written approval from the
District Health Office Lalitpur to construct a new birthing center in Pyutar
VDC. Our target is to raise 2 million for Pyutar. If you haven’t donated yet,
please do kathmandukora.net/pledge-form/. Because no child is born to
die and no mother should die giving birth!
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