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Pyutar birthing center now a cause for EVERY ONE



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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