Nepal

Statistics

Nepal’s breath-taking scenery has rightly earned it the title of Mountain Kingdom. However, this title hides a people who are amongst the poorest in the world.

History

For centuries Nepal was divided into many principalities. In 1846 Jung Bahadur Rana became Nepal’s first prime minister, wielding absolute power and isolating Nepal from external influences.

For years later the country teetered between colonialism, a monarchy and democracy.

From 1991 Maoist rebels have been waging a campaign against the constitutional monarchy. Since 1996, 12,000 people have been killed in the conflict and a further 100,000 people displaced.

In May 2006, King Gyanerdra was deposed and historic elections took place peacefully in April 2008 in which the Maoists secured a majority, but political chaos continues to disrupt all attempts at development.

Current challenges

Almost eight million people live on less than 60 pence a day. Around 48 per cent of children under five are malnourished.
Human rights abuses, such as the use of torture, the disappearance of people, abduction and the killing of innocent civilians, are allegedly routine for all political factions.

BMS involvement in Nepal

BMS is involved in the following projects:

Kathmandu International Study Centre (KISC)

Judith Ellis is the principal of KISC and works alongside BMS teachers Dan and Becky Parnell. Mike and Fran Gaunt and Angus and Helen Douglas will join the team in summer 2012 with Mike working as a secondary-maths teacher and Angus in development. Both Fran and Helen hope to become involved in medical and dentistry work.

Patan Hospital

BMS GP Katrina Butterworth works in training and as an outpatients’ supervisor at the hospital.

INF

Megan Barker is involved with the Surkhet programme in occupational therapy. Her husband Alan is on the INF board. Ian Chadwell works with the INF partnership programme.

UMN

BMS mid-termers Alan and Anne Penn work with UMN in recruitment and donor relations. Martin Butterworth works in the area of evaluation. Edwin Lee heads up the finance team. Jerry Clewett is the development co-ordinator and his wife, Ruth, is the peace-building advisor. Tom and Lucy Beaumont are working in development. Phil Rawlings is the head of communications.

The land

Only 120 miles from north to south, Nepal is a country of spectacular beauty, with ten of the world’s highest peaks, including Everest, within its borders. Its mountainous terrain, steep-sided valleys and swift-flowing rivers all make travel difficult within the country and have historically contributed to its isolation.

Religion

Over 80 per cent of the population is Hindu with a smaller Buddhist (ten per cent) and Muslim (four per cent) community. Although people were free to choose their own religion, it was illegal to convert others. Today it is estimated that there are at least 500,000 Christians.