26th September 2006 - Kathmandu
Garage a bit on the small size for the Rolls? Wish you could afford an ensuite for the guest room or go somewhere a little more exotic next holiday? Well, never mind, we all struggle a bit financially these days. Take the family we stayed with in Nepal for instance.
- No drive on access (village is 45minutes walk up steep hill from the nearest road)
- House a bit on small side (2 adults and 6 children living in 2 rooms)
- Facilities basic (1 outside tap, 2 inside lights)
- Kids struggle at school (Govt pays for 1 teacher per 200 kids so most subjects require
In a way, their day to day problems are no different from any family anywhere, maybe a bit more extreme, but in the context of a developing ecomomy, their situation is far from uncommon and for many it is the norm. Unfortunately, poverty is a global problem for which there don't seem to be any global answers.But hey, no worries! Governments all around the world know about these problems and along with the World Bank and UN are working tirelessly at such things as debt restructuring, new trade agreements and better employment opportunities for those in the developing world. It'll be OK. Yeah, right!
Meanwhile, if anyone out there has an old mobile phone (SIM card type) it could make all the difference to our friend. He works as and independent trekking guide in the Annapurnas, but often misses business opportunities because he has a two hour walk from most of the pickup points where he touts for business, and better communications would make all the difference. He, like thousands of others, doesn't need money so much as the resources to improve his own situation. Email us for his postal address if you can help.
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