Safe Drinking Water Project

In 2003 the Lions Club of Pokhara Annapurna organised the de-worming program for schools in and around the Pokhara valley. It was found that more than 70% of children were infected with different types of worms, and some children were seriously ill. Since then, the Lions Club of Pokhara Annapurna has regularly organised health camps to eradicate this problem. This year, the club also distributed twenty four water purification systems to twenty four government schools in the Pokhara valley. The club was able to undertake this project due to the support of Mr. Benjamin Meyer, from the UK, and donations from twenty individual donors, amounting to 43,000 rupees.

Far Frontiers Deworming Project

It is a popular belief that, when you undertake a social task whole heartedly and benevolently, God naturally paves a way to the successful conclusion of whatever you are doing. This truly happened with our De-worming & Protozoa Detection Program.

In Nepal, many villages lack modern facilities. As there is minimal public awareness regarding health and sanitisation, there is also a high infection rate of various diseases. Until now, the government has been unable to eradicate the health issues. A prominent and dangerous disease is worms, which people acquire through drinking contaminated water.

Mr. Mark Lindsay connected a club member to Mr. Christopher Short, the Director of Far Frontiers in the UK. Mr Short coordinated and financed the project, with the help of his colleagues, at the cost of 2000 pounds. The project aimed to screen children in nearby villages for worms. A free health camp was organised to bring the children together to screen and treat them for worms.

The schools invited were:

Chhorepatan High School, Pokhara (1242 students)

Kajiman Haritika High School, Shangza (35 kms from Pokhara) (712 students)

Shree Pardi Lower Secondary School (733 students)

A team of nine doctors and lab technicians were involved, and the project was a huge success. Together with the medical team, we were able to detect and treat Protozoa worms in 70% of the children. There was also a more serious medical case which required further medical expertise. For this case, free additional medical treatment was arranged.

We also held a free medical surgical camp alongside the deworming camp in Baglung. We checked approximately 800 patients and found 85% of children were infected with protozoa worms. We were able to distribute free medication worth 37,000 rupees.

Annapurna Lions Children’s Service Centre

The Lions Club of Pokhara Annapurna is planning to provide a free children’s health service in Pokhara at the Lions Children’s Park. The Club has already started construction of the Pokhara Annapurna Lions Service Centre at the cost of $49000 USD. The building will be three stories high.

The first floor will be a shopping complex. The income generated from this complex will be used to maintain the Lions Children’s Park and the children’s health service. This floor has been completed with our own resources, at a cost of $18,400 USD.

The second floor will contain the health service and a public library. This floor has been completed with the support of Prof. Tomio Ozawa, of Kushiro International Soropotimist Japan, at a cost of $15000 USD.

The third floor will be used as a public community hall. This floor has not yet been completed. Prof. Tomio Ozawa opened the first two floors on the 29th of March, 2003. Our Council Chairman, Lion Bodh Bahadur Ruatchetri, was the guest of honour at this event.