Trauma Recovery Centre in Nepal
We support our partnering organisation ‘Kopila Nepal’, located in Pokhara, West Nepal, that has been working with local communities in rural villages in the region since 2001.
The focus of their work is on human rights and psychological health and education. In Nepali the word ‘kopila’ means ‘flower bud’, something delicate that needs nurturing and protecting until it blossoms.
Kopila Nepal started a pilot project "Psychological Trauma Community Based Education and Treatment" from 2007 - 2008 in 14 village development committees. Their work involved education with a focus on child rights protection. They have also made a qualitative study on the “effect of armed conflict on children” in and around Pokhara.
Kopila Nepal are currently running a project on community based psychosocial support. Psychological problems, in developing countries, are compounded with several other factors like poverty, disease and disability. Therefore, a comprehensive approach should be taken to address the issue. Accordingly, Kopila Nepal is now looking for support to set up a trauma recovery centre where they can take a comprehensive, holistic approach to support those recovering from trauma and mental health problems in the area.
Bina Silwal, the Executive Director of Kopila Nepal, writes:
"Kopila Nepal’s, primary targets are women and children. We work with the people who are psychologically traumatised or are vulnerable to psychological trauma. For example, conflict affected women, women surviving with sexual abuse/ exploitation, domestic violence, people suffering from chronic diseases such as HIV/AIDS, leprosy and people with disabilities. However, working for the betterment of any specific group needs co-operation from other people in the community such as families, schoolteachers, community people and organisations, including local government. Therefore, keeping women and children in the middle we work with families and community.
Kopila Nepal has been undertaking a Psychological Trauma Community Based Education and Treatment Project (PTCBET) in rural remote communities in Western Nepal. This project’s main aims are providing awareness training to parents, teachers and children in dealing with psychological trauma as well as offering group work facilitation. Lessons learned from implementing PTCBET have clearly shown that a long term sustainable effort is essential.
Because of the following reason we would like to establish a Trauma Recovery Centre in Pokhara in co-operation with the Western Regional Hospital.
We currently refer people who have mental health problems or people coping with trauma from our working area (Tanahun, Kaski and Syanja) for counselling and treatment to local doctors. But the demand of services is so high that doctors in the hospital cannot provide adequate time and attention to all the patients. There are only two psychiatrists available in our regional hospital in Pokhara and one of them is mostly occupied with administration and management work. The record shows that doctors have to see more than 100 patients every day. Therefore doctors do not give enough time and attention to understand the real problem of the client and treat only the symptomatic conditions. Furthermore, the need for the counselling is often over looked."
We at Inspired by People want to help Bina and the women and children in Kopila Nepal to have access to the counselling and treatment they need. Health cannot be complete without mental health.
TRAVEL TO NEPAL WITH US AND CHANGE THE LIVES OF MANY PEOPLE, INCLUDING YOUR OWN!
On the 22nd of October YOU have the chance to join us on a unique trip through the Himalayas in West Nepal. We will visit Kopila Nepal who will take us on a challenging 6 day trek through the villages they work in and where we are invited to stay with the local people in the village. You will have the opportunity to see the projects of Kopila Nepal, enjoy the hospitality of the indigenous people, experience breathtaking scenery and, not to forget, challenge your own fitness levels!
