“When the bus stops, we get out and walk”: CBM’s field partners in action

Stories | January 17, 2023

Pramod, Renuka and Subarna are part of CBM’s partner team in rural Nepal. The team works with people with disabilities living in remote and mountainous villages, to help improve their livelihood. 

CBM’s field partners walking to visit people with disabilities and their families.
Image: CBM’s field partners walking to visit people with disabilities and their families in Nepal.

The average week for these fieldworkers involves visiting people with disabilities and their families to understand and scope out what support could be provided and doing follow up.

“We do an initial assessment, discussing with the person with a disability, and their family, about what their interests are and what would be the most appropriate sort of training or support.” 

To keep project costs down, the team travel by local bus. When the bus can’t get any further, they walk. You have to be fit to do this job. 

“It’s a real privilege to see how people’s lives are changed with our support. We visited people to initially show them how to improve farming techniques, for example, by using the greenhouse that the project provides. It’s so good to do those follow-up visits later in the season and see families getting bigger harvests of tomatoes, chilis and cauliflowers.” 

Renuka is a woman with dark hair and a long-sleeved yellow top.
“My mother was so proud when I got this job” says Renuka, who grew up and studied in this locality. “It’s great to be able to work for people who are struggling, in my own community.”

Listen to Julie Smith, Senior Quality Advisor at CBM Australia, reflect on her recent trip to Nepal

CBM acknowledges the support of the Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP) and thanks our partner SAPPROS. 

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