Simon with new partner Krishna
Firstly I want to say a big thank you for your generous support – I wouldn’t be here helping farmers in Nepal without you.
Meeting my placement partners
During my initial visits to farmers and processors we have identified needs and areas where change would be welcomed. My challenge is going to be making sure these changes are long lasting and create sustainable solutions. Krishna Olija (in the picture above) runs a small dairy and promotes organic farming, and he has strong links with VSO Nepal and has been instrumental in finding my placement partners. He has arranged meetings and added the essential explanations of VSO’s work and the role of the professional volunteer, which my language skills could not attempt.
Improving milk quality and quantity
My extensive farming experience means I can turn my hand to most things but my specialism is in dairy farming. I was therefore delighted to be introduced to the Kisan Dairy, a collective of milk producers of varying sizes. Already they have identified needs of improving milk quality and quantity, technical ability of the milk processing facility and business organisation improvements to help improve productivity and income.
Sandeep, Nira and Rai
A fact finding schedule has been worked out and I’m looking forward to visiting milk collection centres and the milk processing area in the coming weeks to get a broader understanding of the challenges faced here. I’m particularly excited to work with Sandeep, Nira and Sarun Rai (pictured above), the young team who want to develop the Kisan Dairy business to the benefit of the farmer members. I’ll update you on how I get on and introduce you some more of my partners in my next blog!
Creating trust, openness and friendship
The success of all of my projects will be built on many things, which includes friendship, trust, and openness. Once these are in place I hope the knowledge will flow, in both directions. Another part of the foundation will be good communication. I’m practising my Nepali – hopefully my VSO colleagues will help me pick-up the language!
Festival season of Dashain in Nepal
We’re in the festival season of Dashain. It’s now that families return to their home villages to celebrate and renew relationships. The paths and tracks are full of family groups and individuals making that return journey. Bright colourful clothing and the traditional forehead adornment of rice and tika, worn by returnees, seem more akin to a trip next door rather than the reality which may be a three hour gruelling slog to a village 900m up in the foothills.
A group adorned in tika return to their home village
Together with the tika, new shoots of maize seedlings are worn in the hair, or behind the ears, giving the whole occasion a fresh earthy feel. As we wonder through our neighbouring villages it’s not long before we are swept up in the festivities and given the full treatment. The Nepali people are so warm and friendly – I’ve been made to feel very welcome.
Ready steady cook – the Nepali way
Finally I thought I would share with you something I have learnt here in Nepal that maybe you would like to try? Daal, a lentil based dish, is eaten nearly every day here. And so, undaunted by a lack of rolling pins I decided to create my own rotis, little flat breads to go with this delicious daal. In a small steel bowl found in all Nepali kitchens I mix wheat flour with some cold water to create dough. I then form this into a long sausage and divided into five golf ball sized lumps.
Daal and roti cooking
Using an old beer bottle I roll out each ball, rotating the disc between each roll but being careful not to turn it over. In a hot dry frying pan I carefully place the roti in and wait for the tell-tale signs of small lifting bubbles. Flip the roti once and then to finish it off carefully lift it out of the pan and place it on the naked flamed where it blows up like a newly inflated tyre. Delicious! Let me know how you get on.
Best wishes,
Simon
