Praise for helping Nepal’s poor (From Bury Times)

Praise for helping Nepal’s poor

10:14am Tuesday 20th May 2008

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A NURSE from Ramsbottom who is helping to develop health services for impoverished children in Nepal has received an award for his work.

Andrew Clarke (38), of Lansdowne Close, has received the Robert Tiffany International Nursing Award from Nursing Standard magazine and the Royal College of Nursing.

The father-of-two works for the Children's Welfare Scheme (CWS) - one of the few development charities to remain in Nepal throughout a bitter civil war fought between the monarchy and communist guerrillas. He travels to Nepal four or five times a year in order to oversee the development of children's health services in isolated rural communities.

When he is back at home in Ramsbottom with wife Cate and sons Patrick, aged five, and George, aged two, he works as a health visitor for East Lancashire Primary Care Trust but maintains daily contact with colleagues in Nepal by telephone and email.

He said: "It was a great surprise to receive this recognition and it's brilliant if it brings the work of CWS in Nepal to more people's attention. It also reflects well on the work of my team over there.

"It's a very challenging environment that we work in. There are many difficulties but it is possible to develop services that work and that the most disadvantaged people can access. It makes all the effort worthwhile when you see things working.

"I'm very lucky to have a job that's both very challenging and enjoyable, and I'm very privileged to work with two very flexible employers." Political conflict and a 12-year civil war have created many challenges for Andrew and his team but the success of the Communist Party in recent democratic elections may offer the greatest chance for stability Nepal has had for many years.

Andrew said: "We've tried to take a neutral path through the whole process because we had to make arrangements with both the Government and the guerrillas. Being known to be actively neutral allowed us to keep working.

"We have yet to see what the Communist Party will do now they are in power but hopefully Nepal will have some kind of stability that will allow services to develop."

A spokesperson for Nursing Standard magazine said: "Marginalised and vulnerable slum-living, street-based and working children, who would otherwise have no access to any kind of health care, are among those who have benefited from Andrew Clarke's inspiring work in Nepal."

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