Volunteering Opportunities in Nepal

ANMF has formed a special relationship with the Nick Simons Institute. NSI is an organization located in Nepal with a mission to train and support skilled, compassionate rural health care workers. The three leaves of NSI's work are:

• Health care training:  for a range of types of worker, conducted in partnership with a network of hospitals across Nepal.
• Rural staff support:  seeking to enhance performance in remote hospitals through such supports as communication linkage, continuing medical education, connection with a larger hospital, and children's education.
• Scholarships:  intended to fill certain leadership roles on the rural health care team.

While NSI, in the composition of its management team and Board, is primarily Nepali, it has (and can foresee in the future) opportunities for foreign volunteers to join its team and contribute for varying lengths of time. The table below gives an idea about the range of NSI programs and possible ways a volunteer could help. This list is not exhaustive, though, so please drop NSI an email at nsinsi.edu.np if what they are doing interests you. They may be able to find a "fit".

Research

NSI is testing the local health care system and training outcomes, and will continue to do so. Student volunteers have already made fine contributions in this area, while traveling widely in Nepal and meeting its health care workers.

Program Development

NSI is in close communication with others around the world who are grappling with issues relating to human resources for health. We are eager to develop further connections that facilitate information sharing and advice.

Anesthesia Assistant Training

NSI is working with the Nepal government to scale up this 6-month course, which enables nurses and medical assistants to safely administer anesthesia in remote locations. We need to lengthen the course and expand the number of training sites.

Skilled Birth Attendant Training

NSI has joined the Nepal Safer Motherhood network and is starting this international in-service training (1-3 months) here in Nepal. NSI has 6 hospitals to develop in this regard.

Biomedical Equipment Training

NSI has partnered with the government at a time when this 1-year course is just being started in Nepal, and when the critical need for this cadre of workers is being recognized.

Clinical Medicine

NSI is negotiating to support a number of remote government hospitals. We expect that by late 2007/early 2008 we will have opportunities for doctors and nurses to volunteer in these remote hospitals. Because these positions will be in support of Nepali colleagues, we expect that this will be for fully qualified professionals, rather than for med students.

Other

As it develops, NSI can utilize a range of help:  those with expertise in website design, photography, and marketing, and even primary school teachers.

NSI Program	Volunteers	NSI Tasks	Place (Length)
			Home Country	Nepal (1-2 mos.)	Nepal (3-12 mos.)
Research	Health care professional or student	Participate in human resources research projects	+	+	-
Program Development	Public health professional	Review and advise Oversee statistics and design	+	+	-
Anesthesia Assistant Training	Anesthesia Doctor Anesthesia Nurse	Revise curriculum	+	+	+
		Teach course	-	-	+
Skilled Birth Attendant Training	Nurse, Doctor with Ob experience	Supervise trainers	-	-	+
Medical Assistant Training	Physicians Asst. or Doctor with training background	Develop curriculum	+	+	+
Biomedical Equipment Technician Training	Biomedical Technican	Develop curriculum	-	+	+
		Teach course	-	+	-
Mental Health Block Training	Psychiatrist Psychiatric Nurse	Teach courses	-	-	+
Marketing	Marketing expertise	Consult on marketing courses in Nepal	+	+	-
Website Design	Website design expertise.	Revise website	+	+	-
Photography	Photography/video expertise	Document NSI work	-	+	-
Staff Children's Education	Primary School Teacher	Teach English in remote Nepali school	-	+	+

The NSI website will give you a better idea about NSI in general and about each of these programs, and it has a specific section on volunteering with NSI in Nepal.  Please note above that you need not come to Nepal to join the NSI team.  Drop NSI an email at nsinsi.edu.np.

To volunteer, contact NSI at nsinsi.edu.np or go to our volunteer page.