After a long journey from Kathmandu, our small medical team arrived in a border town between Nepal and India to run a school health camp for children who had never seen a doctor before.
Our goal was simple but vital: check for health problems that could be holding them back from learning.
The government school had 1,500 students enrolled, but only about 800 came regularly. Space at the school was tight. The school had tiny classrooms with brick and mud walls and tin roofs. In Year 1, 120 children shared a single teacher, with many sitting outside in corridors or the courtyard just to be part of the lesson.
Most of the children had never had a health check-up. We found many malnourished, with ear infections, tooth decay, and untreated eye conditions. Some had vision that was so poor, it could lead to permanent sight loss if left untreated any longer.
One of them was little Sajid. At his first-ever eye exam, he learned that he needed glasses – and the moment he put them on, his face lit up. For the first time, he could read his books and see the blackboard clearly.
Thanks to your support, hundreds of children like Sajid received life-changing care that day – care that will help them grow, learn and develop to their full potential.
But many more remote schools and isolated children need health checks in Nepal.