Our Nepalese partner organisations: Sahamati and Sahaj

Sahamati (together in Nepali) is a Nepalese charity set up by a group of Nepalese development workers committed to a fair and just society. It is registered in the Nawalparasi local government office under Organisation Act, 2034 BS and is affiliated with the Social Welfare Council and NGO federation of Nepal.

Sahamati is located in Gaindakot, at the foot of the Mahabharat Mountains, near the Narayani River. It is 150 Km southwest from Kathmandu and 4 km west from Narayanghat.

In Nepal, the Poor have little access to development programmes. More over, the status of women, children and the excluded is being continually underminded. Sahamati has as its aim to help these communities defend themselves, promoting awareness of their rights.

From its beginning, Sahamati has focused on eight different working areas, health being the priority. As a result, an autonomous health cooperative has been created: SAHAJ.

Sahaj is devoted to increasing access to affordable yet quality health services to the poor and the deprived. Much needs to be done.

Why Sahaj?

Health is a fundamental of human welfare. However, traditional societies usually consider health only as a secondary need. Most people in these societies seek health services only when they are considered sick by their communities. By this time the disease has developed, making treatment difficult and expensive.

The objectives of Sahaj health cooperative are:
- increase the level of health awareness among the community
- increase access to health services, especially for the poor and the deprived
- provide health services in a much easier, economical and qualitative way
- develop community health insurance schemes
- promote and develop community based health initiatives

Sahaj is presently providing preventive and curative health services to the community. The major services and activities are:
- Pharmacy
- Regular doctor’s visits
- Medical clinic
- Pathology lab
- Blood donations
- Free health check-up
- Obstretics
- Family health
- Ambulance

Sahaj’s full term objective is to develop its clinical activities into a self-sustained community hospital.