Delivering Health in The Himalayas
Bodhi Tree Foundation is a 501c3 non-profit organization (Tax ID: 26-0824066) founded in 2007 by Mark & Sarah Ferris. Our mission is to support and promote community-based activities that focus on maternal and child health in the remote Himalayas of Humla, Nepal. We work in conjunction with local Nepal-based NGO’s (non-government organizations) and Nepal’s Ministry of Health to achieve our goals.
Learn where we work and what we do- click here for a short video
Learn where we work and what we do- click here for a short video
Humla is one of the most remote and poverty stricken districts in
Nepal. It is located in the northwest corner of the Mid-Western region
bordering Tibet. The district is isolated and accessible only by foot,
animal or airplane due to rugged mountain terrain, deep gorges and
inclement weather. Simikot, the district headquarters, lies at 2,900
meters and the rest of Humla varies between 1,500 and 7,300 meters.
Humla is 5,655 sq.kms of which only 2% is cultivated. This lack of
cultivatable land leads to food deficits for up to six months a year in many
of the villages.
Of the 75 districts in Nepal, Humla ranks 74th on the Overall
Development index. It ranks 73rd in poverty and deprivation index and
72nd in the Women's Empowerment index. Literacy rates in Humla are 27%
for men and 5% for women. There is limited health care available due to
the lack of funds and personnel.
98% of Humli women give birth in unsanitary conditions such as
the cowshed. Often the only people there to help are the mother-in-law
or another woman from the village. Only 2% of the population has a
trained birth attendant at their labor.
Infant Mortality Rates here are 81/1000! This is extremely high especially compared to Nepal's average of 39/1000.
EVERY DAY IN NEPAL 12 WOMEN & 75 BABIES DIE DURING CHILDBIRTH!
