This page details some aspects of living and working in Achham for volunteers.

Prior to Leaving From KTM to Achham

It is both safer and more economical to travel in pairs or greater from KTM to Achham. Try to arrange accordingly; this is especially pertinent for summer volunteers starting/finishing at similar times. Make certain that ALL devices and equipment that you are bringing to Achham are in FULL WORKING ORDER prior to leaving.

Eating

-bring some food with you

-cereal, snacks, nutrition bars. you can also buy snacks in sanfebagar but it is of low variety and nutrional value.

-getting sufficient protein is difficult because they water down the daal so much. (Boiled) Milk is a good source. The yogurt is also watered down, although some people, such as Rajan’s wife, make really good, solid yogurt.

- if you live in the staff quarters, typically you will eat the food of the staff cook

- if you live in a hotel/guest house in the area, most have restaraunts as well

Two recommendations in the Airport Bazaar:

Kumar Thapa. They are short on variety, but they probably have the cleanest daal-bhaat around. They also can help arrange for laundry and can give you boiled water essentially for free, a couple Rs for about 5 liters.

Thankar Bahadur Kunwar/ Hemshekhar Hotel. This is two streets down from Kumar Thapa’s, on the other side of SEBAC. This and Thapa's have fans, which decreases the fly factor. Very clean food, and somewhat more variety than Mr. Thapa’s.

Dehydration Prevention

Although Bayalpata is at an elevation, parts of Achham (including Sanfebagar) can get well above 100 degrees F, and you will have to walk a lot. Try to get in the habit of drinking at least 1-1.5 liters of liquid in the morning prior to going out for the day. Then have your bottle ready throughout the day. You should still be urinating 3-5 times per day, and your urine should be clear. At the clinic there is a water filter system; all visitors should also bring iodine/water filter for times they are not at the clinic. Rehydration solutions are available at Bayalpata Hospital and other stores in Sanfebagar as "Nava Jeevan" or "Jeevan Jal", 1 sachet in 1 litre of potable water to be taken within 24 hrs.

Lodging in Sanfe Bagar/Bayalpata

When planning your trip please speak to the Volunteer Director/ onsite Program Director to help you arrange housing. Generally, there are two options:

1) depending upon availability, some volunteers will stay in the Staff Quarters (note that you may be asked to share a room).

2) there are several hotels/guest houses in the Sanfebagar area that you can stay at. Bayalpata Hospital is a good 45 min hike from Sanfebagar. 

Communication in Achham

There are three kinds of lines in Achham:

-CDMA. Bayalpata Hospital has a CDMA phone that works decently with an Antenna. Can connect to internet, most reliably from low network congestion times 10pm-7am

-VSAT. Satellite. When it is working you should be able to communicate by skype reliably.

-Landline/”Telephone”. Use for NTC roaming internet. Not in Sanfe, but found in Bayalpata.

Calls to America

Best thing to do is google chat-to-chat voice (from the downloaded file, not within a browser). Next best thing is to do Skype, particularly if you need to call an actual phone. You family should communicate with you via skype. If they need to call Nepal, have them check out https://www.relianceindiacall.com or https://www.airtelcallhome.com/ics. Few popular cards amongst Nepali staying in the US are HIMTEL cards (http://www.himtel.com/) ( www.call2nepal.com) (http://www.visitnepal.com/phonecards/) Otherwise, you can have them call via skype, though this is somewhat more expensive (about 33 cents a minute) but may be more convenient b/c can keep dialing quickly over and over.

Security Situation

Currently, the police are remarkably relaxed, and there has been no political violence in many months. There are often "bandhs" on the roads - these are road blockades for political or personal reasons and happen regularly throughout the country. These can impede travel plans and occasionally can be dangerous; travelers are advised to never cross a bandh unless traveling with a Nyaya affiliate who has been approved by the current Program Director. As with any place, there is always a risk of theft, mugging, and motor vehicle accident. In Achham, the consequences of these are far greater than in a large city. Be sure to keep money in a couple of different places to avoid the more severe scenario of getting robbed/losing all your money. Don’t take unnecessary risks with roads and cars. Best to avoid travel by foot or by vehicle at night.

Money Transfer

Volunteers SHOULD NOT be paying for any Nyaya related items themselves. All purchases for Nyaya equipment etc. must be done through SCB, RABA, or petty cash. We need to avoid multiple transfers for audit purposes. Volunteers should speak with Volunteer Director to determine how much money they should bring for their time in Achham. You can obtain ATM-like services in Nepalgunj at Nepal Investment Bank if you are stuck there. Maximum withdrawal seems to be 50,000 per card. There are NO ATMs in Dhangadi and beyond (including Achham). The new Malika Vikas Bank in Sanfe accepts incoming money orders but expect delays since Malika doesn't have a branch in Kathmandu and works via an intermediate bank.

Travel to Mangalsen (District headquarters)

The road to Mangalsen is terrible. Walking really is the best way. It is a lot safer. Can also hire a jeep, should not pay more than 500-800 Rs. per person. Leave early in the morning, like 4:30 or so. Bus and tractor are also options but are NOT appropriate for Nyaya volunteers. During the dry seasons buses run to Mangalsen but are not safe. The government is levelling and paving the road from Sanfebagar to Mangalsen, slated to be completed by 2011.

Gifts for staff/locals

This is a very sensitive issue; if you'd like to bring something please check in with the current Program Director onsite for appropriateness/suggestions.