BRINGING HOPE AND INSPIRATION | It's so heartening to see the tangible impact DWS has on hundreds of young lives. We’re proud to be a contributing sponsor. Their work is a powerful reminder of what's possible with intention and compassion. The world sees their great work and is inspired by it! #ashafoundationforhumanity #DhammajarineeWitthayaSchool (fb)

TURNING FEAR INTO HOPE | How Dr. Sah and the ASHA Snakebite Awareness Program is Saving Lives in Nepal In the mist-covered villages of surrounding Katari, Nepal, where terraced fields cling to steep hillsides and children walk miles to reach schools without electricity, danger hides in the shadows. Here, venomous snakes - Common Kraits, Cobras, and Russell’s Vipers - slither through homes, fields, and even schoolyards. A single bite can mean death, especially when the nearest hospital is hours away by foot. For years, snakebites have been a silent epidemic in eastern Nepal. Farmers, women fetching water, and children playing outside are all at risk. Many victims never make it to a hospital in time. Others rely on folk remedies - tourniquets, herbal poultices, even black stones - that often do more harm than good. Dr. Sah and the Team That Brought Hope When Dr. Sah, a dedicated physician with a deep understanding of Nepal’s snakebite crisis, approached the ’ASHA Foundation for Humanity’ with an idea, he knew the stakes. "Education," he said, "is the first line of defense." With the generous support of Maurie and Vivien Stang, the ’ASHA Snakebite Awareness Program’ was born. Dr. Sah assembled a team of seven doctors and nurses, and together, they set out on a mission - to bring life-saving knowledge to the most remote corners of Katari. Journey to the Schools Where No NGO Had Gone Before The team traveled along narrow mountain trails, crossing rivers and climbing steep paths to reach nine different locations - some so isolated that no aid organization had ever visited before. In dimly lit classrooms, they collectively gathered over 3,000 students. The children, wide-eyed and eager, listened as the doctors taught them: - How to identify venomous snakes (the triangular head of a viper, the glossy black scales of a krait). - What to do if bitten (stay calm, immobilize the limb, avoid tourniquets). - Why rushing to a hospital is critical (delays mean death). Even the local Nepali police joined the training, learning how to assist in emergencies. The PT Machine | A Small Device That Could Save Hundreds One of the most crucial contributions of the program was the Prothrombin Time (PT) machine, a blood-testing device ASHA donated to Dr. Sah’s hospital. - It measures clotting time accurately, helping doctors confirm envenomation. - It guides antivenom use - preventing waste in mild cases and ensuring urgent treatment in severe ones. - It bridges the gap between rural clinics and advanced hospitals. For Katari, this was revolutionary. Months after the training, reports began trickling in, revealing the program's undeniable success - at least 10 snakebite cases had been handled correctly thanks to the skills learned, potentially saving 10 lives that might otherwise have been lost. Dr. Sah and Ishor Bajracharya, ASHA’s coordinator, know this is just the beginning. But for now, in the hills of the Udayapur district, something profound has shifted. Children who once feared snakes now know how to protect themselves. Parents no longer rely on myths. The ‘ASHA Snakebite Awareness Program’ is more than just education - it’s a lifeline. It’s proof that even in the most forgotten places, knowledge can mean the difference between life and death. To Dr. Sah, Ishor, the Stang family, and every supporter: Your work is righteous merit-making in its purest form. And to the people of Katari - your resilience inspires us all. #AshaFoundationForHumanity Dr. Sah: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Cevdj4MoM/?mibextid=wwXIfr (fb)