For the last 3 weeks, our Conscious Impact Nepal team has “sheltered in place” during Nepal’s nationwide lockdown response to the COVID-19 pandemic. As the world adapts to the Coronavirus, we too at Conscious Impact are transforming our work and our lives to fit into the “new normal.” Yet, as always, we remain positive, inspired and grateful for the work that we do, and for our home here in Takure. Our team is happy and healthy, quarantined in the Himalayan mountains.
Our Quarantined Team (“Quaranteam”) here at our Conscious Impact Camp, outside the community of Takure, Sindhupalchok, Nepal. Photo by Jonathan H. Lee
As of today, Nepal has only 42 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, which makes it one of the world’s safest places to be. Still, to prevent further spreading, the government has ordered all travel and business within the country to stop. With flights canceled and the country on lockdown, we unfortunately cannot receive any new volunteers for the remainder of this season. But, we are lucky. We live in nature, sleep in tents, work outside and eat organic, fresh food delivered from local farmers and producers. We live communally – supporting one another’s’ needs — and our team is more grateful than ever to Takure and our community partners here in rural Nepal for their resilience, strength and hospitality.
Mariana Jimenez, our Natural Building Program Lead, paints the Dome with the first coat of lime mineral. As community-based projects are mostly on hold, we are using our time to focus on beautifying and completing some of our camp projects. Photo by Jonathan H. Lee
Our group of 17 international volunteers, our “Quaranteam,” is using our time here sheltered at our Camp to finally complete some of our home projects. We are working to finish our 8-room new volunteer accommodations, called “The Nest”, made out of local bamboo and daub – a mixture of soil, sand and straw. We are painting the Dome, built last November during our 10-day Superadobe training course, with lime, a natural mineral used for water protection. We continue working in our gardens, flipping beds, mulching the springtime blooming orchards, and everyday collecting farmer harvested coffee. And our youth team is planning to better implement programs once schools are back in session. It feels good to be able to remain productive during these times, and to give our Camp some much needed love.
Our Agriculture Program staff member, Kumari “Kanchi” Bomjom and Polly Gunton, one of our Youth Program team members spend the morning planting coffee saplings with a local farmer. Although our work is limited, we are able to work in small groups on farmers’ lands to begin our pre-monsoon tree planting. Photo by Jonathan H. Lee
At the same time, we are feeling the challenge of being separated from the communities that we love and serve every day. Most of our community-based projects are on pause to honor Nepal’s lockdown and keep everyone safe and healthy. This definitely delays some of our project outcomes like the community bus stop, waste management program, youth and education programs and tree hole digging in preparation for the monsoon tree planting programs. We continue to stay in communication with all of our staff and community partners, and are ready to return to work as soon as the lockdown ends.
Our hearts are saddened by the global crisis and suffering that is happening around the world. We are hopeful that these challenges will give people and the earth time to rest, and ultimately lead to better lives in the future. We are grateful for all the healthcare workers, leaders and people responding with love, compassion and selfless service around the world. We strive to support the local community in whatever way we can and feel confident that at this time “sheltering in place” is the best we can do for the local and global communities.
Thank you for your support and belief in us. Our work continues even limited and you make that possible. We look forward to getting back to our full work mode, supporting rural community resilience here in Nepal and send our deepest condolences and hearts to people all over the world as we each process and proceed through these trying times.
Much love from Takure,
The Conscious impact Team