TNAG-0791-FCO40-995-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1978 — Page 241

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There is no electricity, no public transport and the 45 minutes walk to Pokhara is difficult in bad weather.

There is a community room for cultural activities, dancing, singing, etc. little evidence that this is much used.

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There are six lamas in a small monastery, who look after the spiritual needs of the community; some of them also teach part-time in the school.

There is a middle school with over 100 pupils aged 6 to 14. Nepalese children also attend. All the children have to learn Nepali but special classes are given in Tibetan language by the Tibetan teachers and lamas who are not allowed to teach other subjects.

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Most of the women and older girls about 125 in all work in the handicrafts centre, where carpets, shoulderbags, etc. are made but not to such a high standard as in some of the other settlements.

Some of the men get jobs in Pokhara, in hotels, and street trading.

The most encouraging feature of this settlement is the SOS Childrens' Village Hostel, started in 1975, where 50 orphan or semi-orphan children live. This is an excellent house, beautifully kept with delightful house parents. Although austere and simple, the children looked very happy and healthy.

The main needs in this settlement are:-

i) Housing Repairs

nelp with the building of the houses was given in the sixties by expatriate volunteers. Now they are in very bad repair, the wind has blown off the corrugated roofs; they are damp (impossible during monsoon weather one would imagine) and present a very dismal appearance. The refugees have no materials with which to carry out repairs themselves even if they knew how to, but they could certainly carry out much of the labour under supervision by Nepalese or expatriate engineers.

11)Water Supply

At present all drinking water is obtained through one pipe from a spring on a nearby hill about 2 km away. This pipe is polythene and breaks easily in fact, local farmers have been known to cut holes in it to irrigate their fields.

Even without breaks; the supply is only just sufficient and during dry weather the level goes down to danger point There is therefore great need for a metal pipe.

A supply of water for purposes other than drinking can be obtained from the river. This is used for washing the wool for carpets and handicrafts as well as for ordinary laundry, house cleaning, etc. it would be useful if this could be piped but a pump would be necessary.

111) A Nursery for Small Children, whose mothers are working in the carpet and handicrafts centre.

iv) Agricultural Tools

There is a great need for small tractors (Japanese and German types are to be seen in different parts of Nepal) spades, trowels, etc. as the settlement has a small area of rough land for cultivation by the refugees.

At present these tools are borrowed from the Nepalese Government Department of Agriculture. The Nepalese farmers have priority and often the implements are only available when it is rather late for planting.