International Courses

A good part of my work is in training/ education. In January I conducted at ALERT an international course with 8 participants. This course lasted 4 weeks and was primarily about rehabilitation issues related to leprosy disability. An intensive course not only for the participants but also for the main facilitator/ co-ordinator = me! Following the course there was one week of catching up for things left undone and then off we went back to Nepal for the 11th annual RPOD course (Rehabilitation and Prevention of Disability) another course that I facilitated for 2 weeks with 10 participants.
In these two courses the particpants represented 13 nationalities:: Bangladesh, East Timor, Ethiopia (4), Germany, Indonesia, Maldives, Nepal, Nigeria, Netherlands, Tajikistan, Thailand, USA (2), UK (2) With their countries of work another 4 countries could be added to the list.
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, DR Congo, East Timor, Ethiopia (4), Indonesia (2), Nigeria, Sudan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Maldives, Nepal (2).
What a privelege to get to know people from different nations and cultural backgrounds with a common interest in treating leprosy affected persons and, in most instances, people with other disabilities.
Mariet joined me on this trip back to Nepal. We were accommodated with the participants in the guesthouse of the training centre in Pokhara, Nepal.
A blessing to us was that we were able to use our own motorbike again for transport to town, church, visiting ‘old’ friends etc.
Now back in Ethiopia we have to continue to work on getting ‘our’ car registered and getting a residence permit for Mariet. (more about this issue in a later update)
WIM