It has been 18 months since the lockdown was imposed on March 24, 2020 in Nepal. Therefore, everything is moving very slowly as in the rest of the world. I would like to share some news and updates of the activities during this period in Nangi village and surroundings.

1. Covid-19 and Nangi village: Nangi and surrounding villages were not affected much by Covid-19 because there were travel restriction for travel from one village to another. Most of the villagers worked on the farms and did not go outside the villages.
2. Teaching during the pandemic: All the schools were closed in Nepal for 16 months during the pandemic.  However, Himanchal High School because of their rural location was opened for about eight months during that time. During the second surge in cases online classes were offered for the older students but currently students are attending in person.
3. The old and new school buildings: During the pandemic, four classrooms were added in the school that was partially supported by the Nepal Education Department. The school now has 16 classrooms that are bigger than the previous classrooms. The photos of the old building (2018) and new building (2021) are below. The older building was built using rocks and clay for mortar.
   
4. Nangi Community Medical Clinic: The first small clinic was established in Nangi in 1998 and staffed by a trained health care worker. Over time telemedicine was added and thanks to a generous donor, the clinic has become a small hospital with five patients beds and additional staff. Fully powered by solar power, it houses a small operation theater for minor surgery, an x-ray machine and a pharmacy.  There are currently four health workers working at the clinic including a junior medical doctor. During the Covid-19 lockdown, not many patients traveled from neighboring villages for medical exams.
   
5. Tourism Program:  During the Covid-19 pandemic, we were able to renovate the tourist lodges in Nangi and Mohare. We also added 10 rooms in the Mohare Lodge. Unfortunately we have not had tourists for almost two years but hopefully we will see an influx of trekkers in 2022.
   

My visit to Kearney, Nebraska: Due pandemic travel restriction, I was very fortunate to secure a seat on a chartered flight booked for U.S. Embassy workers from Nepal to the U.S. I attended the memorial service in Kearney of the HEF founder, Dr. Leonard Skov on May 29^th, 2021. During my visit, I was able to reconnect with friends and attend a meeting with the Himanchal Education Foundation Board of Directors.

Top row: Dr Toni Hill, me, Peg Nyffeler (Sec), Susan Bigg, Bottom row: Sally Lundell, Dr Ron Konecny (Pres), Bhim Rai, Roger Nyffeler, Absent members: Ajay Rai, Sherry Morrow
Thank you very much for your support.
Mahabir Pun, Nepal

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