A midwife training and women's health workshop, the first event of GALA's Rural Health Education program, took place on February 28-29 at the health post in the village of Nawalpur in Sindhupalchok district, three hours walk up a hill from the nearest dirt road. GALA sponsored this event along with Naresh Dangol (Manda Howa Project). 68 village women from the area, from 16 to 60 years old, took part in the training, led by two local midwife-nurses. The participants reached the training site by walking on mountain trails from as far as a day away. Some of the older participants had never been to school and this was the first formal educational event they had ever attended. One-third of the participants were from low castes (dalit), in an area where until recently this would not have been possible. The topics
covered included basic delivery methods, dealing with problem deliveries, prenatal care, contraception and safe sex, and any other women’s health issues the participants wanted to discuss. After the event, many of the participants spoke about the empowerment they felt from the workshop, where women not only learned but also stepped forward, were heard, and took responsibility for their own health and that of others. Another workshop, building off the first, is planned for later in the year in the same area.