Trained nurse: Chetana Shah

Chetana Shah was born on March 23, 2004 and grew up in Sisne, East Rukum, in western Nepal. She was able to attend the Tapriza School in Chunwar in Upper Dolpo. The school is located at an altitude of around 3000 meters in an east-west facing section of the valley surrounded by steep slopes. In the winter months from November to February, it is too cold to teach in the unheated rooms. The regular school year therefore runs from March to November.

"I often had to see sick or injured people having to walk for two days to receive medical care - I want to change that!" Chetana said resolutely before starting her training as a Health Assistant.

Training as a Health Assistant*
The Certificate in General Practice (or Health Assistant) is a three-year program designed to provide mid-level health professionals who can assist the rural community in providing health care.

*Source: https://edusanjal.com/course/health-assistant-ha-ctevt/ retrieved on December 04, 2021

Funding
In general, school education in Nepal should be paid for by the state; only very few pupils receive scholarships for further education or university. In reality, school and secondary education in Nepal is unaffordable for poorer families, especially in structurally weak regions.

Chetana's school education was financed by the Swiss Tapriza Association, DolpoCare paid for her training as a Health Assistant.

The three-year course costs around CHF 3000 (3 academic years at CHF 1000 each).