Dr. Liane Belland, a Calgary gynecologist, made her second trip to Nepal in November
2005. Her work focused on education at the
Tansen United Missions to
Nepal (UMN) Hospital including residents-in-training, the staff gynecologist and
the expatriate group of surgeons who were not trained in Obstetrics or Gynecology.
She spent a week in Kathmandu preparing for her work in Tansen, where she spent
two and a half weeks working in clinics, teaching in the operating room and
giving rounds. She also audited the maternal mortality cases from the previous
six months and presented her results to the hospital staff with management
recommendations. This was a sobering job but it gave Liane numerous ideas of
how to affect "health" with very simple measures. She left Tansen
with an aim to return on a regular basis. The gynecologist there,
Dr.
Savana Sharma, is a dedicated Nepali surgeon who is enthusiastic and wanting to do
much more than what she has the resources to achieve. Liane is committed to
her and all Nepali women in their quest for a better life.
Mike Tolfree (husband to
Liane Belland) also made the
trip to Nepal to do very different work which was to facilitate the transfer
of funds received in
Canada to
The Nepal Project headed by
Samaritan's Purse. The Canadian government
has some of the strictest laws for money earmarked for international work. This
makes the transfer of money and accountability for its use difficult, but vital
for ongoing donation. Mike prepared a full day seminar for the Nepalese workers
from the
Human Development and Community Services (HDCS- the renamed
United Missions
to Nepal) so that they could understand the requirements of the Canadian government
and take steps to facilitate the transfer of money in addition to providing adequate
documentation for accounting purposes after the money was received. At last communication,
the steps that Mike put in place were still being used and the first transfer
of money went through without a hitch!
The Foundation supported Liane and Mike by providing tax receipts for their expenses
while traveling.