It’s both scary and exciting to think that I’ll soon leave my little family for three weeks, to travel to the Himalaya mountains to help a medical team bring health care to people in remote rural Nepal. 

How did that reality come to me ? I remember being really inspired by photographer Deborah Donenfeld when she embarked on the first Humla Fund humanitarian trip in 2014. One day over dinner I must have mentioned how envious I was, and how I’d love to launch similar adventure. Purely hypothetically of course. Beware of what you wish for! On 50th birthday, my husband surprised me with this very unique present: he had put me on the list for the next trip.

My reaction was a mix of thrill and chill!  It took a few weeks to silence the urban girl (“noooo…sleeping in a tent for two weeks in the cold!”) and to wake up the adventurous mountain girl (she had gone into deep hibernation over all those years since living in the Alps).

Passing the interview to qualify for the adventure gave me further strength: my mental disposition and fitness level seemed good enough… yes, I can do it! OK, maybe with a bit of extra training, and mental and physical preparation (should I really sleep in the garden?). Now it’s also time to prepare on a practical level. All the volunteers of the expedition are asked to raise the necessary funds by June.

Would you consider helping me realise this ambition, and help people in the poorest region of Nepal, who are far from medical attention?

You can find out more by visiting my page on fundly.com/medical-trip-to-humla-nepal.

No amount is too small to be meaningful for me. Even 1£ will be highly appreciated. I will do the long hours of walking thinking of those who have helped me, and they will be present in the rituals and the richest moments of this adventure.

I’ll post more at return in October – stay tuned!

PS : A particular THANK to Michelle Marshall (michelle-marshall.com), Vanessa Boz (bozaround.com) and Sophie Demenge (Oeuf) for their generosity.

 

 

Compassion Deborah Donenfeld florence rolando Humanitarian Trip Humla Fund travel