My experience at Mapikhel...

Visiting Mapikhel village was the essence of my stay in Nepal. I was looking forward to seeing the place of our project with my own eyes. The village is not far from Kathmandu but is not easily accessible. The road is mostly gritty and it takes three-four hours to get the place. When I got to the village I realized that several houses are scattered all over the place in the forested mountains and valleys. We stopped over at one of the houses. I was happy and grateful towards the hospitality of the people who prepared lunch for us. We ate rice, lentil and potatoes, typical meal of the villagers and it was cooked using firewood. This was the second time I had eaten a meal with my hands. I got to see the life of local people there and found it to be very monotonous. To me, their activities seemed very limited including working on the corn field, eating the same food every day and sitting in front of their houses and gazing at the surrounding wilderness and talking to other locals. I was happy our project will give them the power that will enrich their lives in many ways. They will not need to go to bed when the sun goes down, their children will not need to study under the dim light of kerosene lamps, families will be able to listen to the radio for entertainment and to listen to other news and programs. I hope that electricity brings hope for their future and will be a breakthrough in their lives.

I particularly enjoyed interviewing the local people and other members of our team who without whom our project wouldn't have been possible. While interviewing them, I felt as if I were a journalist and a social worker. I am exhilarated for being part of this project which makes such a meaningful difference in the lives of these people and hopefully in Nepal too. I am also very happy that our project takes advantage of the hydro power potential of the country. When I was in the village I felt our project might be a historical small brick in building a sustainable source of energy for the whole country. I hope to continue being involved in this and similar development projects taking place in Nepal.

-Kamil Adamczewski