2017 "FOCUS ON YOUTH":
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Community Leader and Philanthropist:
Kiley Pratt
Tufts University, MA
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Kiley Pratt is a junior at Tufts University in Massachusetts. She is pursuing a major in cognitive and brain science with minors in computer science and food systems and nutrition. She has been a member of GlobeMed at Tufts since her freshman year. She worked with the Policy Team to organize a panel of speakers on the issue of “voluntourism” and to address impacts of university groups that travel abroad. Kiley has traveled to Nepal twice, most recently in the summer of 2016 through GlobeMed's GROW (Grassroots On-Site Work) internship program and in partnership with PHASE Nepal. Every year, a few students from each GROW chapter intern on the ground for 3-8 weeks.
Kiley continues her volunteer pursuits. This summer, she is an intern through Tisch College at Spaulding Rehabilitation Center as well as the support staff coordinator for Tufts Wilderness Orientation. |
Myrna Beth Haskell, managing editor, spoke with Kiley about her work with PHASE Nepal and her involvement with the GlobeMed program.
I see that GlobeMed partners with PHASE Nepal. Can you tell me a bit about these two programs?
The first time I went to Nepal, I was a senior in high school. I received credit for my pursuits abroad through a self-designed program.* My instructor there was involved with PHASE Nepal which is an NGO organization. The local community eventually takes over after being trained and assisted by experts and volunteers outside of the community. I was interested in what PHASE Nepal was doing. The GROW internship program sends students to assist with on-site work. I went to Nepal for the second time last summer through Tufts University’s program.
*Gap Year Semester Program: While living with host families and studying Nepali language, students meet with local scholars and activists and learn about Nepal’s history, politics and culture while pursuing a wide range of independent study and service learning projects.
The first time I went to Nepal, I was a senior in high school. I received credit for my pursuits abroad through a self-designed program.* My instructor there was involved with PHASE Nepal which is an NGO organization. The local community eventually takes over after being trained and assisted by experts and volunteers outside of the community. I was interested in what PHASE Nepal was doing. The GROW internship program sends students to assist with on-site work. I went to Nepal for the second time last summer through Tufts University’s program.
*Gap Year Semester Program: While living with host families and studying Nepali language, students meet with local scholars and activists and learn about Nepal’s history, politics and culture while pursuing a wide range of independent study and service learning projects.
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What type of work did you do for PHASE Nepal?
I worked mostly in a village called Rayale, which is just outside the city of Bhaktapur. Our main project was a pilot program where we worked with Nepali staff to conduct health check-ups at the school. These involved screening children for height, weight and nutritional health. I was also able to observe after-school English programs where I would talk with the students studying English. What is the environment like for students there? All students have government uniforms, so it’s easy to tell where they go to school. There are a lot of government mandated outposts, but some are quite far away. It can take four days to walk to a road to get a ride into the city. The kids are used to foreigners being there, so they’re comfortable with us. Nepal receives a lot of donations from other countries, but sometimes there is a lack of communication about what is specifically needed. For instance, I noticed tons of book bags just sitting in a storage room, not being used. |
Assisting with a health check-up in Rayale
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What are the people like?
In general, the people are extremely kind. We stayed in a “tea house” which was a temporary housing situation because the earthquake* had damaged the building that stood there before. Our homestay family would cook for us every night and socialize with us afterward. *The earthquake that devastated Nepal in 2015 (a.k.a. Gorkha earthquake), struck near the city of Kathmandu in central Nepal on April 25, 2015. About 9,000 people were killed and many thousands more were injured. More than 600,000 structures in Kathmandu and other nearby towns were either damaged or destroyed. Another major aftershock hit Nepal – just weeks later - on May 12. What is your most memorable experience? |
Members of the GROW team with their homestay family
(Kiley is 3rd from right) |
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We went near the epicenter of the earthquake which was still having aftershocks. There were water and sanitation projects that were ongoing (called the WASH projects). They were rebuilding wells because thousands of people had lost access to water. Seeing first-hand how this area was still recovering a year after the earthquake hit was unbelievable. We met a man in his 90s while we were there. He remembered an earthquake that occurred over 80 years ago* and was telling us about it and how the experiences were different. He had survived them all.
* January 1934: The epicenter of this earthquake was located in eastern Nepal about 9.5 km (5.9 mi) south of Mount Everest. The earthquake was so severe that in Kolkata, which was about 650 km (404 mi) from the epicenter, many buildings were damaged or collapsed. Has your work there changed your perspective in any way? |
Team with PHASE health director after observing
the WASH projects in Hagam (Kiley is 2nd from left) |
I think that every time you travel, it changes you in some way. It was really hard for me to understand the value I could bring to these people. I felt I needed more knowledge. I really wanted to help and be as productive as possible, but it was really hard not to feel inadequate. I went there really wanting to make a difference. One of my instructors told me to learn as much as I could about the people and their struggles. This helped me to be more present…to understand more. It also helped me to put myself in their place – to imagine how I could exist in this community.
You’ve been there twice. Do you imagine that you’ll return?
I would love to go back and visit with my host family again. This was the family I stayed with when I went the first time. I took my team to visit with them for a day last summer, but it wasn’t nearly enough time.
PHASE Nepal’s objective: To improve the livelihoods of rural people by providing immediate support through health care and education services, and to create opportunities in communities for self-empowerment.
You’ve been there twice. Do you imagine that you’ll return?
I would love to go back and visit with my host family again. This was the family I stayed with when I went the first time. I took my team to visit with them for a day last summer, but it wasn’t nearly enough time.
PHASE Nepal’s objective: To improve the livelihoods of rural people by providing immediate support through health care and education services, and to create opportunities in communities for self-empowerment.
