ACCORDING TO THE UNITED NATIONS, NEPAL RANKS 138TH IN THE WORLD IN OVERALL HUMAN DEVELOPMENT, BEHIND SUCH COUNTRIES AS INDIA AND BANGLADESH AND ONE OF THE LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES IN ASIA. ABOUT ONE-HALF OF THE NEPALESE PEOPLE LIVE IN POVERTY. THEY ENDURE THE TYPICAL PROBLEMS OF IMPOVERISHED PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD, SUCH AS HIGH RATES OF MALNOURISHMENT, CHILDHOOD MORTALITY AND ILLITERACY. POVERTY IN NEPAL IS CONCENTRATED IN RURAL VILLAGES AND AMONG LOWER CASTES AND ETHNIC MINORITIES. THESE VILLAGES ARE OFTEN LOCATED IN REMOTE, MOUNTAIN VILLAGES THAT ARE GEOGRAPHICALLY ISOLATED AND FAR FROM BASIC SERVICES. SUBSISTENCE AGRICULTURE IS THE RULE, LEAVING VILLAGERS LITTLE OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE THEIR WELFARE. THESE RURAL AREAS HAVE SEEN LITTLE OF THE MODEST ECONOMIC GROWTH THAT HAS BENEFITED LARGER CITIES IN NEPAL.

RURAL HEALTH SERVICES ARE AT BEST RUDIMENTARY, WITH GOVERNMENT HEALTH POSTS OFTEN GOING UNSTAFFED AND UNDERSUPPLIED FOR YEARS. NUTRITION IS INADEQUATE; VACCINATION RATES ARE POOR. ACCESS TO EDUCATION IS IRREGULAR, AND LOW LITERACY RATES REMAIN A BARRIER TO ECONOMIC PROGRESS.
POLITICAL INSTABILITY HAS INCREASED IN THE LAST FEW YEARS IN NEPAL, WITH UNSTABLE NATIONAL GOVERNMENTS FINDING IT DIFFICULT TO PURSUE COHERENT POLICIES AND RESIDUAL TENSION FROM THE CLASHES BETWEEN A MAOIST INSURGENCY AND GOVERNMENT FORCES. THESE POLITICAL PROBLEMS HAVE HURT TOURISM IN NEPAL, ONE ACTIVITY THAT HAD BEEN DELIVERING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES TO SOME RURAL AREAS.
RECENT POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS LEAVE US HOPING FOR A MORE STABLE AND PROSPEROUS FUTURE IN NEPAL. IN THE MEANTIME, POVERTY IN NEPAL REMAINS SEVERE.
CHRISTIAN MEDICAL COLLEGE AND TEACHING HOSPITAL COLLEGE (CMC) HAS MADE THE RURAL POOR OF NEPAL ITS MAIN TARGET FOR SUPPORT, FOCUSING ON KEY NEEDS IN HEALTHCARE, EDUCATION AND INCOME GENERATION.