KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 17

Tiny Share of field Activity (TSOFA) USA and Um Hong Gil Human Foundation (UHGHF) handed over 270 wheelchairs to National Disabled Fund Nepal in a ceremony held, at Bhirkuti Mandap, Kathmandu, on Monday.

The event was attended by 250 people, including beneficiaries and guests from Korea and Nepal.

The program was chaired by Dekraj Bhattarai, President of the National Disabled Fund, with Minister of Health and Population, Pradip Paudel, as the chief guest. South Korean Ambassador to Nepal, Park Tae-young, attended as the special guest, along with donors Park Hee Dahl, President of TSOFA; Hwang Yongsik, Chairman of TSOFA; and Park Hee Dong, Country Director of UHGHF.

Notable attendees included Nanda Lal Majhi, Vice Chairman of the Social Welfare Council, and Devi Dutt Acharya, President of the National Disabled Federation, along with representatives from various organizations working in the disability sector.

The main goal of this program is to assist, support and empower persons with physical disabilities to live independently in the community and enjoy all the human rights, according to the organizers.

While addressing the program Minister Paudel expressed the commitment that the government is discussing for personal assistants for people with severe disabilities. He expressed his commitment to further expand the health insurance program and apply it to the disabled community in a more effective manner.

Ambassador Park Tae-young expressed his best wishes on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Nepal and South Korea and expressed his commitment that South Korea will always be a good friend for the development of Nepal. Also, Ambassador Park said that KOICA and various NGOs of South Korea are supporting Nepal in the matter of health aids and employment for citizens with disabilities.

Park Hee Dahl, President of TSOFA emphasized the significance and positive impact of the wheelchair to the recipient and their family improving their quality of the life.

During the program, Hwang Yongsik, Chairman, TSOFA made a commitment to bring additional container of the wheelchair in the near future to improve the lives of the disabled people in Nepal.

Similarly, Park Hee Dong, Country Director, UHGHF expressed that the distributed wheelchairs will be a valuable asset to the beneficiaries in their life.

Out of total 270 wheelchairs, 30 wheelchairs were distributed in Pokhara on September 12 in the presence of Hon. Surendra Raj Pandey, Chief Minister of Gandaki Province, 72 wheelchairs are distributed today's ceremony and rest of the wheelchairs will be distributed in the different parts of Nepal based on need assessment conducted by NDF.

TSOFA with the collaboration of UHGHF, distributed 240 wheelchairs in September 2020 and this year making second major contribution, supported 270 wheelchairs to NDF, showing a strong commitment to improving mobility and the quality life for disabled people in Nepal.