Hawaii Acupuncturists and community members recently met for a fundraising dinner at Himalayan Kitchen to support this upcoming  acupuncture trauma clinic training in Nepal.

Katherine Fisher, co-founder of Hawaii Health Guide will be coming  from Hawaii assisting in this training.

The community is invited to contribute and support this model of health care outreach and this the worthy work of this international organization.

All funds directly support the AWB Nepal Training. More information below.

Acupuncturists Without Borders  Beginnings:

Acupuncturists Without Borders (AWB) was formed in September 2005 in the immediate aftermath of Hurricanes Rita and Katrina. From October of 2005 through November of 2006, AWB provided free community acupuncture treatments to survivors of the hurricanes in Louisiana, including evacuees, residents, first responders, emergency personnel, volunteers and other care providers. AWB treated close to 8000 individuals in New Orleans and the surrounding areas, and the response was tremendously positive and AWB experienced high demand to expand its services.

We organized over 25 teams to travel to New Orleans with over 75 acupuncturists participating in the program. AWB worked successfully with mental health organizations, free medical clinics, homeless shelters, New Orleans firefighters, police and SWAT teams, the military and Coast Guard, FEMA and a variety of recovery groups to provide free acupuncture treatments to the Greater New Orleans area.

Our Vision

Acupuncturists Without Borders’  vision is to foster the creation of stable, peaceful global communities through its community-based acupuncture services and training which interrupt the cycles of unresolved trauma….restoring hope, dignity and resilience.

Our Mission

To provide:

¨    Immediate relief and recovery acupuncture services to global communities that are in crisis from disaster or human conflict, and,

¨    Training and services to global communities that promote and sustain local self-directed, self-sufficient, proactive and long-term recovery, rebuilding and trauma resolution.

¨    Training acupuncturists and other health care providers so that they can initiate their own local relief and recovery efforts

AWB Strategy

¨    Community-style acupuncture in group settings to relieve stress and trauma and promote hope, calm, determination and resiliency

¨    Alliances with local, community-based organizations

¨    Treatment of all whom have been affected – survivors, first responders,  emergency personnel and other care providers

¨    AWB will initiate field programs under its own auspices, and will also support other locally initiated efforts by acupuncturists, as possible

AWB uses community-style acupuncture to provide caring, compassionate treatment in a group setting. This model of treatment allows everyone treated to experience relief from stress and trauma together. When the entire group feels calm and quiet, hope, determination and resiliency rises powerfully within it.

World Healing Exchange Program

Acupuncturists Without Borders’ first international journey with the World Healing Exchange Program (WHEP) took place in Nepal in October 2009. The purpose of Acupuncturists Without Borders’ World Healing Exchange program is to provide services through treatments and training in communities around the world, as well as to learn from indigenous and traditional healers about their healing practices. On these journeys we also renew and refresh ourselves and deepen our own practices to support the work we each do in the world.

The organizations we met with during our time in Kathmandu were all committed to helping others through various types of healing modalities, as well sharing a common goal of promoting peace around the world.  The AWB participants shared their knowledge of acupuncture and in turn learned about Ayurvedic medicine, Tibetan medicine, women’s issues within the Nepalese culture, and other local healing practices.

Whether we were providing treatments at TEWA outside of Kathmandu or at Thupten Choeling Monastery high in the mountains, the connections we established with each person along the way were invaluable.  Many expressed interest in learning more about acupuncture and how they could use this healing modality in disasters and other traumatic situations.  Since October of 2009, we have been planning to return to Kathmandu, Nepal, to train local groups in using the 5 needle protocol. 

We’ve been told an earthquake in Nepal is inevitable.  In the past, AWB has responded to many disasters domestically (New Orleans, LA:  Hurricane Katrina, San Diego, CA:  wildfires, Iowa floods, etc.) and internationally (currently AWB volunteers are responding to the earthquake in Haiti, and in March 2010, we traveled to Santiago, Chile, to train local acupuncturists in the NADA protocol for disaster relief).

Training Program for Nepal – August 2010

As a result of the requests from Nepali care providers, AWB is now planning to return to Nepal to conduct a week-long training for select individuals involved in providing services and health care to Nepali communities.

The training will include those who use acupuncture and those who do not. We will teach needle techniques for acupuncturists, and non needle techniques, using the same protocols, for non acupuncturists. Some of our non needle techniques include the use of tuning forks on acupuncture points, as well as ear seeds.

Trainees will be taught in detail about point location, point descriptions, how to set up a community acupuncture clinic, definitions of trauma/ secondary trauma, the spirit of acupuncture points and the five elements, the importance of self care, meditation/ qi gong practices, and how to effectively and efficiently respond to a disaster. Ultimately, we believe that this training and these treatments can be used not only for disasters, but in communities all over Nepal to help support the overall peace process in which Nepalis are currently engaged. 

With the guidance of Wild Earth Journeys, located in Kathmandu, each trainee will pay 500 rupees to attend the training, which will be held at the Vajra Hotel in Kathmandu

With this training, participants will learn a proven healing treatment BEFORE a disaster occurs, as well as a methodology for organizing in communities during a disaster.  Those attending the training will form a network amongst themselves, so when/ if a disaster occurs, an action plan is already in place. 

**Groups attending the AWB/ Nepal Training:

1. Dr Sudarshan
Wellness Hospital, Bansbhari, Kathmandu:
Chair person of Acupuncture Association of Nepal
He will be providing us with trainees (35 acupuncturists, 3 homeopaths, 2
naturopaths , 3 auyrvedic doctors)

2. Dr. Sherab Burma, Pure Vision Sorig, Healing and Research Center
www.purevisionsorig.com
He will bring 4-5 amchis (Traditional Tibetan Medicine doctors) for the training. Dr Tsewang Rigzin, he is a Tibetan traditional Doctor. His organization
is called   Men-Tsee-Khan, Tibetan Medical and Astro institute, Dzarong
Thupten Choeling Gompa, Pio Jumbesi, Leni-5 Solukhumbu, Nepal

3. TEWA

Nonprofit committed to equitable justice and peace in Nepal. Focus on sustainable development and women’s empowerment.
http://www.tewa.org.np
They will send 3-4 staff members for the training.

4. Nava Kiran Plus
http://www.nkp.org.np/
Nava Kiran Plus is a home for Hiv+ children and adult. They have 30-25
adults all Hiv+ and 50 children aging from 4 to 15, half of them are HIV+.
They will provide 3 trainees.

5. Nepal Red Cross Society
http://www.nrcs.org/home/index.php
REDCROSS@KTM.ENET.COM.NP
They will send 3-4 staff members for the training.

6. Maiti Nepal

Organization devoted to prevention of girl trafficking, rescue, rehabilitation, integration of survivors of trafficking.
83-Maiti Marg, Pingalsthan, Gaushala
http://www.maitinepal.org
info@maitinepal.org
They will be sending 2-3 staff for the training.

7. Umbrella Foundation

Ten years of civil war in Nepal has displaced tens of thousands of children. With countless children orphaned and even more trafficked and/or abandoned, Umbrella Foundation was established to rescue destitute children and give them access to education.

The Umbrella Foundation provides care for more conflict-displaced and trafficked children in the Kathmandu Valley than any other INGO.

We will be doing clinics with trainees at the Umbrella Foundation.

8. 2 Nurses, who are constantly activate giving response to earthquake trauma. Marsha Duper, nurse from American international School and Carrie Sengelman, Embassy nurse.

9. Dristi Nepal

Supporting women in recovery; strengthening movements to advance female drug users and women living with HIV/AIDS for the rights to equal opportunities and existence

Dristi will be sending several staff to training.

Over time, AWB hopes to send volunteers from the United States back to Nepal to support you in providing Community Acupuncture to the Nepalese people.  We will be a support to you as you incorporate this new healing modality in to your current organization.  A central supply location in Kathmandu will be determined, so we will be able to assist with supplies and other necessary items needed to maintain each clinic.  As stated in our mission and vision, our goal is to set up and maintain long term, sustainable programs to bring serenity and peace to all communities--before, during and after a disaster – and where there has been poverty and/or conflict.

Criteria for Trainees Selected for AWB Training

Trainees should have:

1)  Some background in health care and/or counseling or similar type of profession, where they have been involved in the health, care or provision of services to clients.

2) Ongoing employment or relationship with organization that selects them to come to training.

3) Commitment to serving underserved communities with the techniques they will learn, on an ongoing basis into the future.

4) Willingness to sign a contract expressing commitment to ongoing work with acupuncture in their field/work or as a volunteer.

5) Willingness to receive future trainings in acupuncture and related practices.