Sites of Operation

Boudhanath Clinic - Urban Site

The Boudhanath clinic is a busy integrative care clinic in the Kathmandu valley, specifically in the Tibetan Buddhist settlement called Boudhanath. Boudha is a bustling area with apartments, restaurants, monasteries and a beautiful stupa around which thousands of Tibetans do kora (circumambulation) every morning and evening. The clinic is part of one monastery, and there is a second monastery in Boudha where a Tibetan Rinpoche teaches every Saturday. This is a wonderful opportunity to hear teachings on basic Buddhist principles. Through this monastery there are opportunities for retreat as well as learning Tibetan to help in your clinical practice.

In the clinic you will work three to four days a week and have one day for outside clinics which may include treating patients at an elderly home, the beggars camp, or visiting patients who are unable to leave their homes. In the clinic each day the hours are 9am-4:30 and you will see around 30 patients a day. There are 2-4 treatment tables as well as a number of chairs where you can place patients. Here you will treat for 4 days a week and visit an outside clinic on the 5th day.

There is a lot of collaborative work that happens here with western trained doctors as well as Tibetan medicine doctors. Some patients have been on western meds for years and want to get off them, or are beginning western meds and need support. In addition, there is a hospice center with patients suffering from HIV, cancer, stroke, and other serious illnesses, who you will also treat a few times a week.

All supplies are obtained by MMW, with the help of public and volunteer gathered donations, and brought in by volunteers.

Housing
Housing is included at the clinic as is one vegetarian lunch a day. There is also a kitchen where you can prepare your own meals. The staff is very friendly and welcoming. You might share a room with one other volunteer working at the clinic or have your own room. If you would prefer your own space, or are planning to come with a partner, rooms are available in an apartment or guesthouse in Boudha for approx $200/month.

NamoBuddha- Rural Site in the Mountains

Namobuddha is a monastery founded and run by the Thrangu Foundation.

Thrangu Rinpoche built this monastery in the 1970s along with a one room clinic to serve the residents of the area. Last year a new clinic was completed- 3 floors, over 20 rooms, including residents quarters for visiting doctors who volunteer here. The third floor has a large balcony overlooking the hills and beautiful green rice fields as well as the impressive buildings of the monastery itself which contains a main hall, 3 year retreat center, Thangka painting school, Shedra for  advanced Buddhist studies, and primary and secondary school, also for the monks.

The population mostly consists of farmers and physical laborers, along with monks from the monastery. Currently 2 monks are in training here for acupuncture and another 2 are in training as Western Medical practitioners. As a volunteer at this site, you will treat from 20-50 patients per day, along with the help of our acupuncturists in training, for 3 days a week. One day a week also consists of teaching continuing education and practical guidance to the trainees.

Housing
Housing is free of charge as well as 3 meals per day. All meals are served with the monks and dinner is very light fare.

There is currently a hold on sending volunteers to the NamoBuddha site. We will let you know if there is a need for our volunteers to be there again in the future.
Currently we are working on two more sites in Nepal and also in Northern Thailand.
Check back for further details.