Introduction

Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world, with over 70 percent of the population living below the poverty level. According to the international labor organization, Nepal is the world's 12th poorest country, with an annual per-capita of $241, the lowest in the South Asian region. In addition, health indicators for Nepal are amongst the worst in the world. According to the CIA World Fact Book 2008, the world's life expectancy is 66.26 years compared to 60 years for Nepal. Furthermore, the world infant mortality rate is 42.64 per 1000 compared to 53.9 per 1000 for Nepal (CIA World Fact Book 2008) 

A lower life expectancy rate and higher infant mortality are found in rural and hilly areas in Nepal, such as the Districts of Manang and Dolpa. Millennium Development Goals data indicates that the infant mortality rate in Nepal is 53.9% per 1000 while it is 88.46% in Manang! In addition, the average life expectancy in Nepal is 60 years, while the average life expectancy in Manang is 57 years. The Himalayan Family Healthcare Project was established in 2009 to address the health needs of the Manang and Dolpa districts.

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Mission statement

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*The Himalayan Family Healthcare Project (HFHCP) provides community-driven primary healthcare and educational services in the remote district of Dolpa and Manang. The HFHCP is a tax-exempt, non-profit organization under section 501(C)(3) of the IRS Code. We are committed to accomplishing our mission by:

*Conducting community health needs assessments and resource evaluations; Developing community coalitions and community empowerment activities;

*Developing culturally appropriate community health promotions and disease-prevention activities;

Providing health screenings and quality primary healthcare services;

*Establishing active and passive public health surveillance systems and reporting health indicators such as child mortality rates (MDG #4) and maternal health statistics (MDG #5);

*Conducting project evaluations and research related to primary healthcare services;

*Collaborating with both the district and the national system for the development of health policies;

Replicating the project's success in other communities.