Hi! I’m Maja,
A 23 year old paramedic enthusiastic in wilderness and expedition medicine, I have a strong passion for education and helping others build their knowledge so they can care for both themselves and their communities.
We have been invited to do two intensive three-day Wilderness First Aid Training
programs in the Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts. These programs will provide training for approximately 120 participants with varying levels of medical experience. Our team of ten extensively qualified medics and paramedics are volunteering our time and skills entirely (Here’s a little about our amazing crew: https://rb.gy/nkpfzd) We are seeking support to fund vital medical supplies such as 10x CPR manikins, 80x first aid kits, 120x face shields, trainer AED’s and other training equipment. Training materials (manikins etc) will remain with the Blue Dragon Foundation for on-going train-the-trainers, so the gift will keep on giving.
We would love you to join this journey as part of our support team.
Any contribution, big or small, will make a meaningful difference. We are seeking a total of $15,000.
The training will cover:
- Primary assessment of casualties
- Basic first aid and CPR
- Trauma care and emergency response
- Wilderness-specific care tailored to the challenges of each region
This initiative aims to bridge the health inequality gap that remote villages face before they can access tertiary care facilities.
Why It Matters
- Many villages in these regions are hours to days away from tertiary healthcare.
- Equipping locals with practical first aid skills ensures that emergencies can be managed safely until professional medical care is available.
- Training local trekking and community guides will enhance not only the safety of visitors but also the wellbeing of their own communities.
By investing in local capacity, we aim to create a sustainable improvement in prehospital care for remote Himalayan communities.
Project Partners
- Blue Dragon Foundation (major partner)
- Supported entirely by volunteers and crowdfunding (You)
How You Can Help
To make this program possible, we are seeking support in the form of:
- Medical supplies such as 10x CPR manikins, 120x first aid kits, 120x face shields, trainer AED’s and other training equipment
- Donations of surplus or unused medical supplies (expired items for training use also welcome)
- Financial contributions to help cover local logistics and equipment costs
Every contribution directly supports life-saving training for remote communities.
You may also feel to contribute towards the volunteers expenses, such partial input to airfares, this is a great help to those volunteering their time and expertise. If funding for volunteers expenses please note that in the reference or email me.
Appreciation for your care in supporting training. With your support, we
can empower Himalayan communities to respond to medical emergencies with confidence, saving lives and improving long-term health outcomes. This is the first of many such projects, please let me know if you’d like to be kept up to date with future programs.
Here’s a little about our amazing crew:
- Jo and Jack both work for Ambulance Victoria and bring over 20 years of experience. Jo has previously volunteered with Wild Medics in Nepal and contributes to Ambulance Victoria’s wilderness response programs. She is also highly active in SES, trained in both bush and alpine search and rescue. Jack runs a nationally recognised first aid training company and is passionate about equipping people with the skills to save lives.
- Lara, a paramedic with NSW Ambulance for over 10 years, has volunteered on a medical boat on Lake Victoria in Tanzania, providing healthcare to remote communities.
- Liam, Felicity, Callum and Mark are experienced army medics from across Australia. Collectively, they bring a wealth of knowledge including combat first aid instruction and operational deployments both domestically and internationally.
- Sophie, based in Alice Springs with St John Ambulance, works in some of Australia’s most remote environments. She regularly responds to complex multi-agency emergencies and has extensive experience providing care in resource-limited settings. Sophie is keen to share her expertise from remote Central Australia and apply these lessons to Himalayan communities. While the 10 of us work for varying organisations, our participation in this program is not representative of the organisations we work for or represent. Thank you for being part of the team!
Payments can be made to: Commonwealth Bank Australia
BSB: 062-108 Account: 10252440
Please include in reference: Himalayan Communities.
Contacts for questions:
Maja Dalby-Ball Olson: [email redacted]
Elaway (Geraldene Dalby-Ball): [email redacted].au
Payments can be made to: Austere Care
Commonwealth Bank Australia BSB: 062-108 Account: 10252440
Please reference: Himalayan Communities.
Organizer
Aja Verdouw
Organizer
Clareville, NSW