As of August 31, over 25 million people worldwide have been confirmed infected with COVID-19, including residents of 188 different countries or regions. Over 39000 of those confirmed cases have tested positive in Nepal. The country may feel remote to Westerners, but its shared borders with China and India, as well as its large migrant worker population, means Nepal is just as susceptible to global events as everywhere else. What was initially less clear, however, was how the pandemic and resulting government lockdowns in Nepal were affecting the villages in the Helambu region that Aythos supports. With the tourism industry depleted and villagers unable to travel to Kathmandu and vice versa,

Aythos has worked in Baasbotey for almost three years, conducting agricultural programs such as diverse vegetable trainings, and launching our health program in 2018. In July, Aythos staff conducted a needs assessment in Baasbotey to understand how COVID-19 is affecting the community and what their specific needs are during this time. We surveyed three key informants, who were members of the village, a community volunteer health worker, and a local government official. These phone interviews offered useful insight into the situation in Baasbotey, especially since our staff is unable to travel out to the village due to the pandemic. Our respondents painted a picture of job loss and rising foo