After OHW’s departure from Tibet, the team started focusing on Nepal, which was always close to her heart. She and a doctor from the University of Utah teamed up and used their connections in the country to lay the foundations for One Heart Worldwide in Nepal.

“We knew that the Network of Safety could be adapted in any culture anywhere in the world. It’s my vision that the model will be used across the whole country,” says Arlene.

OHW started with just two districts and in a few years expanded to 35 of the 77 districts in Nepal. Today, the OHW program is being implemented in 21 districts - from the plains of Terai to the mid-hills and all the way to the mountain areas of the Himalayas.

Over the years, nearly half a million pregnant women, mothers, and newborn infants in Nepal have been able to get quality MNH services through OHW’s programs. The Nepali team has been stationed across the country from the capital city to rural municipality wards, where they work closely with communities, health service providers, Female Healthcare Volunteers, mothers’ groups, and government partners.

But having a great model also doesn’t mean it is easy to start a program especially in a country, where the OHW brand was not known at all.

“We had to do so many different pilot programs in Nepal to prove ourselves and we have been able to do that. We were very successful at responding to disasters in Nepal and for that, we have gained a lot of respect from the government. They now respect and trust us and they know that we are not going to abandon them,” explains Arlene.

Besides its MNH program, OHW has contributed to the emergency response efforts during the 2015 earthquake response and has continued to make a significant contribution to the ongoing COVID-19 response. Today, Nepal's government has become a close partner of OHW recognizing its contribution to helping, not just by improving and reshaping Nepal’s maternal and neonatal healthcare, but also through disaster response.

“We have embraced Nepali community and they have also embraced us. That comes out of respect for our commitment to Nepal,” says Arlene, who explains how the Nepal team continues to serve loyally and with dedication. Many of its staff were infected by COVID-19 and have since recovered and returned back to their stations. 

“I’m so proud of the fact that the Nepal team went through a great deal during the earthquake disaster and are doing the same thing today during the pandemic. I am always moved by the team’s generosity, courage, and willingness that they have for people living in poverty in the most remote places under the most difficult circumstances,” added Arlene.

Today, Arlene has stepped out of the position of Chief Executive Officer and continues to support OHW’s work in Nepal as its Chief Visionary Officer. Working for nearly 41 years as a nurse practitioner, Arlene is still energetic and passionate about her nursing profession.

“It breaks my heart when I hear about every woman who dies due to pregnancy complications. And I think, ok, we can do better. You know, there are a lot of things we can do that can help change this. We may not be able to save everyone but we are going to try. OHW is making a big difference.”