By TRN Online, Kathmandu, Nov. 12: Damodar Prasad Acharya is the Europe Advisor of the Lumbini Kapilvastu Global Campaign, an organisation campaigning for global peace and spread of Buddha's messages of peace and non-violence. In addition to his campaign for peace, Acharya has been a donor for different international non-governmental organisations including Oxfam. Lately, as his health has gone worse, Acharya who donated to other humanitarian organisations has been begging for support from individuals and organisations so that he can undergo a renal transplant. Against this backdrop, Nanda Lal Tiwari of The Rising Nepal talked over the phone with Acharya for a short interview. Excerpts:

You have been involved in promoting world peace by means of the Lumbini Kapilvastu Global Campaign. What prompted you into this and sustain the campaign for over two decades?

There are various kinds of violence and conflict situations in different parts of the world which negatively impact the lives of many people and destroy infrastructures. This prompted me to promote world peace by means of the Lumbini Kapilvastu Global Campaign. There was a need to promote Buddha's messages as well as Lumbini Kapilvastu in multiple countries in Europe because people were not aware that Buddha was born at Lumbini in Nepal. I was involved in disseminating truthful information about Buddha's birthplace and establishing Buddha's statues in various institutions in Europe.

You have also been carrying on philanthropic activities by donating to different organisations and individuals in their dire needs. How have you been managing this given the fact that you are yourself suffering from the chronic disease now?

I was working in the past and have been donating the other organisations and individuals from my salary. Now, I try to donate less than before because I need additional financial support for my own health situation. It is very challenging to manage all things under current circumstances.

Would you like to share your experiences before you went to Belgium?

Before coming to Belgium, I was working in different health sectors in Nepal for about 15 years. During that time, I helped various people who were going through difficult times.

You would be seen raising funds for others, but now the situation is such that different organisations and individuals are raising funds for your treatment. How did this turn of situation come up?

I have been suffering from kidney and heart problems since 2000. Since then, I have been spending money on treatments. Now, I need to have a kidney transplant which requires inviting a kidney donor from Nepal to Belgium. This involves a huge cost because several steps need to be followed for a successful kidney transplant.