The rebuilding process in Nepal will be on going for years to come and cost billions of dollars. But you can make a difference right now. For only $250 you can provide a home for a family that will protect them from the coming monsoons, reoccurring aftershocks and all the harsh elements they have endured for the last month living out in the open air. These homes will save lives.

Work to make this happen has been on going for the last two weeks – here is how it came together.

With your help $5,000 was raised for emergency relief projects of supplying food, medical supplies and temporary shelter to families in the severely stricken areas of Dalchowki, Chandanpur, Kaleshwor and Sindhupalchowk. One of the groups who received your donations was a team of law school students who, despite their school being closed indefinitely due to the earthquake, continued to meet together to discuss how they could meet the needs of those around them who had suffered so much. Taking on the name YAAD (Youth Awareness and Development) they began to organize emergency relief efforts for food and temporary supplies in severely damaged village areas. Here is their report back to us:

Dalchowki lies in the southern belt of Lalitpur. The devastating earthquake dismantled nearly all the houses of this area leaving 2000 people homeless. This area lies in the periphery of Kathmandu, the capital but is unnoticed for relief, rescue and rehabilitation.

The team went to this place with relief materials which could fulfill their daily necessities. The people were in need of food and tents. The team provided adequate food for 2 months for 50 families of the area. Each family were provided with 30 kgs of rice, 2 kgs of lentils, sanitary pads for girls and women in the family, other eateries like biscuits, noodles and clean clothes we had collected from people. The distribution was carried out under the supervision of the local authorities and the priority list set by the Village Development Committee. The medicinal items like sanitary pads, antiseptic creams, ointments, gauge, cotton, Dettol, medicines etc. were handed over to the health post nearby which did not have sufficient items to serve victims.

Chandanpur and Kaleshwor lie in the South East belt of Lalitpur.  Kaleshwor shares its border with another devasted district, Makwanpur. The team managed to cover two places, Chandanpur and Kaleshwor and few houses of Makwanpur.

The people in these places were provided with tents which was their priority need. The tents were distributed to over 100 houses in the place. 50 sacks of rice, lentils were provided to those who were in need of food, according to the priority list set by the Village Development Committee. The team in cooperation with the local authorities and people made sure that only those who have not got anything and are in real need get the relief materials.  

These young students established relationships with the leaders in the villages as well as the people who received aid and as they talked about future needs a plan began to form.

The houses have been dismantled, destroyed by the devastating earthquake and people are left with no choice but being dependent upon the tarpaulins which has a very short lifespan. Apart from this there is always a fear of wild animals attacking the village areas along with another big problem that lies ahead which is the soon approaching monsoon. The people who have received relief aids stated that their prior need was a home to reside for their families. The people are staying in open air, battling the rain, storms and the not-so-ending-aftershocks as are many places where even the tarpaulins have not reached.

This led us to initiate something that could answer this current need. Our effort is to make the lives of people affected by earthquake better. The best means of doing so is acting upon their need. The essential ‘need’ here is a proper shelter. Then our team came with an idea of building temporary houses that can lasts for more than a year or at least to survive this monsoon season and until an alternative is identified for permanent housing. We are working with the theme of REBUILD NEPAL #RebuildNepal with an objective of building back not only the infrastructures that got dismantled in the rubbles but also hope, bravery, strength and positivity that we Nepalese take pride of. Our people are our own, and we want to make sure that the roof we build for them are more than just bamboos and tins.

Back in Kathmandu these future lawyers/leaders of Nepal began making plans to build homes for these families in outlying areas who have lost everything in the earthquake. With the help of friends from a neighboring Engineering School they drew up these building plans and in only a couple of days they had created a proto type and sent us photos of the work in process.

The objectives of this project are:

1. Build shelters having capability to withstand monsoon rain and wind
2. Use local, natural and human resources.
3. Provide employment to people affected by the earthquake
4. Build minimum cost shelters with longer durability

 

Constructed of locally sourced materials (bamboo, tin sheets, chicken coop/mesh wire, plastic sheeting for interior walls and mud for exterior walls) these temporary homes can be built for $250.00 each and will house a family safely for 6 months to a year. Once the villagers are able to rebuild their permanent homes these structures can be used for out buildings for farm animals or deconstructed and the materials recycled for other uses. These structures WILL SAVE LIVES.

We have set a goal of building 35 homes in the area of Shikaritar in the district of Bhaktatur. In total 65 homes were destroyed in Shikaritar .  The team has already visited them with emergency supplies and with the assistance of local government have identified  where the first 35 homes will be built. As I write this our young friends have already purchased building materials for 5 homes and in a few hours will be transporting them to the site. In just two days five families will be safe from further falling structures and for the first time in a month will be sleeping under a sturdy, dry roof. We are so proud of these young Nepalese who are responding to this crisis in their country in brilliant ways, identifying needs, solving problems and planning for the future of their country. We are honored to come along side them in this process.

In order to build the next 30 homes we need to raise $7,500 as soon as possible. We’d love to have your family, church group, athletic team, morning coffee club whoever you can recruit to sponsor a home for a family in Nepal. Please contact us if you want more detail information and if you are able to do it today – just click the donate now button next to REBUILD NEPAL. Thank YOU!

– Carolyn, for Hope Partnership Nepal