HDFA Newsletter #2 | June 2015

Current situation

The magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck central Nepal on 25 April 2015, and its many aftershocks, have killed more than 8,800, injured more than 23,000. The UN believes up to 8 million have been affected with 1.4 Million people requiring food aid. Damage is widespread, with some villages completely destroyed. It is the worst natural disaster to strike Nepal since the 1934 Nepal–Bihar earthquake.

Many rural Nepalese have lost homes, food stores, farm equipment and livelihoods. Extensive damage means that schools, health posts and community water supplies all need to be rebuilt as quickly as possible to help recovery. We all know that the road to recovery is a long one and even though the Himalayan nation is receiving international aid at the moment, many of the organisations are already starting to pack up as the first emergency phase is over. According to the United Nations, more than 700,000 people have so far received a tarp or a corrugated iron sheet, however, some of the villages are hard to reach and aid is slow to arrive.

So what's next for Nepal?

What will happen when a lot of the international aid is gone? According to Billi Bierling - HDFA Ambassador in Kathmandu Nepal needs two things in the long run: tools to generate its economy, like tourism, and education.

Many of us have seen graphic footage of localised destruction in Kathmandu, including of some of the UNESCO World Heritage sites in the Kathmandu Valley. At the same time, our contacts on the ground say that much of the city's cultural and human infrastructure appears outwardly unaffected – though assessment of damage is ongoing. Earthquake damage has occurred in a wide belt across central Nepal, however the more easterly and westerly parts of the country are largely unaffected. We hope this means that tourism can quickly return to this beautiful country to provide much needed economic boost to its wonderful people. We eagerly await more news. Read Billi's full story
 

HDFA Nepal Earthquake Disaster Relief Fund

Fundraising events for the Himalayan Development Foundations have taken place all over the world. Special thanks to Kinfolk Café in Melbourne, CMV Group, Dropbox (Australia), Brighter, Prince Alfred College in Adelaide, Renaissance College in Hong Kong and many others. At total of $170,000 has been raised so far.

THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR INCREDIBLY GENEROUS SUPPORTERS, WE ARE HUMBLED AND FILLED WITH DEEP GRATITUDE.

Use of Funds Raised

Our Board determined that the best way for we ordinary Australians to help Nepal to cope with the emergency was through our partnerships with in-country emergency relief organisations and local NGOs for short term help, and providing support for recovery in the longer term.

Phase One – Immediate relief – shelter, food, medical attention

We have deployed $30,000 to date for immediate relief efforts providing shelter, food and medical attention to Nepalis in remote rural communities close to the epicentre of the earthquake. With the UN World Food Program we have provided food and shelter to stricken communities – helicopters, local porters, pack animals and mountain climbers are being used to assist those in the most hard-to-reach areas.

With our implementation partners, Phase Nepal, we have delivered 2994 bags of rice, 619 tarpaulins, 1060 tents, 291 shelter kits and medicine to villages in the Sindhupalchok and Ghorkha districts in the earthquake-affected belt.

• 1058 rice bag/25kgs to Hagam VDC (all households) of Sindhupalchok district of Nepal.
• 219 tarpaulins and 20kg of medicine to Hagam VDC of Sindhupalchok district by helicopter.
• 930 tents to 930 families of Fulpingkot VDC of Sindhupalchok district.

Relief efforts continue in difficult monsoon conditions.

Phase Two – rebuild schools, health posts and water supplies

After the earthquake, life in central Nepal must go on. More than 36,000 classrooms were completely destroyed and almost 17,000 partially damaged. Rebuilding the education system is one of the most important tasks to secure a brighter future for the Himalayan nation. Without education, Nepal will not be able to rise again and even though the Ministry of Education has said it would reconstruct schools, we think international organisations can play a big part in this.

We have raised sufficient funds for at least one school project. Together with our in-county implementation partners and community members, we have identified ten schools and health posts that are no longer safe. We are seeking funding partners (businesses, schools or other groups) to commit with us to rebuilding a further health post or school in the earthquake-ravaged sectors of Nepal.

You can help Himalayan Development Foundation Australia to reconstruct this public infrastructure using internationally developed earthquake-resistant building techniques. Constructing schools hand-in-hand with local communities will help begin the long process of recovery, and will keep thousands of children in school. Our practice of working closely with communities will ensure their commitment to the long-term maintenance and operation of the infrastructure.

Please contact us for more detailed information on this project. (or download PDF)

Help rebuilding these schools and donate now

Ghunsa School

Despite the tragic news in other parts of Nepal our building project at the Ghunsa School has continued. Two of the three main buildings have been completely rebuilt and renovated since April with work well underway on the third building. Improvements include internal lining, insulation, lighting and the addition of verandahs. Separate new toilets and showers for males and females have also been built which will enable the students to feel safer and more comfortable in their environment.

HDFA and our partner NGO, the KBSS have been very careful to make sure that all building works are built to the highest quality so that the buildings are both safe and secure well into the future. We look forward to sharing photos with you soon of the complete building works.

HDFA is also excited to be looking at other development projects in the Ghunsa area that will benefit the region including teacher training, permaculture and tourism development and sustainable small scale business for the region. After such a horrible couple of months in Nepal, we continue to look forward to the exciting times ahead for the people in the East.

2015 End of Financial Year Donations

June is great time for Australians organisations and charities to work together to promote and celebrate giving in the workplace. Your organisation may be able to arrange pre-tax giving, or donation matching.

Our work on the ground in Nepal, is continuing. With the support of generous people like you Himalayan Development Foundation Australia has provided humanitarian assistance, food and shelter and will continue to help rebuild Nepal in the months to come.

Donate by 30 June to claim your tax deduction this financial year.

Donations $2 or more are tax deductible.

We are seeking monthly sponsorship for a further 15 students in the Ghunsa School, act now and setup a monthly donation of $38 and make a real difference to a child’s educational outcomes.

Sponsor a child