This report comprises the relief works that was conducted from May to June 2015 by Helping Hands in Jhagajholi of Sindhuli district and Bangesala of Ramechap district. Helping Hands was set up by my family in response to the devastating earthquake in April 2015, with the objective of improving the safety and health of 400 families by providing emergency shelter, food supplies and medical care. The initiative was supported by Heidi Riley, Georgie Giri, Annika Optiz, Ryan and Alison, Dr. Timothy Hiura and family, Rod Jeserk and the medical team from Hawaii.
Nepal was shaken by a magnitude 7.8 earthquake on 25th April 2015. The earthquake not only destroyed houses and cultural heritages but also took many innocent lives with it. Centuries old building and temples have been ruined, roads have been destroyed and many houses flattened to mud. The earthquake killed more than 8000 people and injured more than 23000. More than 60000 houses have been completely or partially destroyed and this earthquake has affected the life of around 8 million people from 39 districts. Despite the initiatives undertaken by the Nepalese government the work to be done was immense and many local initiatives were also established in response. Helping Hands was one of those initiatives, which pledged support from contacts in other parts of the world in order to carry out this short-term relief program.
TOTAL BENEFICIARIES:
280 families from ward no.1-9, Jhagajholi, Sindhuli
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120 families of Bangesala, Ramechap
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METHODOLOGY
Selected 280 families living in Sindhuli from ward no. 1 - 12 with the support of local peoples.
Formed a team of volunteers in villages, allocating roles and responsibility for distribution of food and tarpaulin.
Registered names of the families who received the relief items.
Where possible food items were distributed to women.
OUTCOME
280 families of ward no. 1 -12 of Sindhuli received tarpaulin, 25 kg of rice bag, 1 kg of salt, 1 kg of beaten rice, snacks, cloths, mosquito net.
120 families of Bangesala received 30 kg of rice bag, 1 liter oil, 1 kg of soybean, 1 kg of salt.
PROBLEMS/ ISSUES/ CHALLENGES
• After the earthquake people were traumatized living in the open air with fear of the rains coming therefore we needed to prioritize tarpaulins which were sometimes difficult to buy do to the high demand.
• It was at times difficult to purchase the supplies required despite raising the funds. The tarpaulin, rice and snack were often out of stock and storekeepers were taking the advantages of the scarcity.
• The frequent aftershocks created fear in the minds of the families of the team members, which prevented some of them from participating in the camps.
• The people affected were not patient enough to wait for their turn to collect the relief items. They feared that the relief items would finish before their name called, therefore causing difficulty in distribution.
• When we were driving to Jhagajholi for the second time we had to request that the police to escort us because in the middle of our journey people wanted to drop some relief items.
• When we were driving to Bangesala with two trucks of supplies there was no road so it was necessary to carry all food items across the small bridge in order to get the supplies to the next village.
• We had to spend a large part of our funds on transport costs as drivers were charging too much.
• Mostly many girls are being married earlier as the families cannot support them.
• More women are also having to go to Gulf countries as a result and are being exploited.
• Many girls were trafficked in India.
• More men left for Gulf countries for work and women are left alone for all animal husbandry, agriculture so much work load women is bearing.
• ACHIEVEMENTS
• Provided safety and food security in the immediate aftermath of the quake.
• Villagers had access to medical help after a clinic was set up in the local school.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
• Medical facilities for injured are still necessary.
• The government is providing financial support for the rebuilding of homes to those who had owned a house before the quake but for those who were renting or did not own a home there is no support being provided for them. The government needs urgently address this issue.
• The government needs to recognize the disproportionate cost and stress held by women as a result of the earthquake and measures should be taken to address this. Programs that address economic empowerment, education and awareness for women are recommended.