{"id":720,"date":"2016-02-20T18:27:13","date_gmt":"2016-02-20T17:27:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.helpinaction.net\/en\/?p=720"},"modified":"2022-11-23T12:52:50","modified_gmt":"2022-11-23T11:52:50","slug":"nepal-2015","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.helpinaction.net\/en\/nepal-2015\/","title":{"rendered":"Nepal 2015"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
A busy year for Help in Action in Nepal<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

As usual we were present in Nepal during the period March\/April to carry out our normal activities. During this time we visited, photographed and collected the letters and school report cards of all the students sponsored through the association. A total of 69 students (of which 48 girls) sat the School Leaving Certificate exam in March. Of these, 35 students have been given the opportunity to continue in further education, thanks to the generosity of their sponsors. The majority of these young adults have enrolled on business or hotel management courses, although a few – aiming at an engineering or nursing career – have opted for science subjects and others who would like to go on to teach for humanities courses. We presently have 65 students studying in +2 (college courses) and 24 students studying at university level.
All of the 25 children from Gangchen Samling School who sat the School Leaving Certificate exam passed with flying colours – 4 distinctions, 20 first division and 1 second division. We are very proud of their achievements and the fact that we have been able to support these children from the very beginning of their education. Most of these students entered into the long distance adoptions programme from the nursery class.
Due to the increasing number of new admissions to Gangchen School we provided some extra equipment for the youngsters and have been able to add about 40 new children to our sponsorship programme.
We also visited the elderly people and families with disabled children who we are also helping through the long distance adoptions project. This help is indispensable to these people as there is no form of social assistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

click on the images to see the galleries<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Help in Action Office<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Long Distance Adoptions<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Gangchen School<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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School Leaving Certificates<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Once again, this year, we also spread our help to offer support in the form of distributing stationary and equipment to the children of 3 village schools, as well as to the children of Jorpati orphanage, the Hope Foundation and the young monks of Sed Gyued Monastery.
Although many village children are able to attend school \u2013 books and stationary are not provided which means they have to study without! Most of their parents \u2013 who have no monetary income and live by subsistence farming \u2013 are unable to provide them with this luxury.
Jorpati orphanage was home to 26 children (from 4 to 16 years old). The funds for the education of 15 of these children is provided by sponsors from Help in Action.
The Hope Foundation runs a small group home for street children as well as a drop in centre where youngsters can receive help.
As well as stationary for the year Sed Gyued Monastery was provided with funds to pay the salary of a teacher as well as for desks and benches for the mini-monk students.
We were also able to offer financial help to 52 students from 5 different schools in Kaule (Nuwakot District).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

click on the images to see the galleries<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Stationary Distribution<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Jorpati Orphanage<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Sed Gyued Monastery<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
Earthquake Emergency<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Volunteers from the Association had just returned to Italy a few days before the devastating earthquake struck Nepal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 7.8 magnitude earthquake in April, with the epicentre in the Gorkha District, just 80 km northwest of Kathmandu, absolutely devastated Nepal killing approximately 9,000 people, injuring 23,000 and leaving an estimated 500,000 families homeless. A further 2 earthquakes of magnitudes 7.3 and 6.3 occurred in May hitting the border of Dolakha and Sidhupalchowk districts and Ramechhap. Since then, in May alone, there were 290 aftershocks measuring above magnitude 4 and still today the earth continues to tremble.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

April\/May<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Immediately after the earthquake our office was immersed in work. Along with the shock and worry of the general situation in Nepal, we were faced with the immense task of locating \u2013 under very difficult circumstances \u2013 the children and families we support through our sponsorship programme. Although news slowly filtered through that the area where we work was not so badly hit \u2013 and there were no reports of death in the area \u2013 it was still a very worrying and emotional time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We were, thanks to the help of local volunteers in Nepal, able to immediately send out food supplies to some of the worst hit areas. The first photos of the disaster and the situation of the people began to filter through at this time.
We also started fundraising and thanks to the donations to our Nepal Emergency Fund we were able to quickly organise and offer practical help to people living in some of the remotest villages in Nepal.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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click to view gallery<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

June\/July<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The people in the worst hit villages are simple farmers who already survived with very little and who literally lost everything when their homes collapsed during the earthquake. For these people, without an income, the priority was clearly to construct new shelters so they would be protected from the heavy monsoon rains and cold: the aid repeatedly requested for and desperately needed was material to make roofs. For all our team it was inspiring and humbling to see the people in these communities, where not one home was left standing, moving forward and getting on with the daily tasks of producing food and sifting through debris to extract any reusable materials.
During our aid \u201cmission\u201d to Nepal (in June\/July) we were able to buy and distribute materials such as tents, tarpaulins and iron sheeting to 1910 families, which means 9495 people were able to get under cover and had protection from the monsoon rains! The materials reached some of the remotest villages that \u2013 even 2 months after the earthquake \u2013 had still not received any aid whatsoever.
We delivered help to villages in Nuwakot, Sidhupalchowk, Ramechhap and Makwanpur districts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

New Roofs<\/a><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

click on the images to see the galleries<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Buying Iron Sheets<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Distribution in Kahule Villages<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Other Distribution<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
Distribution in Sindhapulchok<\/a><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

click on the images to see the galleries<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Packing and Travelling<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Village Situation<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Distribution<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
Tents<\/a><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

click on the images to see the galleries<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Packing Tents<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Devastation on the Road<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Giving Tents<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

An estimated 8,000 schools across the 49 districts in Nepal were seriously damaged or destroyed in the earthquakes. It was shocking to see the collapsed roofs of village schools crushing the desks underneath, and we can only give thanks that the earthquake happened on Saturday \u2013 a holiday \u2013 when no children were in the buildings.
We were able to supply 7 village schools with roofing materials, 3 schools with water tanks and distributed school stationary to approximately 305 children. We have also sponsored the Shree Jana Bhuwana Primary School in Shikharpur Village for this academic year to ensure that the 90 children that presently attend it will be sure to receive an education. Gangchen Samling School, which suffered only superficial damage, received tents and material to build temporary classrooms as many of the younger children are afraid to be in large buildings during the frequent aftershocks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In Kathmandu 2 small monasteries received tents to house, immediately after the earthquake for safety and during subsequent repair work, the 70 young monks living there. We were also able to donate iron sheets for making roofs to 7 small monasteries in Balche and Kahule villages in Nuwakot District.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the mission we met the children sponsored through the long distance adoptions programme. Although many of the children told us that the homes of their grandparents in villages spread throughout Nepal have been lost \u2013 fortunately only 9 of our families living in Kathmandu had problems relating directly to the earthquake. We offered aid and practical help to these families.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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click to view gallery<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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To the Jorpati Orphanage, run by the Nepal Women & Children Service Society, which was badly damaged by the earthquake, we donated a large stock of dried foods: rice, lentils, soya, salt, sugar, tea, cooking oil, biscuits etc which should last them 3 to 4 months. The orphanage now cares for 40 children \u2013 the numbers increased after the earthquake as children who lost their parents in the earthquake were brought to the capital and placed in orphanages. Many of these children attend Gangchen Samling School and are sponsored by the Association.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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click to view gallery<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
Help to Schools<\/a><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

click on the images to see the galleries<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/a>
Distribution School Materials<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Gangchen Samling School<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Lalitpur School<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Materials to Pokhara School<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Sponsorship Mawakanpur School<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

October\/November\/December<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the winter cold set in we started to prepare much needed blankets to distribute in the villages. Our aim was to deliver blankets to vulnerable families living in villages that were destroyed by the earthquake or to people who were forced to relocate due to damage and threat of landslides.
Although we were able to ship some blankets to Nepal from here, we also decided to order blankets directly from producers in Nepal. This was aimed at giving people work and ensuring an income for people who desperately need it.
Because the demand for blankets was so great a temporary factory was set up in Gangchen Drupkhang where hundreds of quilted blankets were prepared for the distribution.
During the first distribution 1700 families in Bhumtang and Saamle villages received blankets. After this 700 families in (Sindupalchok district) received blankets and 1000 families in Mawakanpur. A number of other blankets were given to people in particular difficulties in and around the Kathmandu area. Particular care was always given to old and vulnerable people \u2013 who also received winter coats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

click on the images to see the galleries<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"\"<\/a>
Making Blankets<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Saamle Bhumtang Villages<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Sindupalchok<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Other Village<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

We are fortunate to be able to always rely on the help of Lama Gangchen\u2019s family and friends, who have always supported the work of Help in Action, in Nepal; but also to have had the help of representatives from Serpom and Shar Ganden monasteries in South India where many of the monks originate from Nepal. These monks were invaluable in the organisation of distributing aid to villages requesting help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We have been absolutely overwhelmed by the care and generosity of so many people. Each donation \u2013 large or small \u2013 has changed the life and given hope to a person or family in Nepal. We would like to thank every one who has donated to our emergency fund or organised fundraising activities. Together we have helped thousands of people!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However the situation in Nepal is still very difficult. It is going to take years for people to overcome the damage caused by the earthquakes. We are continuing to collect money for the emergency fund \u2013 please help by sharing our information.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A busy year for Help in Action in Nepal As usual we were present in Nepal during the period March\/April to carry out our normal activities. During this time we visited, photographed and collected...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":780,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"image","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22,5],"tags":[9,6,24],"class_list":["post-720","post","type-post","status-publish","format-image","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nepal","category-photo-reportage","tag-help-in-action","tag-nepal","tag-photo-reportage","post_format-post-format-image"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.helpinaction.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/720","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.helpinaction.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.helpinaction.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.helpinaction.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.helpinaction.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=720"}],"version-history":[{"count":30,"href":"https:\/\/www.helpinaction.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/720\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1801,"href":"https:\/\/www.helpinaction.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/720\/revisions\/1801"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.helpinaction.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/780"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.helpinaction.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=720"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.helpinaction.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=720"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.helpinaction.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=720"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}