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The earthquakes of April and May 2015 have caused mass destruction of infrastructure in Nepal. Many schools in Sindhupalchok, one of the many districts in which we work, are damaged beyond repair. In my trip to Sindhupalchok in late May 2015 I wanted to visit Shree Rajeshwori Higher Secondary School, which I recently heard had been damaged. I also wanted to use the opportunity to visit with some of our students.
Sipapokhari, Sindhupalchok, Nepal
Sindhupalchok is the hardest-hit district. Large scale infrastructure damage have been reported. Traffic was clogged for two weeks due to rescue and relief logistics. By the time I arrived, traffic had mostly returned to normal with the occasional trucks carrying relief supplies. To visit Rajeshwori school we had to travel dirt roads from Sipaghat for about 30 minutes, one of the most challenging roads to travel by motorbike in my experience in Nepal. I had visited other locations in Sindhupalchok and had seen the devastation firsthand. The biggest problem is the near-total destruction of private homes. These homes are built mostly of mud and stones and, in some instances, bricks, which stood no chance of surviving during the quakes. As we drove through the steep dirt roads towards the top of a hill we saw many destroyed homes; the landscape was dotted with tents and other temporary shelters, corrugated sheet shelters springing up beside them. Since it had been a few weeks since the earthquakes hit the sense of panic had diminished, but the new reality was clear to see: whole communities busy salvaging material from the rubble which was once their home, building temporary shelters rather than preparing for farming and the upcoming monsoon season.
The government declared all schools closed until early June due to the level of damage sustained by school structures. These buildings are currently very dangerous, leading the government to begin finalizing plans for temporary learning shelters to be used by public schools. These temporary shelters are built with corrugated metal sheets and are designed to keep students safe from the sun and rain while the country tries to put together resources to rebuild the schools. Many schools are planning to run classes in multiple shifts because the shelters are not large enough to accommodate all their students.
After a harrowing motorcycle ride through the countryside we arrived to meet one of the local volunteers in Sipapokhari, Sindhupalchok. We walked together to the house of Radhika Kunwar which, of course, was no longer standing. The family of Radhika Kunwar was lucky not to lose anyone in the earthquake despite the house’s total destruction; everyone had been out of the house that day working in the field and was spared. The family spent the following several days salvaging whatever they could and making a temporary shelter with the few pieces of roofing material that was not damaged.
Radhika and her mother in their temporary shelter.
The family had just finished cleaning up after their meal when we sat down for a quick chat. What struck me most was their resilience in the face of all this adversity. Their large extended family was crammed in the small shelter they had built across from their former home. Radhika is an excellent student despite having a disability. Her family was very thankful for the support they have received and are hopeful that this assistance would continue. Radhika then took us to see her former home. Some side walls are still standing. A door was visible. The roof had caved in and buried everything inside as it collapsed the two floors of their mud home. We assured her that NCEF would take this situation into consideration for next year’s plan.
Radhika’s destroyed home.
We left Radhika’s home and headed to her school, taking only about ten minutes by motorbike. The views along the way were familiar: homes with roofs caved in, rubble, temporary shelters next to crumbled homes, people sifting through the wreckage. A few homes that were built with concrete walls had survived, but others showed large cracks. We arrived at the school near the top of a hill. The school grounds had been used by the Army once as their staging ground for the relief efforts in the area, but the buildings were reduced to heaps of tangled metal, furniture, and piles of rocks. Only the most recently built building had survived the quake with little damage. We spoke with the headmaster who said that they will most likely build one or two temporary shelters and use the sole remaining building in shifts to run classes. Most of the efforts on the grounds seemed focused on safe demolition of the buildings to prevent accidental injuries when the grounds open. There is much work to be done in cleaning up the site. The school is eager to restart building but lacks resources. They had been told that the government would provide assistance for temporary shelters, but they have not received word about rebuilding the damaged structures.
Radhika’s temporary shelter.
The destroyed school in Sipapokhari.
Now more than ever these students, teachers, volunteers, and families need our help. Please visit our site to donate today.
NCEF Announces Earthquake Relief Program: A Comprehensive Plan to Assist Schools & Students by Omprakash Gnawali, President/CEO
Twice in May NCEF President and CEO Omprakash Gnawali visited Sindhupalchok to assess the post-earthquake reality on the ground. The Sindhupalchok area took the hardest hit with 2,746 classrooms and 63,885 private homes completely destroyed. This field visit provided an opportunity to formulate a comprehensive earthquake relief program that will leverage NCEF’s experience and excellence in education-sector work with government and local bodies as well as the community itself.
Many of NCEF’s students survived the earthquake; some were injured. Several of the schools sustained damage which ranges from minor to substantial. The current earthquake relief plan consists of three sets of activities which will address concerns around long- and short-term problems so that we can continue our commitment to the success of our students.
1. Immediate relief for schools. For students to receive education, the school needs basic infrastructure. We will help schools with the purchases of supplies as well as with the repair of basic facilities and will begin with the schools attended by our students. The government has only provided temporary shelters to the schools so far and will not be in a situation to undertake major reconstruction any time soon.
2. Intermediate-term relief to the students. We will substantially increase the number of students we support in the earthquake-affected areas, starting with Sindhupalchok. We plan to reach out to 100-200 students to provide them with uniforms, book bags, shoes, and supplies so they have everything they need to continue their education. The most basic support will cost about $50 per student. This program will run for two years.
3. Long-term relief to the students. Large numbers of financially challenged students face even greater challenges as their family’s resources will need to be redirected toward building homes. These students need support more than ever. We will select severely affected students (i.e. has experienced a death in the family, their home was completely destroyed and is unlikely to be rebuilt for a year or more, etc.) and provide long-term support until they complete Grade 12. This kind of long-term commitment is absolutely essential to a positive outcome in education.
Many of our friends and supporters have asked NCEF to prepare an earthquake relief program so concerned people like you could participate more directly in helping the affected. We hope you will find a role in this initiative by helping fund this relief program. We need your support now more than ever so we can deliver assistance to schools and students who wish to continue their education. We count on your support!
Please click here to donate for earthquake relief. Help our students continue their education.
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