ica lending hand to the earthquake victims across nepal
TRANSCRIPT
DEVASTATING EARHQUAKE HITS NEPAL- APRIL 2015
ICA lending hand to the Earthquake Victims Across Nepal
Earthquake Relief and Recovery Report
Submitted by:
ICA Nepal
Kriti Marg, Koteshwor
Phone: 01-460 2005
www.ica-nepal.org
The earthquake that hit Nepal on 25th of April across Nepal leaving its effect to India, China and Bhutan have
left many people homeless. The magnitude of 7.9 rector scale was harsh which caused havoc in the capital and
the surrounding districts. ICA, having the main focus on providing relief and recovery support in the month of
May has been reaching out to different communities affected by earthquake. With all the activities that was
carried out on the first week excelled, ICA moved on to the second week on providing aid and relief materials.
ICA has been working immensely to reach out the victims in different districts.
With the various programs being carried out every day, we reached our hands to the victims from two districts
named Bhaktapur and Kavrepalanchowk on 6th of May. ICA Nepal initiated to visit the areas affected with the
relief materials.
ICA Learning Centre, Changu Narayan
Changunarayan is on a hilltop that is also known as Changu or Dolagiri. Changunarayan is a village
development committee located in Bhaktapur District. Changunarayan village development committee is
situated 8 miles east of Kathmandu and few miles north of Bhaktapur. In this village many people have been
homeless and were in need of relief materials. On reaching
Changunarayan, we allocated the relief materials in our training
centre located in the same area. The ICA Learning Centre in
Changunarayan which is also a working place for many women
from Progressive Women’s group and Chinnamasta Saving and
Credit Co-operative has been in cracks. We could spot various
cracks in the house, which directly affects the women who earn
their living inside this house with their sewing, knitting,
tailoring, candy making skills. This will directly hamper their
income as their activities are put on halt due to the circumstance
of housing.
The food materials which were provided to the 50 families (second phase) would suffice them for a week.
Without any delay the materials were distributed to the victims. One member of the family were asked to collect
the relief materials. Our package included
Figure 2 ICA staff member counting packages that needs to be distributed
Items Quantity
Bucket 1pc
Mug 1pc
Plate 1pc
Rice 12 kgs
Beaten Rice 1 kg
Lentils 2 kgs
Soyabean ½ kg
Oil ½ liter
Salt 1 kg
Masala 1 pack
Chilly Powder 1 pack
Figure 1 ICA Training Centre with cracks
After allocation of the relief materials we could see faces of relief, which gave everyone satisfaction. With the
given aid, they still are in need of tents and trampoline. People have issues sitting under one roof with different
community members as the mindset of people regarding caste system has not been negotiated yet.
Story of Seth Bir Shrestha
Seth Bir Shrestha from Changunarayan Village Development Committee who has
lost his home due to the earthquake. Seth Bir Shrestha who is 65 years old says
almost 20-25 people are sharing a small plastic roof which they now call their
home. He says he has lost everything and is waiting to get some aid by
government so that he can rebuilt his house again. Meanwhile, Shrestha has been
struggling as he has no mattress and blankets, he says it’s not only him who are
struggling with the basic requirements but everyone in the tent is. He not only
defined his scarcity but he says that the main problem in the whole village who
has lost their home is shelter or a place where they can call home.
Kavrepalanhchowk
Kavrepalanchowk is one of the district of Nepal which has been affected badly during the earthquake. ICA
Team and members of Rotary went to Ugrachandi Nala
village development committee in this district. Women
Entrepreneur Consumer Co-operative Society,
Kavrepalanchowk has assessed the victims to which ICA
would reach out to. While talking to residents there were
1300 houses in this village out of which 1100 houses were
destroyed and the remaining houses which is around 200
cannot be entered as it has massive cracks. Everyone in the
village are living under a plastic tunnel which was made by
the local people. No one is safe in this village as none of the
houses exists and as they are living under tents which
would be blown by the monsoon that’s prevailing soon.
Every single person has twinkle in their eyes with hope, hope
for the crisis to get over, hope to get back to their normal life.
In Ugrachandi Village Development Community we provided
aid to 69 families. The crisis in this village was tents and
trampoline. As Kavre is rich source of potato the local said they
could survive by eating potatoes but the main problem is the
housing as everyone is tensed due to the monsoon season that is
coming soon.
ICA Nepal provided food sets including, Rice, Lentils, Beaten
Figure 3 Seth Bir Shrestha recieving aid
Figure 5 Residents queuing to receive aid
Figure 4 Volunteers giving aid to the residents
Rice, Masala, Salt, Oil, Chilly, Soyabean to the family that has lost everything and were in ruins. With the
remaining family members we provided them with all the exact same aid except the bucket, mugs and plates.
The crisis in this area was very high.
Story of Sano Babu Pariyar
While talking to one of the victims named Sano Babu Pariyar, who learnt his wife
was under the rumbles of the disaster had teary eyes. He was on the fields,
working during the time of earthquake and his wife and children were at home as
it was Saturday. When the earthquake hit he was mostly worried about his wife
and kids than his own life. After the earthquake was over he rushed towards his
home and was stunned as he could just find his kids and not wife. He started
yelling out her name, but it was in vain. After a day while clearing the rubbles
the found the body of his wife, he stated. He said I’m heartbroken but I cannot
leave my children to starve and to die hence, I will have to live for them.
ICA as a Helping Hand to Physically Impaired People
Disabled Service Centre was established in 2070 B.S at
Goldhunga by Mr. Chandra Bahadur K.C who himself is
disabled by birth. This organization consists of 17 disabled
people who live together in a rented place. The condition of this
organization is very despotic since its inception due to lack of
funds. They are bound to live nearby poultry farming area as no
one wants them to give them shelter.
ICA reached out to this organization as their situation was
aggravated the walls are very unstable as a single touch on wall
can swing the wall. Due to the continuous aftershocks these
people with different abilities are under major trauma.
Though there are somehow staying during daylight at their
rented house which is very risky to stay as along with them 4
kids are also present there. Due to lack of proper shelter, they
are bound to sleep on tomato farms which are about 6 mins
walk for a normal person. This place won’t be available for
coming days as its agricultural land.
Figure 6 Sano Babu Pariyar with a thoughtful face
Figure 7 Members of Disabled Service Centre
Figure 8 Chandra Bahadur KC recieving aid from ICA staff member
These people have to struggle every day to have their meals as they
rely on begging. It’s so heart wrecking to see that even have to beg
others to buy diapers for their kids So, the condition of these people
would be more awful if proper assistance isn’t provided to them.
They want to be engaged in some income generating activities
through vocational training. Right now their basic need is shelter
and food. Hence, ICA went with a helping hands and provided them
with food which would suffice them for a week with Rica, Beaten
Rice, Pulses. Salt, Nutrella, Noodles. The food would be enough
for minimum one month.
Nepal Integrated Blind Development Association (NIBDA) is a non-
governmental organization of blind which was established by Mr. Binod Sharma
who himself is blind. It was established to improve the living standards of visually
impaired people by providing opportunities and participation in different
integrated programmes.
NIBDA established a hostel for blind children in 2070 B.S. who are brought from
different remote parts of Nepal like Mugu, Humla, Raswua, Kavrepalanchowk,
Makawanpur and Nuwakot.Till date there are 10 children who are of different age
group and are students of primary level.
This hostel is located at Goldhunga which lies in Tarkeshwor
municipality of Kathmandu distict. Only once in 3 days, pubic
vehicle runs in this place. So, this place is hardly accessible by
commoners. Due to the devastating earthquake that shaked the
whole nation, the condition of people with disabilities like these
visually impaired children has been very awful. They have been
lacking food due to lack of access to market.
ICA provided the hostel with food equivalent to, Rice (30 kg),
Beaten rice (5 kgs) Pulses (4kg), Nutrella (1 kg), Salt (1kg),
Noodles (150 pkts)
Figure 9 Residents of Disabled Service Centre are living here after earthquake
Figure 10 Staff and Volunteer talking to Sunita Pandey- Hostel Warden
Figure 11 Aid provided by ICA to NIBDA
Global Community in shaping villages of Nepal
ICA Nepal always whole heartedly welcome volunteers, we have volunteers initiating to join ICA from three
different countries- USA and our very own neighboring country India. We have altogether six volunteers.
Randy and Sierra, from USA went to
Changunarayan for assessment and to distribute
the relief materials. Volunteers from India also
went to the same area to study the situation. All
the volunteers are involved with ICA with the
recovery and rehabilitation of the earthquake
victim. Their innovative ideas are proposed to
develop proposals based to construct Earthships
in Nepal for the victims of Earthquake. In a
nutshell, ICA is moving ahead to rehabilitate the
earthquake victims, and its our pleasure to have
our volunteers here with us and we are thankful
for their initiation for their thoughtful ideas and
help.
Help the Earthquake Victim through ICA
ICA- USA and ICA- Nepal has been fundraising to help earthquake victims across Nepal. You can help the
victims affected by earthquake through ICA network. The information of ICA are as follows:
4750 N. Sheridan
ICA-USA
Chicago, IL 60640
You may send your support directly by clicking to www.ica/usa.org/donation
Or
Account Name: ICA Nepal
Account Number: 010063
Swift Code: SCBLNPKA
Bank Name: Standard Chartered Bank
Address: New Baneshwor, Kathmandu, Nepal
ICA Nepal Fundraising for Blankets
ICA Nepal has been fundraising for blankets, which costs Rs 400 which equivalents to $4. This blanket covers a
family of four, residents of Gorkha district had a direct request to ICA Nepal for the provision of blankets,
hence we all are getting together in order to collect blankets for them. You can be a part of this cause by helping
us through your donation. You can reach out to us with the information that has been presented above.
Figure 12 Volunteer and ICA members with children from Nepal Integrated Blind Development Association
“After every storm comes sunshine”
A hopeful smile.
Submitted by: ICA Nepal Team