After the deadly earthquake hit Nepal, VIN immediately started relief work, specifically through the provision of shelters, counseling, and medical camps to affected families in Jitpurphedi and Okhaldhunga.
We have initiated the construction of safe transitional homes for the families that have been most seriously impacted within our working communities – JitpurPhedi, Okhaldhunga & Okharpouwa. Many of our volunteers and partners have supported us by donating funds to implement this project. Leila, one of our volunteers from eight years ago, returned immediately after the earthquake with her partner Paul, to allocate funds raised in Canada and the UK and volunteer their services to help us implement our relief project. Together with VIN staff they surveyed and visited each household to prepare the priority list for the first stage of our relief project in Jitpurphedi. VIN hired local manpower, primarily youths from the surrounding area as well as skilled experts, to construct emergency shelter houses based on a design created by a professional team of engineers from Kathmandu.
The trained volunteers and skilled workers have been operating in nine teams. During the first stage they have constructed transitional houses in places like Aathmile, Devisthan, Koirala Gaun, Dandagaun, Paanchmane, Kisandole, and Tinpiple – all areas which were badly hit by the force of the earthquake. As of today we have been able to complete around forty temporary houses and in the coming months we plan to construct as many shelters as is required for the whole community. VIN staff have been monitoring the construction work continuously to ensure that families with young children, the elderly, and the sick are given priority. We have also started our safe shelter construction project for schools and families in Okhaldhunga. More pictures and reports to come next week.
So far we have reached out directly to a population of over 10,000 with our relief work. Apart from building transitional shelters we also distributed tents immediately after the earthquake, as well as organizing emergency medical camps, provided counsendividuals to try and get back to living as normal a life as possible.We would like to thank our generous sponsors for their overwhelming kindness in this difficult time for Nepal. PiSL, Friends of VIN Netherlands, Friends of VIN USA, Leila and Paul, and many of our past volunteers have all helling, set up children’s camps and distributed cash to 592 women’s cooperatives members to fulfill immediate needs in our working catchments. The Rapid Response to Post Disaster Relief Project: Phase II will continue to focus on rehabilitation of the affected population and help families and iped us generate funds for the relief work. So far we have been able to raise about 3 million rupees for the earthquake relief projects.
Thank you for your continued interest in reading our updates. If you wish to get involved with VIN for “The Rapid Response to Post Disaster Relief Project: Phase II” please do not hesitate to contact us.
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