Fanny de Swarte

In July and August 2015, I helped out in VIN’s post disaster relief project. With this project, VIN did not only made use of international volunteers but also engaged a lot of local volunteers. It was wonderful to work together under the direction of a skilled workman and build transitional houses for the poor, the elderly or families with very small children. Because life (and volunteering) is what you make of it, I proposed to do a supplementary project after a few weeks. Together with a local volunteer as a translator, we worked with the women groups of the Jitpurphedi community to gather the lessons learned from the past earthquakes in order to save more lives during future earthquakes. In addition, the women had a chance to sit down, reflect on what happened and share their fears and anxieties. As a disaster manager in my own country, I thank VIN for giving me the opportunity to donate my time and skills. Furthermore, I thank VIN for giving me the opportunity to learn about the post disaster recovery phase and the Nepali way. There are many lessons I take with me for the rest of my life.