Building for the Future of Nepal

Background

In the Autumn of 2011 we (Catherine Erskine of Cambo and Stella and David Rankin of Kevock Garden) went trekking in Nepal. We spent three weeks in the Langtang area. This is high, rough country, and in that time we didn't see a wheel. Nor a horse. Everything needed (food, firewood, cement, …) is carried by humans, for up to three days from the road.

Delayed for a day in Langtang village by illness, Catherine learned from one of our porters, Nurpu Singi, about his son Suresh. He was ending primary education and secondary school would require boarding in Kathmandu.

Later we passed through the village where both our porters lived. The second one, Purphu Singi, showed us where his house had been lost in a landslide. So over the rest of the trek we decided to help. We started 'Building for the Future of Nepal', and with help from many people, we have helped Purphu to build a new house, we are paying for secondary education for Suresh, now in his fourth year, and we also enabled our botanical guide, Chaabi Thapa, to do the second half of his masters botany course.

How has the earthquake affected these people?

We have heard from our link person in Kathmandu, Sunil Tamang.

Suresh was at school in Kathmandu. He is safe, and is staying with Sunil, who is his uncle. The school is closed at present, and we don't know when it will reopen.

Phurpu's house has been partially destroyed. Phurpu and his family are all safe. He lives in the village of Thulo Syabru (N 28° 08' 36" W 85 21 39 if you want to see it on Google Earth), which sits on a ridge. Although there were landslides, they were not overwhelmed by avalanches coming from above.

Nurpu's house was also partially destroyed. He also lives in Thulo Syabru, but a little lower down the mountain. Again, his family are all safe.

We haven't heard from Chaabi.

STOP PRESS: we have just heard that he is safe.

How has the earthquake affected the local area?

Ten days after the earthquake, news about the destruction in the area has reached the news. Langtang village (N 28° 13' 05" W 85 30 30), in the main valley, was completely overwhelmed by a huge landslide of rock and snow. There seems to be just one building left standing – and this in a village of 400 to 500 people, the main settlement in the whole valley. Everyone trekking in this popular national park stays there at least one night on the way up, and another on the way down. Now there is nothing left.

This BBC news item tells the story, but it rightly warns that it contains disturbing images.

There is more about Langtang here.

What other consequences may there be?

When we were in Langtang, it was the school holidays. There were lots of children, many doing their homework - work of a standard that we would associate with exams at age 15, but being done by primary school children, and in English, which for most was their third language.

These children would probably have been away at school at the time of the earthquake. Even primary age children board, and at the beginnings and ends of terms hundreds of them walk down or up the valley for two days - a great swarm of migrating humanity.

Probably many of these children will have lost their homes and their families.

This land is unstable at the best of times, and during the monsoon roads and tracks are frequently impassable. From June to September there will be many more landslides, and access will be difficult or impossible.

The economy of the whole valley and nearby region of Gosainkund depends on trekking. Without Langtang village the main source of income for the remaining people is lost. The economic outlook for the whole country is desperate, but for these people in particular it is awful.

Update - May 29th 2015

We have heard that there was further damage from the second earthquake, but that the people we know are still safe.

Sunil Tamang, our link person, has gone to Thulo Syabru to try to organise relief. He fears that access could be broken by landslides when the rains start, in the next few weeks. The immediate priority is food, then shelter, then rebuilding. Many of the tiny fields will have been damaged or lost, so even their own meagre crops will be limited this year.
Click here to see a short video about the people and village of Thulo Syabru after the earthquake.

We have transferred everything in the account that was earmakred for Suresh's education (with of course a commitment that we will replace it) for immediate use. We have said that we would like this to be spent on food, shelter and tools to help the villagers work towards rebuilding their lives.

Update - June 8th 2015

Sunil has visited Thulo Syabru and reports: "I want to inform that fund has been transferred to my bank account.
I would like to update that I have been coordinating food, tarpaulin, blankets, etc. for locals. But when I analyzed relief initiative from other indviduals/organization, they just focused on food. Yes food is very important and its not only one. So as final year Environment management student, I tried my best to assess the situation in Thulo Syafru and Syafru Bensi, which is my prime working area and some other associated villages like Wangal, Khangjim, etc. By now people have good amount of food for monsoon so no worry in this issue. However I came across people getting sick with diseases like dysentery, diarrhea which is related directly to health and sanitation. Last week, I facilitated Delaware Medical Relief Team for health check up in Thulo Syafru. People got medicine but it was not long term solution. When I checked absence of toilet and unsafe drinking water caused by open defecation and movement of animals in water sources was main cause. We constructed to some toilets last week but as people are scattering to different land area as slowly situation is getting normal, demand for toilet is more. So now I would like to help build temporary toilets and distribute water filters to families. The total families in Thulo Syafru is around 170. Building temporary toilets and distribution of portable water filter would be expensive for sure. However your fund can help in this effort. So if its fine with you I would like to use fund in this initiative."

We are impressed with the way Sunil has analysed the situation, and have agreed to his proposal.

If you would like to contribute, we would be most grateful. We have a bank account under the name 'Building for the Future of Nepal', and every penny received goes to Nepal. You can send cheques to us at the address below or you can add a donation to a plant order. Full accounts are available.