Three months since Nepal was hit by a devastating earthquake, CAFOD and its partners have delivered aid to nearly 300,000 people - but, with the monsoon rains hampering relief efforts, it is a huge challenge to reach all those in need.
Janet Crossley, CAFOD’s Emergency Programme Manager for Nepal, said: “It was hard enough to deliver aid in Nepal before the monsoon began, because of the mountainous terrain and because many villages lie miles from the nearest road. Now, with landslides and rains washing roads away, some areas will become almost impossible to reach.
“That’s why, over the last three months, our partners have been working around the clock to support communities that are likely to be cut off, making sure they have shelter during the monsoon, as well as hygiene kits containing soap and water purification tablets, which are crucial for preventing the spread of disease.
“The local staff and volunteers we work with are continuing to show incredible dedication. They are hiking up mountains, pushing trucks for miles through mud, and even taking helicopters to reach those most in need. Despite the challenges, they are still delivering supplies to some of the worst affected villages across the country.”
The earthquake that struck on 25 April was the most powerful to hit Nepal for more than 80 years. It tore apart the lives of millions of people and destroyed more than 600,000 homes. A second major earthquake on Tuesday 12 May added to the devastation.
Mishri Nepal, 74, was at home in the village of Chandani in Kavrepalanchowk when the first earthquake struck. She said: “I was inside my house when the earth moved. Then suddenly I was outside my house, thrown to the ground. I felt as if my soul had left me. I just stayed there, I didn’t move. I waited for the earth to stop shaking.”
She was found by her son, son-in-law and her grandchildren. “They picked me up, and told me not to be afraid,” she said, “but I could see that my home was destroyed, my food store buried under the rubble.”
Mishri and her neighbours were terrified that their village would be cut off by the monsoon, but CAFOD’s partner Caritas Nepal made it through and delivered lentils, household items such as plastic buckets and cooking pots, blankets, and plastic sheeting for creating a makeshift shelter. She said: “You came, you cared, you showed us love. It’s not easy to reach us, the road is not smooth, but we thank Caritas Nepal for always coming and not forgetting us.”
CAFOD supporters have raised more than £3.3 million to support the people of Nepal. Their generosity has enabled the agency to work with other members of the Caritas network - a global coalition of more than 160 Catholic aid agencies - in ten of the worst hit areas of the country, including Gorkha and Sindhupalchowk.
To date, the coalition has reached 294,980 people with humanitarian assistance, including emergency shelter materials, water, and hygiene kits containing aquatabs, soap, washing detergent, toothbrushes and toothpaste.
Janet Crossley said: “We are hugely grateful to everyone who has donated, including schools, church groups, people who organised fundraising events, and individuals who were moved by the plight of the people of Nepal. Everyone who has raised funds for our appeal can be sure that their efforts will make a huge difference.”
NOTES
CAFOD and its partners
CAFOD is the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development. It works with communities across Africa, Asia and Latin America to fight poverty and injustice. The agency works with all people regardless of race, gender, religion or nationality.
CAFOD’s local partner Caritas Nepal was formed in 1990 and is the social action arm of the country’s Catholic Church, providing emergency aid and long-term development projects in 50 of Nepal’s 75 districts. Caritas Nepal has responded to several humanitarian emergencies in the past and has run “disaster risk reduction” projects to help communities prepare for disasters and recover from them more quickly.
To donate to CAFOD’s Nepal Earthquake Appeal, visit: cafod.org.uk/Nepal