7,000 destroyed schools present a big challenge
(30/07/2015) The earthquake of 25th April 2015 was the deadliest disaster in Nepal’s history. According to government figures, a total of 8,800 people died and around 22,300 were injured. More than eight million people were and are dependent on aid. “The global aid relieved the immediate needs, but now it is a matter of sustainable reconstruction, and for this we need stamina and great solidarity”, says Barbara Zilly, Welthungerhilfe Country Director in Nepal. Barbara Zilly was on the ground in Nepal during the earthquake and, with her team, is still attempting to improve the situation for the people in Nepal.
Welthungerhilfe has supported more than 20,000 households and, thereby, 106,000 people with aid supplies. Along with tarpaulins, food parcels and blankets, corrugated sheets for the construction of temporary shelters were also made available.
Up to four years of reconstruction
“Welthungerhilfe, together with local partners, will now support the reconstruction of Nepal. Besides the strengthening and recovery of agriculture, the building of schools will play a central role”, says Zilly. During the earthquake more than 7,000 schools were damaged. Around one million children were temporarily unable to go to school. The reconstruction programme of Welthungerhilfe and its local partners will run for up to four years.
Crowdfunding: “We are building a school for Nepal”
100 days after the earthquake in Nepal, Welthungerhilfe is starting a crowdfunding campaign on 3rd August with the slogan “We are building a school for Nepal” (“Wir bauen eine Schule für Nepal”). On the website www.schule-nepal.de anyone can help to finance the construction of an entire school in three months.
The campaign is supported by Thomas Cook. The travel company has been active in Nepal for many decades with an initiative in which employees support the education of Nepalese children through sponsorship and donations. Thomas Cook is now joining the Welthungerhilfe crowdfunding campaign and will double every donated Euro until 100,000 Euro, the amount of needed for the school building, is reached.
Welthungerhilfe is one of the largest private aid organisations in Germany. It provides aid from a single source: from fast emergency aid and reconstruction to long-term development cooperation projects with local partner organisations, based on the principle of help for self-help. Since its foundation in 1962, more than 7,350 projects in 70 countries have been supported with 2.66 billion Euro – for a world without hunger or poverty.