6-Months on - Nepal Earthquake Response
Kathmandu - Since the devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake stuck Nepal back in late April, followed by a second powerful earthquake two weeks later, World Vision has reached over 229,000 beneficiaries, providing immediate relief in 7 of the most affected districts.
During the initial phase of the response, those most affected received both food and non-food items. Communities also benefitted from the temporary learning centres (TLC) and child friendly spaces (CFS) established, and from the water, sanitation & hygiene (WASH) programmes and cash-for-work schemes introduced.
Related Content: VIDEO Nepal earthquake 6 months on
World Vision International Nepal Earthquake Response (NER) has so far distributed food and non-food items such as tarpaulins, Corrugated Galvanised Iron (CGI) sheets, sleeping mats, tents, kitchen kits, blankets, shelter tool kits, hygiene kits, mosquito nets to 43,958 households in the hardly hit districts (Sindhupalchowk, Sindhuli, Lamjung, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Kathmandu and Gorkha). This support still continues to reach the doorstep of beneficiaries who need it the most.
Key to World Vision’s work is its focus on child care and child protection.
Key to World Vision’s work is its focus on child care and child protection. Thus far more than 8,214 children have benefitted from the 54 TLCs constructed in Gorkha, Sindhupalchowk, Sindhuli and Bhaktapur, and from the CFSs that were immediately erected to provide a safe environment for children to play, learn and recover from this highly stressful event.
To ensure the availability of safe drinking water and hygiene, more than 700 households now benefitted from renovated water systems, as well as the distribution of the aqua tabs, jerry cans and water purifier bags. The household toilets as well as temporary toilets have also been constructed in World Vision’s response area to minimize the probable occurrence of diseases in the aftermath of a disaster.
As a part of cash-based programming, World Vision has helped more than 16,000 families to meet their immediate needs, such as food, medicines and even children education.
Jason Katz, NER Operations Manager states, “Working with our NER field team to distribute much needed NFIs to those most affected in some of the most challenging terrain was a deeply moving experience. Their dedication and hard work is truly exceptional, and a clear example of World Vision at its best.”
World Vision in Nepal is entering its Recovery Phase in November 2015, and it is looking forward to scale up operations to help people of Nepal build back better.
World Vision in Nepal is entering its Recovery Phase in November 2015, and it is looking forward to scale up operations to help people of Nepal build back better.
For the Recovery Phase, World Vision will support communities to build resilience and restore safety for earthquake affected children and their communities. Alongside communities and other partners World Vision will meet emergency needs, restore services to a higher standard, and empower people with skills and opportunities to sustain themselves.
World Vision will prioritise the most vulnerable, fostering social inclusion and gender equity in community interactions for long term change. World Vision’s programs will seek to increase a community’s ability to adapt to change and absorb future shocks.
“I am amazed by the resilience and recovery of Nepalese families. They have worked so hard over the last 6 months to meet their basic needs alongside our support. We are really happy to walk alongside families in the recovery phase as they come back to some sort of normal life, sending their children back to school, beginning to rebuild their houses and starting to think through economic opportunities,” says Jennifer MacCann, Nepal Earthquake Response Director.
World Vision has worked in Nepal since 1982. The international child-focused humanitarian organization is responding to dozens of natural disasters and conflicts around the globe and has been among the first on the ground to respond to the survivors when the Nepal earthquake hit on 25 April 2015.