Agriculture Support in Sindupalchowk, Nepal

Rebuilding homes and lives is now underway but what a task! Hundreds of villages have been flattened and crops and farm animals destroyed. The massive earthquakes less than a year a go were followed by a monsoon that created more grief and hardship and made movement more difficult as landslips were common on the already loose ground. Winter came with heavy snow on the higher ground and village people had to survive with only the emergency shelter, food and materials supplied by the Nepal Trust and other agencies. And aftershocks continue! As recently as only three weeks a go a shock of 4.7 magnitude was recorded in Sindalpulchowk, our project area.

We are pleased to report that the project materials supported by GG finally reached Tarkegyang village before the onset of winter. All roads and trails had been destroyed and it took a great effort to clear them for vehicle and porter movement. The village received 170 galvanised iron sheet bundles to provide temporary housing benefitting 81 households, a community hall and the gompa. This village is in Helambu at high elevation and the villagers would have struggled to survive the harsh winters experienced at this elevation.

In other villages in Sindalpulchowk the Trust has provided emergency relief in many ways including temporary shelter, the provision of Temporary Learning Centres (TLCs) to provide continuing education for local children, agricultural and veterinary support, building skills education and local business support to get the economy up and running again.

Future plans have moved on to the rebuilding phase and the Trust will focus on the repair of irrigation, electricity and road systems. Support to local farmers and small businesses to get the economy functioning again. We are heavily focussed on the rebuilding of schools to ensure local children can continue their education and ensure they still have a future. The Shree Ghorkonath Primary School is now fully funded through a magnificent grant from GlobalGiving and work is about to start for completion by the next school year. A similar school, Shree Reshankhu, will start building very soon once all funding is in place. Both schools will be built in an earthquake resillient manner and will have vastly improved facilities. A third school, in Bharatpur, Chitwan, is also ready to start. This school is the only school in Nepal for deaf children so it is extremely important to get this project underway and support these already deprived children. Funding is almost in place but further help and support would be much appreciated.

This is a tragedy beyond most of our imaginations. Thank you all so much for all your support and we hope you will continue to help in what ever way you can. Why not discuss it with your friends and suggest ways they could help? We all look for improvements in our own lives lets make improvements for those suffering in this earthquake tragedy.