The landscape is still fragile, but the people are not.
Kathmandu, Nepal (PRWEB) April 21, 2016
In the months after last year’s earthquake, Mercy Corps provided lifesaving assistance – emergency kits, temporary shelter and cash – to more than 135,000 people in Nepal. Today, Mercy Corps’ long-term recovery efforts seek to impact tens of thousands of families.
“We still feel aftershocks and we still see landslides. The landscape is still fragile, but the people are not,” says Sanjay Karki, Country Director for Mercy Corps in Nepal. “We know these challenges will continue, and we’re working side-by-side with communities to prevent further destruction and rebuild stronger.”
Between September and February, a crippling fuel shortage temporarily suspended relief operations throughout Nepal and disconnected people from the resources they needed during a critical window for rebuilding before the onset of winter. Despite the fuel shortage, Mercy Corps teams were able to lay the foundation for long-term recovery efforts by distributing essential winter supplies and cash so families could buy what they needed while infusing $1.7 million into local economies. Over the past 12 months, Mercy Corps has delivered:
- Emergency kits for 115,000 people;
- Winter supplies such as blankets and quilts for more than 36,000 people;
- Cash transfers for 23,000 families;
- Small grants for communities and businesses to enable them to rebuild and resume services;
- Solar lamps equipped with a mobile phone charging outlet for more than 115,000 people.
Our ongoing programs include offering:
- Technical knowledge and support to efficiently build affordable, earthquake-resistant homes;
- Cash-for-work programs that employ local residents to strengthen hillsides above communities that are vulnerable to landslides during earthquakes and monsoon season;
- Financial literacy training to inform families of loans and other resources they can use to get back on their feet and build their financial stability.
“Our recovery efforts are far from over. The earthquakes had the greatest impact on Nepal’s poorest citizens,” says Karki. “There is still a lot to be done, but we see a brighter future for Nepal. We’re building back stronger than before.”
Mercy Corps raised $15.24 million for emergency response and long-term recovery in Nepal, including $13.44 million in private funds and $1.8 million in government funds from the United States and United Kingdom.
To support Mercy Corps’ work in Nepal and around the world, join us at mercycorps.org.