By Country Director | IsraAID Nepal
In August 2017, continuous heavy rainfall caused extreme flooding in southern Nepal. The flooding affected 32 districts, of which 18 were classified as heavily damaged. In these districts, there were reportedly 134 fatalities, 190,000 houses destroyed or partially destroyed, and tens of thousands of people rendered homeless. In addition, the flooding significantly damaged school buildings, toilets and water facilities throughout the region.
IsraAID was one of the first international organizations to receive approval from the Government (Central and local level) to respond. On Thursday 17th August, IsraAID sent an emergency team of 16 people to the area. The team was led by an engineer and had a medical team of six (3 doctors, 2 nurses, pharmacist), WASH officers, a public health team of two, and five Psychological First Aid experts. All were national team members and partners trained or supported by IsraAID Nepal.
The situation was dire and tense. Many were at great risk of water and hygiene related complications and in need of medical and psychological support.
Emergency Response
Emergency Medical Assistance: IsraAID delivered medical assistance in a medical clinic set up in one of the most affected communities, distributed medication, delivered public health messages and hygiene kits.
WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene): IsraAID offered clean water and sanitation solutions to the affected populations by distributing clean water, filtration systems, and purification items, reaching thousands of people. IsraAID’s team utilized community education methods for hygiene promotion and conducted training to the affected communities.
For some families, the water filtration systems IsraAID installed gave them access to clean water for the first time, preventing further outbreaks of waterborne diseases.
Psychosocial Support: IsraAID deployed its national field social workers to provide support, including Psychosocial First Aid (PFA), stress management techniques, and self-care. In the medical clinic, IsraAID’s psycho-social support team was present to give mental health support to those deeply affected by the trauma of losing their homes in the floods.
WASH Response in Saptari
After the initial emergency response, IsraAID and its partners embarked on a four-month effort to rehabilitate WASH facilities in 17 schools and three health clinics in Saptari, the worst-affected district in the Terai region.
In each of the 20 locations our teams installed a water filtration system to provide access to safe water, and rehabilitated and/or reconstructed the toilets and hand washing facilities where needed. The team taught the schools' students about water, sanitation and hygiene practices. In each location, a community WASH Management Committee was formed or re-engaged, to ensure long-term sustainability.
This project has now been completed. IsraAID’s flood relief to Southern Nepal was made possible thanks to your generous support. IsraAID's team in Nepal continues to support the country’s needs as it recovers from the devastation of the 2015 earthquake.
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