Fuel for Nepal Flood Relief

Fuel Relief Fund (FRF) has been operating in Nepal for five days now.  It has been a very successful deployment so far. FRF deployed to Nepal in 2015 for the Ghorka Earthquake and we developed wonderful local partners that we have remained friends with since. Our friends have made our transition into this deployment seamless. We are very fortunate to have so many good friends in Nepal. 

FRF has been delivering life saving petrol and diesel totally free of charge throughout Bidur, Trishuli and the greater Basmati area. Our first mission on day one was to get diesel fuel across the Trishuli River to the Trishuli Hospital for their generators. The hospital is burning 9 Liters of diesel an hour and no fuel is available on that side of the river. FRF was able to use the zip line in Bidur to get them fuel. We were able to transfer diesel to smaller containers and send them across on this amazing lifeline. We plan to regularly fuel this hospital until the end of our deployment. 

Swotantra Chalak Sang is a collaboration of local drivers in Bidur. They have setup a kitchen and aid distribution point in Bidur. From the beginning they have been feeding and supplying thousands of locals and displaced persons. They have three vehicles and have been paying out of pocket for fuel. We were able to fuel their vehicles for them. 

FRF has partnered with Karmayog Foundation, a nonprofit from Kathmandu. Together we have setup an intermediate fuel point on the road to Rasuwa. Rasuwa is the area where the most catastrophic damage was. What used to be a thirty minute drive along the river now requires a 6 hour drive on the roughest mountain roads that we have ever seen. There is no available fuel along this road. We have been posting up on the intersection between the roads from Kathmandu and Bidur. All aid going by ground must pass this intersection. FRF is topping off vehicles heading to Rasuwa to help their families as well as giving fuel to those on the way back who are dangerously close to running out. 

FRF has always partnered with local nonprofits and locals, they know where the true need is and ensure that our help goes to those who truly need it. Fuel is the most critical thing in a disaster, nothing runs or gets delivered without it. You cannot deliver aid, run hospitals, operate heavy equipment, deliver rescue teams without it. Without fuel police cars, fire apparatus and ambulances are useless. FRF plans to continue this work while we have funding, however, petrol and diesel are extremely expensive these days. We are an all volunteer team and our fuel is always free.