Nepal Earthquake : Support for remote communities

This quarter PHASE Nepal post-earthquake rebuilding team successfully completed the construction of 2 health facilities in Baruwa Village as well as Baramchi village of Sindhupachok. 

The facility at Baramchi is a birthing centre , a 7 roomed structure while the one at Baruwa is a community health unit a 2 roomed structure. With joint funding from this GlobalGiving project, GlobalGiving's separate grant and donations from a few other PHASE's partners the rebuilding has been materialized.

While the Baramchi health post will be handed to the government in the coming months. Baruwa clinic will be further supported with medicine and staff support with PHASE's core health project team.

While we are still working on the post-earthquake recover we have been hit by the global pandemic of COVID-19 with more than 16000 thousands of the infected and more than 35 deaths nationwide, PHASE's focus is to continue supporting the earthquake-affected communities with additional activities on COVID recovery too.

So far these two villages do not have any confirmed cased of COVID-19 but our staff are maintaining utmost precautions to prevent infection by following the organization's contingency plan and safety guidelines.

" PHASE's support to keep the essential health service going on even during the pandemic is praiseworthy. It's a challenging time and we were just growing up from the earthquake recovery and we have COVID to fight. Than you for your support", shares ward chairperson of  Baruwa.

An update on completed and ongoing post-earthquake reconstruction projects in Hagam

 PHASE Nepal has been running a number of relief, recovery and reconstruction projects in some of the most remote earthquake-affected areas of Sindhupalchok and Gorkha. In this report, we will cover a short update on the completed and ongoing reconstruction activities in Hagam village of Sindhupalchok.

Hagam village lies in the far northern terrain of Sindhupalchok district and was completely destroyed in the earthquake with no houses, schools or health post standing. Wish some immediate support in shelter and food materials. PHASE worked mainly in livelihood recovery via vegetable and poultry farming initiatives to more than 200 households and reconstruction of the public infrastructures such as schools and health facilities.

Talking about reconstruction, here is a list of ongoing and completed reconstruction projects in Hagam Village.

1. 90% completion of the construction of 2 high school buildings (20 roomed structure each with office rooms and school toilets )
2. Completion of 1 health post building (Completed last year)
3. Completion of 1 outreach clinic (completed this year)
4. Completion of a house for an elderly single woman who did not receive any government support.

Including all these, there are 9 different community building and 1 personal house recently rebuilt by PHASE as an effort to rebuild some of the most isolated communities. PHASE will continue to support the neediest communities who are still left behind in the aftermath of the great earthquake 2015.

“Earthquake is not in our control, and when it comes, leaves an unforgettable memory” recalls Bhuwan Singh Gurung of Ichhyakamana who lost his elder son in a landslide. He had started rebuilding his house but spent all his money on treating his wife for depression. He was only able to finish the foundation of his house. 

Many poor families like Gurung continue living in temporary shelters made from CGI(Corrugated Galvanised Iron) and straw after the earthquake of 2015. Now with PHASE's support, he has finally completed building his house. “Even my wife is happy now,” says Gurung. Targetting nearly 500 vulnerable families who have not been able to build their house even after 4 years of the earthquake, PHASE has been providing building materials and technical support to help these families build a new earthquake-resilient house.

PHASE continues its rebuilding of earthquake-affected communities in Ichhyakamana and Jwalamukhi rural municipalities of Chitwan and Dhading districts. We have built more than 300 houses till now and are closer to achieving our goal.

PHASE Nepal has been supporting some of the most vulnerable community members of the two remote villages of Chitwan and Dhading Districts namely Ichhyakamana and Jwalamukhi rural municipalities respectively.  With this shelter support project, it is providing technical and physical assistance to rebuild the houses for the identified families who are not able to rebuild their house even after the 4 years when their house was destroyed by the earthquake.

Here is a short update on the recent progress in this quarter:

Target :

Most Vulnerable Households: 250

Partially Vulnerable Households: 550

Total: 800

Achievement so far:

1. Completed Reconstruction of Houses in Chitwan :

Most Vulnerable Households: 96

Partially Vulnerable Households: 124

2. Completed Reconstruction of Houses in Dhading:

Most Vulnerable Households: 93

Partially Vulnerable Households: 78

Total Houses build so far: 391

Remaining Houses to Build: 409

Owing to the recent monsoon season, the construction of the houses have been a bit slow because of several reasons. For example, the dirt roads are non-functional because of monsoon rains, workers are busier in their seasonal farming and there is the risk of flood and landslides.

The work will further resume in full-fledged from Mid September onwards, after when the rainfall is expected to subside. 

Building shelter to the most vulnerable

In the fifth year of the great earthquake 2015, PHASE Nepal continues to support the affected communities this year with special focus on reaching the most vulnerable communities which are left behind without receiving any support.

With its earthquake recovery project, PHASE is building houses for some of the most vulnerable communities living in remote areas of Chitwan and Dhading with the theme of "Leave No One Behind".

With an aim of supporting 250 most vulnerable and 550 significantly vulnerable families, the project has already completed the rebuilding of 162 houses and 136 houses for the families of both categories respectively and is working to complete more house before the monsoon (rainy) season begins.

All the houses are build under the earthquake resistant designs approved by National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) of Nepal with trained masons.

PHASE appreciates all of its individual and institutional supporters for their continuous helping hand in rebuilding earthquake affected communities.