Nepal Earthquake : Support for remote communities

“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.

Rebuilding livelihood in Gorkha.

PHASE Nepal is working to rebuild the livelihoods of earthquake affected communities of some of the remote communities of Gorkha lying in the villages Kashigaun and Keraunja which were severely affected by the earthquake. Since 2016, PHASE has already empowered more than 600 earthquake affected households with intensive livelihood improvement programme, health services and education sector development.

Rebuilding Livelihoods in Gorkha

With its 5 year programme PHASE has been providing training, equipment and follow up technical support to do seasonal and off seasonal vegetable farming for the yearlong supply of vegetables. In addition PHASE has a also been providing these farmers with poultry rearing training , supporting required equipment and breeding chicks of Giriraj breed. The selected breed produces yearlong of eggs and apply supply of meat as they grow as big as 5-6 kilograms.

With this programme, the farmers who never had any knowledge and skills of improved vegetable and poultry farming before, has been producing enough for the family and also selling the surplus. These farmer who did only traditional farming of seasonal crops like millet, barley and corn, have an additional supply of vegetable and meat all year round.

"I have no words to express how greatful I am to PHASE Nepal. We had no house to live after earthquake, so was the condition of the other villages. PHASE came with CGI roofing sheets and construction equipment to help us rebuild our houses. After that they are helping us with this amazing project to produce nutritious foods utilizing our own resources, our land, our water and time. I grow cauliflowers, cabbage, spinach, tomatoes, egg plant, okra, black eyed beans, peppers, radish and many other vegetables all year round. I have 15 Giriraj chicks 3 male and 12 female. We are from a remote place. It takes more than a day of walk to reach the nearest bus road. I really appreciate your work here in my village to help us rebuild our livelihoods." -Idam Gurung Farmer, Keraunja

 In addition to livelihood recovery programme, PHASE has been suppporting the communities with 24 hours emergency free health service and school sector development programme to further support the communities in an integrated manner.

PHASE has been rebuilding health posts and school buildings in the 2015 earthquake affected areas. Here is the short summary of the finished and ongoing project in the year 2017/18.

School buildings

Ghurdanda Primary School

Single floor, four class room reinforced concrete frame structure building completed in Ghurdanda, Syangja district and handed over to the school management committee. With this construction, 60 students and 8 teachers have safe learning environment. The school still needs at least two more rooms, one for classroom and other for office for which, funding has not been assured yet.

Reconstruction of Ganesh Basic School in Baruwa, Sindhupalchok

Three class room earthquake resilient building with WASH facilities has been completed and is in use now. The 2015 earthquake destroyed the school building and teaching/learning was continued in a temporary arrangement. The SMC and the local people, parents of the students, were extensively involved relevant to their skill and availability. The completed construction has provided safe space for teaching and learning. Local people feel confidence and have started sending their children to this school thus there is about 100% increase in number of students compared to just before completion.

Reconstruction of Bankali and Jaldevi Schools in Hagam, Sindhupalchowk

Two blocks with three classrooms each have been nearly completed for Bankali Secondary School in Sindhupalchok. The classrooms are now in use with temporary partition to make 10 classrooms and office room. About 320 students and 11 staff have better and safer teaching/learning space available in the monsoon. Construction of one administrative block and other facilities are in progress.

Similarly, one block with three classrooms, two boys’ toilet and one administrative block with 4 rooms completed for Jaldevi Secondary School. The classrooms and the administrative block are now in use. These constructions have provided safer and better space for teachers and students. Remaining construction. The red roof is new construction and the blue roof was completed by PHASE in 2016.

Local people are preferred as worker for the construction. This construction has created 2360 workdays for them.

School management committee (SMC) of both the school is involved in procurement decisions. SMCs of both schools have identified most vulnerable people to support construction so that they also get an opportunity to participate in the rebuilding process.

Total construction is expected to complete by 2019.

Health Posts and Out Reach Clinics

Kashigaun and Keraunja Health post

Health post buildings in Kashigaun and Keraunja in Gorkha have been handed over with equipment and furniture for proper functioning as a rural birthing center. Both the health posts facilities are in use.   

Hagam Health post

Construction work for this health post has been completed. Minor interior works are remaining to handover to the health post authorities. Staff quarters are in use by the health post staff.

ORC construction in Yanglakot, Hagam and Dhuskot, Fulpingkot

Construction work of four room, single story, reinforced concrete frame structured building for ORC in Yanglakot has been completed.  Painting work is ongoing. Hagam ORC will be handed over to the local government by mid September 2018.

Similarly Dhuskot ORC in Fulpingkot has been completed, door and window fixing, electrical works and painting is ongoing. This building will be completed by October 2018 for handover.

School Toilet Construction

Gender friendly school toilet with running water facility has been constructed in three government schools in Keraunja and Kashigaun, Gorkha.

Community Buildings

Five community buildings with earthquake resilient features are under construction in five project areas, namely Baramchi, Dhuskun, Chokati, Tauthali and Piskar in Sindhupalchok district. The community buildings will be used for community activities such as meetings, training etc. During any disaster in the community, these buildings will be used as an emergency shelter.

Irrigation Canals

Along with other infrastructures, irrigation canals in the PHASE project areas were severely affected by the 2015 earthquake. Three of them are under construction, two in Baramchi and one in Hagam in Sindhupalchok. After completion, these canals will provide irrigation water for timely plantation, mainly of rice and wheat to the farmers field.

Resilient Rehabilitation of Trail

Resilient Rehabilitation of Trail  (Unnat Goreto project was designed to rehabilitate/construct trail damaged by earthquake of 2015 in four wards (Kashigaun, Kerauja, Mambu and Hulchuk) of two rural municipalities (Arughat & Dharche) in Northern side of Gorkha District. Project was conducted in consortium partner between PIN (People In Need) and SW (Scott Wilson) Nepal funded by DFID.

Project was designed to benefit victims of earthquake directly and indirectly, making ease in transportation and mobility, as trail is only means of transportation; cash for work model was adopted to construct their own path, so that ownership develops for future maintenance.  

All together 70.57 km trail was rehabilitated/ constructed. Figure shows about 48 percent rehabilitation was made in Kerauja, about 29 percent in Kaahigaun and about 23 percent in Manbu .

Similarly, 5 truss bridge were constructed in very needy area of Kerauja and Manbu (2 Manbu & 3 Kerauja) and for ease of pedestrian 8 rest areas were built, 3 in Kashigaun and 5 in Kerauja. Numerous unskilled workers were turned to skilled workers due to regular guidance of technical person.

Social discrepancy related to daily wage rate for male and female was break down by project with providing equal wages.

School Toilets in earthquake affected schools.

Three earthquake affected schools of Kashigaun, Keraunja and Hulchuk have new gender friendly toilets built as a part of integrated project running in these 3 villages of Dharche Rural Muncipality Gorkha. The beneficiary schools are Manjushree Secondary School, Kashigaun; Keraunja Secondary School, Keraunja; and Ichchhya Basic schools hulchuk. These schools who have new school building rebuilt after the earthquake but were falling sort of enough gender friendly toilets.

Links:

• Earthquake related reconstruction 2017/18