The recent Nepal earthquake damaged the water and sanitation related infrastructure in Kali Devi Secondary School and Majh Gaun Lower Secondary School, both located in Mirge Village, Dolakha. Through the support of ECCA, reconstruction work of the water related infrastructure is going on in both the schools.
Ms. Kaplan, student of Kali Devi Lower Secondary School shared “because of damage to the drinking water station during the earthquake, we had to drink water from tap located inside the toilet. Now all students are happy, as they will soon be able to drink water from a new 1,500 liter capacity water tank.”
Mr. Dhurba shared “students are suffering from different diseases because of poor sanitation and drinking water facilities. Through the help of ECCA, the school is constructing sanitation corner, where students can do proper hand washing after using the toilet. We will keep towel and soap in the sanitation corner.”
Ms. Sunita thanked ECCA and all the supporters who helped to develop sanitation corner (which has tap for drinking water and hand washing) in her school. She also committed to regularly manage soap and towel through the school nature club. They will also organize hand washing demonstration session to students studying in lower grades and will make other students aware on the proper use of sanitation corner.
We thank all our supporters and donors for helping us in post-earthquake recovery activities. Without your help and support, we would not have been able to achieve success in helping the earthquake affected people.
During the assessment and distribution of relief materials in Dolakha (in May 2015), the ECCA team found heavy damages to school buildings, WASH infrastructure and health threat among children and even among adult and elderly people. Most of school students’ education materials were buried under the debris, due to which they were anxious on how to restart their school life. Therefore, there was an urgent need of recovery and rehabilitation program for the school students.
At first, ECCA conducted a three days TOT training program for the youth volunteers on 17th-19th June 2015 at ECCA premises Kathmandu. The youths were trained on WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene), Life Skills along with psychological activities specially designed for the current situation so as to help the students recover from the traumatized situation and continue their studies at school.
Immediately after the training, 20 youth volunteers (divided into 4 groups) were mobilized at 4 project schools of Mirge, Dolakha (Majh Gaun Lower Secondary School, Mirge 1; Kali Dhunga Higher Secondary School, Mirge 7; Kali Devi Secondary School, Payele; and Lali Gurash Bright Future English School, Laligurash Danda). They stayed there for 5 days (22nd -26th June, 2015) and facilitated different fun, skillful, engaging and relieving activities for all the 664 students of the four schools to support them to get back to their normal school lives again. To conduct the WASH and Life Skill Camp in harmony and to gain the maximum benefit from the camp program, class wise division was done into 4 categories- Class 1-3, 4-5, 6-8 and 9-10.
Shyam, member of ‘Majh Gaun Nature Club’ expressed “It was ECCA counselors who first taught us how to make chlorine solution (WATASOL). They provided us with all the required materials and gave us enough training. Now we can prepare WATASOL on our own and protect ourselves from water borne diseases.” Likewise, mother of Bilash of class 3 from Shree Kali Dhunga Higher Secondary School expressed that she was very happy to see positive impacts on her son. He shared his learning and taught the hand washing method to his family members.
As the devastating earthquake destroyed the water sources, the chances of contracting water borne diseases have increased. To prevent an outbreak, the students were taught hand washing activity and the production and use of WATASOL for water purification.
“I have seen progressive change in the behavior and regular attendance of the students due to the camp activities. Now, the students are more active, energetic and lively in the schools. The technique is very effective as they are learning through fun and interactive activities. Again, I am very grateful to ECCA team and the volunteers for all the support and the help.”- Words shared by Puskar, Teacher of Kali Dhunga Higher Secondary School, Mirge 7.
Psychological activities were also included in the camp sessions to help the students recover from the trauma they were facing due to the earthquake. Many students were mentally disturbed and not in a state to attend schools continuously. So as to help the students, different activities like- Sharing experience, Dominant and non dominant hand exercise, yesterday today tomorrow, Anger Management, Draw your safe space, Balloon blast and coping skill via ball games were performed. These activities helped the students to minimize their distress.
ECCA supported a day meal in all the project schools for the students and the staff members during the training period. Due to shortage of food materials, students were not attending the schools earlier. Day meal helped the students to come to the school continuously.
Ramji, Kali Devi Lower Secondary School shared “I express my gratitude to ECCA for supporting stationery materials (copy, dot pens, pencils, erasers and sharpeners) for all the students and game materials (carom board, chess board, ludo, skipping, football, volleyball and flying disk), first aid kit, jerry cans, white boards and markers for school. ECCA also supported the construction of water tank in the school as devastating earthquake of 12th May, 2015 severely damaged water tanks of our school.”
We would like to thank all our supporters and donors for helping us in post earthquake recovery activities. Without your help and support, we would not have been able to achieve success in helping the earthquake affected students.
Still after a month since the major earthquake struck Nepal on 25th April 2015 (and another big one on 12th May), the devastation caused by the earthquake continues to hamper the lives of almost 8 million people in Nepal who were affected.
Fearing the outbreak of water-borne diseases, ECCA initiated the production of WATASOL (Chlorine Solution) from the 2nd day of EQ as an immediate response to tackle the possible problem of safe drinking water and sanitation issues in the communal shelters where people are forced to live. The WATASOL produced were immediately distributed for free to the affected families through mobilizing ECCA Volunteers and other organizations who were directly involved with the relief activities. More than 50 active volunteers worked tirelessly in bottling and packaging the chlorine solution along with its distribution in various locations and communal shelters. As of 28th May, ECCA has distributed over 27,000 bottles of 60ml (one to be used in each household) and over 800 bottles of 1 liter (for community water distribution system) chlorine solution amounting to a total of over 2,400 liters of chlorine that can purify 9,600,000 liters of water. Considering national average household size of 5 person, around 200,000 people have benefitted for a month
Nepal being a developing country consists of many rural areas with mud houses. Almost all of such houses collapsed due to the earthquake, turning entire villages into rubble. The nearing of the monsoon season and frequent landslides has piled up the long list of difficulties faced by the victims. The weather itself has been relentless with harsh winds and thunderous rains. Hence, keeping the need of shelter in mind, ECCA distributed over 1300 units of tents & tarpaulin to families in rural areas, from which more than 6500 people benefited.
Distribution of CGI sheets and Self Help kits made the life of rural people easier in this time of disaster, where people were looking for temporary shelter for their families.
Distribution of over 100 sets of water filters benefitted over 500 people.
ECCA also distributed over 850 Food Packages to people in the devastated areas, from which over 4,500 people benefited.
ECCA relief work was conducted in Mirge in Dolakha district as well as in other districts (Bhaktapur, Kathmandu, Kavre, Lalitpur, Nuwakot, Ramechap and Sindhupalchowk). The distribution of relief supplies were only possible through the support of various organizations including Globalgiving Foundations (US & UK) and many individual supporters.
We would like to thank all our supporters and donors for helping us in our initiation of relief and recovery activities after EQ. Without your help and support, we would not have been able to achieve success in helping the EQ affected families.
Immediately after the earthquake (for a month), ECCA focused its resources in relief works. Now, ECCA is focusing on recovery works in the schools and the adjoining communities.
As per the plan to distribute relief materials to the people of Mirge VDC of Dolkha District (one of the badly affected area), a team of 4 ECCA staffs and volunteers (Bipin Shrestha, Sambhu Maharjan, Bipin Dahal and Ashish Maharjan) headed to Dolkha early morning on 12th May 2015. On their way to Mirge, at 12:50 pm, another big earthquake of 7.3 magnitude striked (making Dolkha as the epicenter …. the same area where they were headed to).
The road cracked at many places, and landslides occurred at many locations along the highway. All the local markets along the highway were destroyed. Worried about their safety, the team was immediately informed to return to Kathmandu (they had travelled half the way). However, as they were determined to distribute the relief materials, they proceeded ahead, removing the boulders on the road (which had fallen from the hill slopes) and pushing their loaded vehicle where required. Due to the harsh condition, they could not reach the destination that day and had to spend the night by the side of the road (some slept inside a tent and some slept inside the vehicle they were travelling in). Rising early the next day (at 5am), they continued their trip and reached Mirge around 11am. After distributing the relief materials (tarpaulin for shelter and shovel, spade, saw, helmet, hammer to remove debris & salvage belongings from inside the damaged house), they returned back on 13th May to reach ECCA Office at 10pm.
Bipin Shrestha, Team Leader and ECCA Program Officer writes in his facebook page “After the quake, everybody called and told to return. But, the worry of 710 families for whom I and my friends are taking the relief materials pulled me”. He further adds “Upon distributing the relief material, one aged women blessed me by placing her palm on my head. It helped me to forget all my hardships and blissful tears came to me eyes.”
We are very proud of you all.
HATS-OFF to you all for your courage and deeds.
A devastating 7.9 magnitude earthquake on 25th April in Nepal claimed life of above 7,800 people and directly affected above 8 million people. Due to the destruction of houses in rural as well as in urban areas, people are forced to refuge in an open space. There is urgent need to provide basic needs (treated drinking water, food, medicine, tent, etc.).
Mirge school is located in Dolkha district, where major damage has been done. The new school session had just started when the earthquake striked on April 25. Due to the earthquake, the school building as well as village houses have been damaged.
ECCA has mobilized youth volunteers in the community to provide immediate relief materials. Coordination is also being done with Nepal government, other civil society organizations, NGOs and international agencies.
A separate project has been created in the GlobalGiving Support Nepal Earthquake Relief
Initially, your donation will help to meet the survivors' immediate needs for food, fuel, clean water, hygiene products, and shelter. Once initial relief work is complete, your support will be used to support longer-term recovery efforts.
Some of the relief activities carried out by ECCA are:
The relief works are continuing.
Thank you for the support you have been providing. Your generous donations are extremely valued.
We look forward towards getting your continued support, at this time of natural disaster.
Please follow us at http://eccablogs.wordpress.com/ and like our facebook page to get updates. We also look forward towards your valuable suggestions and comments regarding our works.
Thank you & Regards,
Palistha Shrestha
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