School Environment Improvement Program - Nepal

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 12^th 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 13^th 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.