It has now been over 10 days when Nepal was devastated by a massive earthquake. The death toll has crossed 7000 and is still rising. Thousands more are severely injured.
Oxfam is on the ground and is providing relief supplies. A team of Oxfam from India has set up base in Gorkha district, which is one of the worst affected.
As I travel to the remote areas of Gorkha district and visit small, scattered and mountainous villages, the true face of the destruction by the earthquake emerges.
A village named Dera, which houses 76 families, has been left in ruins. Of the 76 houses in the village, some of have collapsed completely and the remaining have been damaged to the extent of rebuilding from scrap.
Most of the houses in the village are partially or completely collapsed.
Water pipes are broken, toilets are broken, schools are gone. Any resemblance to a normal village was completely gone.
Oxfam is providing tarpaulin sheets, hygiene kits and water to 13 of the 77 villages in Gorkha district. Relief materials are being bought in India and transported through a land route to the district.
But people in the villages want transitional shelters to withstand the monsoons, expected to arrive next month.
For those three months of monsoon, the tarpaulin sheets will not be enough. Communities need corrugated metal roofing sheets, which will give them cover from the harsh rains. We are thinking of buying these metal sheets and provide them to the community.
For Oxfam this earthquake and the relief work in Nepal presents a whole new set of challenges – the tough terrain, communities are remote, difficult to access, badly devastated and with the monsoons coming.
Water is a big problem, especially for women. All the pipes in the village, which supplied water for drinking, washing and bathing are no longer functional. Toilets is also a big issue. All the toilets have been completely destroyed and there are serious safety concerns. Women are forced to look for private spaces in the open.
Toilets in the district has been destroyed
The World Food Programme (WFP) has been distributing food in villages that can be accessed through roads. In more remote regions, food is being dropped through helicopters.
Oxfam is working with a partner in Gorkha district. That has really helped in the distribution of material because the partner has been working in that area for many years now. The partner has been working in five of the 13 villages Oxfam is responding to in Nepal. But we want to extend their support to all 13 villages. The support of our partner and local volunteers has really boosted the distribution process as they know the local language and the community.
In my interaction with the local community, I met a man who worked in Qatar. He rushed to Nepal, to his home in Gorkha district, after hearing about the earthquake.
Houses in Dera village, Gorkha district have been reduced to rubble.
“My house is gone. Me and my family are sleeping in the open. It will now take another 10 years to rebuild my house. All my life savings were spent on making this house. I cannot leave y family and return to my job in Qatar,” he said.
Another moving thing to see was the children running around in the village, because the school building has collapsed and I asked one of the children – Why don’t you go back to school? And he replied “I will go back to school, when the earthquake stops”.
There have been over 100 aftershocks, following the April 25 quake. The tremors are coming everyday. Today there was a tremor, yesterday there was a tremor. For the locals the earthquake has not stopped.
Oxfam is in Nepal for the long haul. And it will take a lot of time and effort to get Nepal back on its feet. The United Nations has made an estimate of $500million, which is required to help the Himalayan nation.
Currently people in Gorkha district are living in these temporary tents
People in Nepal have no saving left, their whole life savings have been wiped out. There are no schools, no infrastructure and it’s very hard to imagine a scene like this.
We need to help rebuild Nepal together.
Written by Nisha Agrawal, CEO, Oxfam India
Photo credits: Nisha Agrawal, CEO, Oxfam India
Find out how Oxfam India is enabling communities by working to provide a life of dignity and equal opportunity for all.Get to know more about Oxfam India`s latest projects.
Read More13,Sep,2023 | Savvy
29,Aug,2023 | Savvy
22,Aug,2023 | Savvy
21,Aug,2023 | Savvy
09,Aug,2023 | Savvy
07,Jul,2023 | Savvy
05,Jul,2023 | Savvy
03,Jul,2023 | Savvy
28,Jun,2023 | Savvy
27,Apr,2023 | Savvy
26,Apr,2023 | Savvy
17,Apr,2023 | Savvy
10,Apr,2023 | Savvy
07,Apr,2023 | Savvy
04,Apr,2023 | Savvy
30,Mar,2023 | Savvy
29,Mar,2023 | Savvy
29,Mar,2023 | Savvy
24,Mar,2023 | Savvy
23,Mar,2023 | Savvy
02,Mar,2023 | Savvy
27,Feb,2023 | Savvy
27,Feb,2023 | Savvy
22,Feb,2023 | Savvy
22,Dec,2022 | Savvy
24,Nov,2022 | Savvy
23,Nov,2022 | Savvy
23,Nov,2022 | Savvy
23,Nov,2022 | Savvy
14,Nov,2022 | Savvy
10,Oct,2022 | Savvy
06,Oct,2022 | Savvy
30,Sep,2022 | Savvy
19,Sep,2022 | Savvy
13,Sep,2022 | Savvy
01,Sep,2022 | Savvy
01,Sep,2022 | Savvy
22,Aug,2022 | Savvy
17,Aug,2022 | Savvy
09,Aug,2022 | Savvy
05,Aug,2022 | Savvy
03,Aug,2022 | Savvy
02,Aug,2022 | Savvy
01,Aug,2022 | Savvy
01,Aug,2022 | Savvy
28,Jul,2022 | Savvy
27,Jul,2022 | Savvy
27,Jul,2022 | Savvy
07,Jul,2022 | Savvy
09,Jun,2022 | Savvy
09,Jun,2022 | Savvy
30,May,2022 | Savvy
30,May,2022 | Savvy
29,May,2022 | Savvy
20,May,2022 | Savvy
18,May,2022 | Savvy
06,May,2022 | Savvy
05,May,2022 | Savvy
04,May,2022 | Savvy
02,May,2022 | Savvy
28,Apr,2022 | Savvy
28,Apr,2022 | Savvy
28,Apr,2022 | Savvy
28,Apr,2022 | Savvy
18,Apr,2022 | Savvy
05,Apr,2022 | Savvy
15,Mar,2022 | Savvy
07,Mar,2022 | Savvy
03,Mar,2022 | Savvy
02,Mar,2022 | Savvy
28,Feb,2022 | Savvy
28,Feb,2022 | Savvy
20,Feb,2022 | Savvy
18,Feb,2022 | Savvy
09,Feb,2022 | Savvy
03,Feb,2022 | Savvy
31,Jan,2022 | Savvy
31,Jan,2022 | Savvy
31,Jan,2022 | Savvy
25,Jan,2022 | Savvy
20,Jan,2022 | Savvy
16,Jan,2022 | Savvy
13,Jan,2022 | Savvy
07,Jan,2022 | Savvy
06,Jan,2022 | Savvy
03,Jan,2022 | Savvy
31,Dec,2021 | Savvy
23,Dec,2021 | Savvy
22,Dec,2021 | Savvy
16,Dec,2021 | Savvy
16,Dec,2021 | Savvy
08,Dec,2021 | Savvy
06,Dec,2021 | Savvy
04,Dec,2021 | Savvy
20,Nov,2021 | Savvy
13,Nov,2021 | Savvy
07,Nov,2021 | Savvy
07,Nov,2021 | Savvy
09,Oct,2021 | Savvy
07,Oct,2021 | Savvy
06,Oct,2021 | Savvy
05,Oct,2021 | Savvy
01,Oct,2021 | Savvy
23,Sep,2021 | Savvy
12,Sep,2021 | Savvy
06,Sep,2021 | Savvy
26,Aug,2021 | Savvy
15,Aug,2021 | Savvy
15,Aug,2021 | Savvy
02,Aug,2021 | Anisha
07,Jul,2021 | Savvy
13,Apr,2021 | Savvy
18,Mar,2021 | Savvy
10,Mar,2021 | Savvy
14,Feb,2021 | Savvy
11,Feb,2021 | Savvy
12,Jan,2021 | Savvy
12,Jan,2021 | Savvy
12,Jan,2021 | Savvy
28,Dec,2020 | Savvy
22,Dec,2020 | Savvy
17,Dec,2020 | Savvy
11,Dec,2020 | Savvy
24,Nov,2020 | Savvy
12,Oct,2020 | Anisha
01,Oct,2020 | Savvy
29,Sep,2020 | Savvy
25,Sep,2020 | Savvy
24,Sep,2020 | Savvy
14,Sep,2020 | Savvy
14,Sep,2020 | Savvy
03,Sep,2020 | Anisha
26,Aug,2020 | Savvy
25,Aug,2020 | Anisha
24,Aug,2020 | Savvy
21,Aug,2020 | Savvy
17,Aug,2020 | Savvy
16,Aug,2020 | Savvy
11,Aug,2020 | Savvy
07,Aug,2020 | Savvy
15,Jul,2020 | Savvy
15,Jul,2020 | Savvy
14,Jul,2020 | Savvy
01,Jul,2020 | Savvy
29,Jun,2020 | Savvy
29,Jun,2020 | Savvy
29,Jun,2020 | Savvy
25,Jun,2020 | Savvy
16,Jun,2020 | Savvy
09,Jun,2020 | Anonymous
02,Jun,2020 | Savvy
23,May,2020 | Savvy
21,May,2020 | Savvy
18,May,2020 | Savvy
17,May,2020 | radhika
16,May,2020 | radhika
07,May,2020 | radhika
06,May,2020 | Savvy
27,Mar,2020 | Anisha
03,Mar,2020 | Anisha
03,Mar,2020 | Anisha
04,Feb,2020 | Anisha
30,Jan,2020 | Anisha
20,Nov,2019 | Anisha
05,Nov,2019 | Anisha
30,Oct,2019 | Anisha
17,Sep,2019 | Anisha
23,Jul,2019 | Anisha
05,Jul,2019 | Anisha
27,Jun,2019 | Anisha
21,May,2019 | admin
21,May,2019 | admin
21,May,2019 | admin
21,May,2019 | admin
26,Apr,2019 | Anisha
18,Apr,2019 | Anisha
05,Apr,2019 | Anisha
19,Mar,2019 | ursila
19,Mar,2019 | ursila
15,Mar,2019 | ursila
15,Mar,2019 | ursila
27,Feb,2019 | Anisha
04,Feb,2019 | ursila
31,Dec,2018 | ursila
31,Dec,2018 | ursila
31,Dec,2018 | ursila
04,Dec,2018 | tiasdutta
03,Dec,2018 | ursila
01,Dec,2018 | ursila
01,Dec,2018 | ursila
01,Dec,2018 | ursila
15,Nov,2018 | Anisha
03,Nov,2018 | admin
03,Nov,2018 | admin
03,Nov,2018 | admin
12,Oct,2018 | Anisha
27,Sep,2016 | oxfamadmin
19,Aug,2016 | oxfamadmin
09,Aug,2016 | oxfamadmin
08,Aug,2016 | oxfamadmin
03,Aug,2016 | oxfamadmin
03,Aug,2016 | oxfamadmin
28,Jul,2016 | oxfamadmin
20,Jul,2016 | oxfamadmin
16,Jul,2016 | oxfamadmin
15,Jul,2016 | oxfamadmin
14,Jul,2016 | oxfamadmin
27,May,2016 | oxfamadmin
04,Apr,2016 | oxfamadmin
22,Mar,2016 | oxfamadmin
18,Mar,2016 | oxfamadmin
16,Mar,2016 | oxfamadmin
14,Mar,2016 | oxfamadmin
11,Mar,2016 | oxfamadmin
10,Mar,2016 | oxfamadmin
08,Mar,2016 | oxfamadmin
02,Mar,2016 | oxfamadmin
01,Mar,2016 | oxfamadmin
29,Feb,2016 | oxfamadmin
25,Feb,2016 | oxfamadmin
12,Feb,2016 | oxfamadmin
08,Feb,2016 | oxfamadmin
05,Feb,2016 | oxfamadmin
04,Feb,2016 | oxfamadmin
01,Feb,2016 | oxfamadmin
25,Jan,2016 | oxfamadmin
13,Jan,2016 | oxfamadmin
08,Jan,2016 | oxfamadmin
06,Jan,2016 | oxfamadmin
06,Jan,2016 | oxfamadmin
04,Jan,2016 | oxfamadmin
31,Dec,2015 | oxfamadmin
16,Dec,2015 | oxfamadmin
16,Dec,2015 | oxfamadmin
09,Dec,2015 | oxfamadmin
08,Dec,2015 | oxfamadmin
06,Dec,2015 | oxfamadmin
05,Dec,2015 | oxfamadmin
04,Dec,2015 | oxfamadmin
03,Dec,2015 | oxfamadmin
01,Dec,2015 | oxfamadmin
29,Nov,2015 | oxfamadmin
26,Nov,2015 | oxfamadmin
23,Nov,2015 | oxfamadmin
12,Nov,2015 | oxfamadmin
10,Nov,2015 | oxfamadmin
04,Nov,2015 | oxfamadmin
02,Nov,2015 | oxfamadmin
30,Oct,2015 | oxfamadmin
29,Oct,2015 | oxfamadmin
28,Oct,2015 | oxfamadmin
23,Oct,2015 | oxfamadmin
23,Oct,2015 | oxfamadmin
16,Oct,2015 | oxfamadmin
12,Oct,2015 | oxfamadmin
09,Oct,2015 | oxfamadmin
06,Oct,2015 | oxfamadmin
04,Oct,2015 | oxfamadmin
25,Sep,2015 | oxfamadmin
25,Sep,2015 | oxfamadmin
25,Sep,2015 | oxfamadmin
22,Sep,2015 | oxfamadmin
19,Sep,2015 | oxfamadmin
19,Sep,2015 | oxfamadmin
17,Sep,2015 | oxfamadmin
15,Sep,2015 | oxfamadmin
13,Sep,2015 | oxfamadmin
11,Sep,2015 | oxfamadmin
10,Sep,2015 | oxfamadmin
08,Sep,2015 | oxfamadmin
04,Sep,2015 | oxfamadmin
03,Sep,2015 | oxfamadmin
31,Aug,2015 | oxfamadmin
28,Aug,2015 | oxfamadmin
25,Aug,2015 | oxfamadmin
21,Aug,2015 | oxfamadmin
21,Aug,2015 | oxfamadmin
19,Aug,2015 | oxfamadmin
18,Aug,2015 | oxfamadmin
17,Aug,2015 | oxfamadmin
14,Aug,2015 | oxfamadmin
13,Aug,2015 | oxfamadmin
12,Aug,2015 | Avantika
11,Aug,2015 | oxfamadmin
07,Aug,2015 | oxfamadmin
05,Aug,2015 | oxfamadmin
04,Aug,2015 | oxfamadmin
03,Aug,2015 | oxfamadmin
30,Jul,2015 | oxfamadmin
30,Jul,2015 | oxfamadmin
29,Jul,2015 | oxfamadmin
28,Jul,2015 | oxfamadmin
27,Jul,2015 | oxfamadmin
25,Jul,2015 | oxfamadmin
24,Jul,2015 | oxfamadmin
23,Jul,2015 | oxfamadmin
21,Jul,2015 | oxfamadmin
20,Jul,2015 | oxfamadmin
17,Jul,2015 | oxfamadmin
16,Jul,2015 | oxfamadmin
14,Jul,2015 | oxfamadmin
13,Jul,2015 | oxfamadmin
12,Jul,2015 | oxfamadmin
10,Jul,2015 | oxfamadmin
09,Jul,2015 | oxfamadmin
08,Jul,2015 | oxfamadmin
07,Jul,2015 | oxfamadmin
05,Jul,2015 | oxfamadmin
04,Jul,2015 | oxfamadmin
03,Jul,2015 | oxfamadmin
03,Jul,2015 | oxfamadmin
02,Jul,2015 | oxfamadmin
01,Jul,2015 | oxfamadmin
30,Jun,2015 | oxfamadmin
27,Jun,2015 | oxfamadmin
27,Jun,2015 | oxfamadmin
26,Jun,2015 | oxfamadmin
23,Jun,2015 | oxfamadmin
22,Jun,2015 | oxfamadmin
21,Jun,2015 | oxfamadmin
18,Jun,2015 | oxfamadmin
17,Jun,2015 | oxfamadmin
15,Jun,2015 | oxfamadmin
14,Jun,2015 | oxfamadmin
13,Jun,2015 | oxfamadmin
11,Jun,2015 | oxfamadmin
10,Jun,2015 | oxfamadmin
08,Jun,2015 | oxfamadmin
06,Jun,2015 | oxfamadmin
05,Jun,2015 | oxfamadmin
04,Jun,2015 | oxfamadmin
03,Jun,2015 | oxfamadmin
02,Jun,2015 | oxfamadmin
01,Jun,2015 | oxfamadmin
30,May,2015 | oxfamadmin
30,May,2015 | oxfamadmin
29,May,2015 | oxfamadmin
28,May,2015 | oxfamadmin
25,May,2015 | oxfamadmin
25,May,2015 | oxfamadmin
25,May,2015 | oxfamadmin
25,May,2015 | oxfamadmin
25,May,2015 | oxfamadmin
20,May,2015 | oxfamadmin
17,May,2015 | oxfamadmin
17,May,2015 | oxfamadmin
17,May,2015 | oxfamadmin
16,May,2015 | oxfamadmin
13,May,2015 | oxfamadmin
12,May,2015 | oxfamadmin
12,May,2015 | oxfamadmin
10,May,2015 | oxfamadmin
09,May,2015 | oxfamadmin
06,May,2015 | oxfamadmin
05,May,2015 | oxfamadmin
02,May,2015 | oxfamadmin
02,May,2015 | oxfamadmin
02,May,2015 | oxfamadmin
01,May,2015 | oxfamadmin
30,Apr,2015 | oxfamadmin
30,Apr,2015 | oxfamadmin
30,Apr,2015 | oxfamadmin
29,Apr,2015 | oxfamadmin
28,Apr,2015 | oxfamadmin
28,Apr,2015 | oxfamadmin
27,Apr,2015 | oxfamadmin
26,Apr,2015 | oxfamadmin
26,Apr,2015 | oxfamadmin
25,Apr,2015 | oxfamadmin
24,Apr,2015 | oxfamadmin
23,Apr,2015 | oxfamadmin
22,Apr,2015 | oxfamadmin
22,Apr,2015 | oxfamadmin
21,Apr,2015 | oxfamadmin
21,Apr,2015 | oxfamadmin
20,Apr,2015 | Avantika
16,Apr,2015 | oxfamadmin
12,Apr,2015 | oxfamadmin
11,Apr,2015 | oxfamadmin
08,Apr,2015 | oxfamadmin
06,Apr,2015 | oxfamadmin
03,Apr,2015 | oxfamadmin
03,Apr,2015 | oxfamadmin
30,Mar,2015 | oxfamadmin
26,Mar,2015 | oxfamadmin
24,Mar,2015 | oxfamadmin
24,Mar,2015 | oxfamadmin
23,Mar,2015 | oxfamadmin
17,Mar,2015 | oxfamadmin
12,Mar,2015 | oxfamadmin
07,Mar,2015 | oxfamadmin
07,Mar,2015 | oxfamadmin
04,Mar,2015 | oxfamadmin
02,Mar,2015 | oxfamadmin
02,Mar,2015 | oxfamadmin
28,Feb,2015 | oxfamadmin
27,Feb,2015 | oxfamadmin
26,Feb,2015 | oxfamadmin
25,Feb,2015 | oxfamadmin
25,Feb,2015 | oxfamadmin
25,Feb,2015 | oxfamadmin
25,Feb,2015 | oxfamadmin
16,Feb,2015 | oxfamadmin
06,Feb,2015 | oxfamadmin
30,Jan,2015 | oxfamadmin
22,Jan,2015 | oxfamadmin
20,Jan,2015 | oxfamadmin
20,Jan,2015 | oxfamadmin
06,Jan,2015 | oxfamadmin
29,Dec,2014 | oxfamadmin
22,Nov,2014 | oxfamadmin
22,Nov,2014 | oxfamadmin
22,Nov,2014 | oxfamadmin
22,Nov,2014 | oxfamadmin
22,Nov,2014 | oxfamadmin
22,Nov,2014 | oxfamadmin
22,Nov,2014 | oxfamadmin
22,Nov,2014 | oxfamadmin
22,Nov,2014 | oxfamadmin
22,Nov,2014 | oxfamadmin
22,Nov,2014 | oxfamadmin
22,Nov,2014 | oxfamadmin
22,Nov,2014 | oxfamadmin
07,Nov,2014 | abhij89
04,Sep,2014 | Anonymous
03,Sep,2014 | Anonymous