Nepali Voices

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1 Dear readers, At 26th of April Asian Voices had its deadline. The day before however the devastating earthquake took place in Nepal. We could not just ignore the news of course. However other news had been written or was still in process and we could not leave that behind neither. The idea to dedicate this magazine to what happened in Nepal, only came later. But then we also started to work hard to pro- duce articles. Several interviews with Nepali activists took place, despite the fact that a lot has been destroyed and access to internet in Nepal did not go without saying (just imagine living in a temporary shelter….). We were somehow running after the news, as the situation in Nepal changed and still changes day by day. What we have writ- ten now, can be characterized as ‘real’ past time tomorrow. Nevertheless we succeeded and the result is now what you are reading. We hope with this magazine to give insight what Is happening in the world of International Voluntary Service and volunteering in general (not only SCI) after the disaster in Nepal. We see it as our contribution in the aftermath of the earthquake. Like many and for several reasons, the editors are/were not able to go to Nepal ourselves. But we hope to have made Nepali voices being heard. Last, but not least we would like to thank all the contributors to spend their very precious time to answer our questions or requests for news. Amitiés, The special editing team of Nepali Voices Table of Contents 1 Frontnotes 2 Earthquake and SCI Nepal 3 Message by the IEC 4 Message by the Coordination - team 5 Interview with Punya + Panauti camps 7 Interview with Prajwol 8 A report on Nepal Earthquke in Bhaktapur 9 Appeal from SCI Bhaktapur 10 Workcamp for Disaster Relief Bhakdapura District Nepal 12 Interview with Peter + news from VIN (ccivs) 13 Interview with Neelam 16 Appeal from other voluntary organisation 18 Initiatives from other branches 20 Endnotes

description

The special edition of the Asian Voices, dedicated to Nepal and the earthquakes that struck in April. Please note the following corrections: [Page 17 - The email address of VIN should be [email protected]] [Page 18 - The email address of VWP Nepal should be [email protected]]

Transcript of Nepali Voices

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Dear readers,

At 26th of April Asian Voices had its deadline. The day before however the devastating earthquake took place in Nepal. We could not just ignore the news of course. However other news had been written or was still in process and we could not leave that behind neither.

The idea to dedicate this magazine to what happened in Nepal, only came later. But then we also started to work hard to pro-duce articles. Several interviews with Nepali activists took place, despite the fact that a lot has been destroyed and access to internet in Nepal did not go without saying (just imagine living in a temporary shelter….).We were somehow running after the news, as the situation in Nepal changed and still changes day by day. What we have writ-ten now, can be characterized as ‘real’ past time tomorrow.

Nevertheless we succeeded and the result is now what you are reading. We hope with this magazine to give insight what Is happening in the world of International Voluntary Service and volunteering in general (not only SCI) after the disaster in Nepal.

We see it as our contribution in the aftermath of the earthquake. Like many and for several reasons, the editors are/were not able to go to Nepal ourselves. But we hope to have made Nepali voices being heard.

Last, but not least we would like to thank all the contributors to spend their very precious time to answer our questions or requests for news.

Amitiés,The special editing team of Nepali Voices

Table of Contents1 Frontnotes2 Earthquake and SCI Nepal3 Message by the IEC 4 Message by the Coordination - team5 Interview with Punya + Panauti camps7 Interview with Prajwol 8 A report on Nepal Earthquke in Bhaktapur9 Appeal from SCI Bhaktapur10 Workcamp for Disaster Relief Bhakdapura District Nepal12 Interview with Peter + news from VIN (ccivs)13 Interview with Neelam16 Appeal from other voluntary organisation18 Initiatives from other branches20 Endnotes

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Within the SCI-movement there has been a spontaneous wave of willingness to support our brothers and sisters in Nepal, at several levels: as branches, international coordination and individuals.

The reader may be already aware – also after reading this Nepali Voices- that there are two teams active within SCI Nepal, one around Panauti, the other around the city Bhaktapur. Those teams were already active before the earthquake and were/are working quite autonomously. The latest news is that under the committed captaincy of Stephen Nah (SCI Malaysia) a coordination-team has been formed in the belief that a disaster –how bad whatsoever- can actually bring people together. The coordination team consists of 2 persons of each group, complemented by an Asian SCI contact person and an European SCI contact person.

The group started working and is supported by IEC (see page 3). Steps are being made to actually work together, in SCI spirit. Nepali Voices welcomes this initiative and would like to give the space to the team to come up with proposals. Meanwhile the practical relief-work, done by SCI Nepal in Bhaktapur and Panauti takes place. Deeds and words!

Nepali Voices also welcomes initiatives outside SCI, as a disaster with such impact requires thinking outside the regular SCI-box. In this magazine we also would like to pay attention to other organizations and initiatives. For the sake of Nepali people, we would like to express our gratitude to all organizations active in the field.

Wilbert Helslooton behalf of the editorial team of Nepali Voices

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Editorial: Earthquake and SCI NepalThe earthquake has had a tremendous effect on the life in Nepal

as well on the lives of SCI-activists there. Activists have remained

physically safe, apart from a broken leg later sustained while

trying to rescue a family from their home following an aftershock.

Thousands of people have died and many homes were destroyed,

among those the houses of SCI-activists.

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We, the members of the International Executive Committee of SCI, havebeen observing with great attention the news about situation in Nepal,and especially our thoughts have been with our SCI friends there.

Like some of you, we have also made an effort to reach SCI members inNepal to find out what kind of help can be provided.

We are supporting the creation of an international coordination teamcomposed by 6 members of SCI in Nepal with Stephen Nah from SCIMalaysia and Sara Turra, the office coordinator at the internationalsecretariat.

We are happy to see that 3 relief workcamps have been announced by SCINepal. We are also confident that this team will be able to sort outwhat are the most urgent needs and how help from SCI can be provided inthe weeks and months to come.

Although every branch is free to to start bilateral collaborations, weare asking branches to get in touch with this team for a coordinatedapproach.

In the next days you will get more information about the address toreach and the concrete steps that are planned.

Many greetingsUris for the IEC, 10/05/2015

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Message from IEC(International Executive Committee of SCI)

Dear all,The tragedy that has taken place in Nepal has moved the hearts of all SCI movement members, and the will to help is visible on all SCI levels: local, national and international ones.

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As of now adhoc but ongoing voluntary and on-site community, voluntary, relief and humanitarian work are been carried out both in Bhataphur and Panauti SCI local groups with some partners NGO. Action includes distribution of Bottled Water, Facemasks, Rice and medical supplies and helping to set up shelter for the displaced. As reported Kathmandu and Bhataphur were severely struck, fortunately the town of Panauti except some of the country side were mostly unaffected.

The Project Team will carried out an assessment of the current situation, will decide on some specific target areas (the overall damage is too extensive and enormous), will do any analysis of their needs, recommend some specific plan of action and estimate the tentative budget. The proposal would also include plan to organise a few International Workcamps in these affected areas.

More details would be provided in the next 2 weeks - via Facebook and announcements. A specific webpage is also to be created on the international website of SCI,www.sciint.org

In the meantime - several SCI Branches have expressed willingness to send volunteers and initiate effort to raise fund to support the repair and reconstruction of the many damaged or destroyed Temples, Heritage Buildings, Sheltered Homes and homes of the unfortunate victims - unfortunately too many our very active and committed volunteers . To all our supportive friends - the people of Nepal greets you with Namaste and says Dhandebad (Thank You)

Update 17/05: Stephen Nah has been replaced last week in the team by Wilbert Helsloot and the team, named Coordination Team Disaster Earthquake Nepal (CTDEN) can be reached by [email protected]

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Message from the Co-ordination Team

A Project Team comprising of Anil and Punya from Panauti, and Raju and Sachi from Bhaktapur and supported by an European representative (Sara Turra from the International Secretariat)| and an Asian one (Stephen Nah, from Asian Development Committee) has been formed.

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Where were you and what were you doing at the time of the earthquake? “I was at my friends shop… chatting with friends. And suddenly the shutter of the shop started shaking and right after it I ran towards the Panauti Palace Square, which was an open ground near me. All the people came to the square where some were crying, shouting, praying and looking for their family”.

Did you know at that time at the open space what happened to your house (and family)?I didn’t have any idea as the network was busy and as my mind was blank I did not think of any thing but after 10 mins I rushed towards my house to look for them. They were safe out the house in the bus park.

And houses and shops, were those destroyed?As i was in ward no 7 of panauti their is a legend told by our old folks that the panauti especially ward no 5,6 and 7 is situated above a big rock so the earth quake doesn’t affect much. But as it was a big quake, there were some cracks.

When exactly did you realize the larger devastating impact of the earthquake in whole Nepal?I realized it was a big quake when I saw the building sway back and forth and the feeling of the ground beneath me moving. And I also I heard a sound which I can’t explain.

But when did you realize that many people actually died?I realized many people were dead when I heard the news in the radio…

are many friends/relatives of you affected by the earthquake (all over Nepal)?My second elder sister house is cracked badly so they could not live there now. And my maternal uncle house is totally destroyed by the quake.

Where do they live now?He (Punya’s uncle) lives under a temporary tents shelterAnd my sister is living in the her brother in law’s house.

What i found remarkable is that you posted pictures at facebook of yourself in a shelter. the pictures left many in the impression that Panauti-city was hit very hard and houses completely destroyed. Can you explain?These are the pictures when we had to stay outside our houses from the authorities after the earth quake for 5 days. Mainly fear for after-shocks. I could not understand, because their were many aftershocks and which are still coming.

Punya (34) is a longstanding activist of SCI Nepal. He has been member since 2000, joined and coordinated several workcamps, attended international meetings of SCI. He lives in Panauti. This interview took place at 8th and 9th of May, before the second largest earthquake at 12th of May.

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Do you mobilize your members now and how ?In some extent we are joining other groups.. But we can’t organise in the name of sci Nepal due to financial problem. We are willing to organise the project but its difficult with no finance but we are cooperating with other groups and youth to distribute relief materials.. And collect old but usable clothes..

Food stuffWhat should be the plans now of SCI Nepal according you?We have uploaded a work camp at the end of the may where we will be cleaning the rubbles of the affected area like school and houses in the village and try to maintain them if possible. And we are also planning to organise a work camp especially for the children’s to get involved in some recreational activities so that they can divert their mind not to think about the earth quake only

Also in my opinion, as the rainy season is on the way .. We need tents. And provided shelter for them if sci international can provide support sci Nepal will help them.

SCI Sri Lanka is ready to send a group of 4-5 experienced volunteers to projects in Nepal. But they say it would be better to go at least for one month. What is your opinion?

I think that’s a good idea but we don’t have enough finance to conduct ‘long’ LTV’s. we would like to conduct work camps, continuously like we can organise a work camp in one place.. And 4-5 days another Workcamp in the next place.

As Punya stated in the interview, SCI Nepal (Panauti group) organizes two relief workcamps after the catastrophic earthquake. They ‘would like you to motivate your volunteers to join these workcamps’

1. Help In Reconstruction Of School building, Balthali29/10/15- 08/11/15. 10 vol. Work Types: Construction / Manual / Disaster relief. Extra Costs: 200.00 EuroDescription: We being SCI member would like to hold SCI international Campin Shree Ladkewori Lower Secondary School where we have already carriedout previous camps. Due to the recent disaster the classes are not in thecondition to be operable. Work: management of ruin of school building andsurrounding area. Accommodation: in the village normal accommodation like matressRequirements: sound physical healthhttp://www.workcamps.info/icamps/camp-details/camp-9091.html

2. Lost Lvaugther04/07/15 – 14/07/15 10 vol.Worktypes: work with children/disaster relief/sportExtra costs: 200 euroDescription: Aim is to bring the lost laughter back that was plucked by the earthquake at 25th April 2015 Work: sketching painting, games and sports, singing and dancing, whatever there is to ease the pain and anxiety amng chlldren and adult communities: ‘Laughter is the power of life. Accommodation in a schoolhttp://www.workcamps.info/icamps/camp-details/camp-9065.html

Reliefwork in PanautiFormer volunteers who participated in workcamps in Nepal donated money and the Panauti-team distributed 70 tents to villages around Panauti in the period from 12th till the 20th of May. Some of the villages are around 1 day walk from Panauti. One of the villages is Dadapari, which has –according Punya- 300 damaged houses.

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The (short) interview takes place late at night, 9th of May. The next morning Prajwol has to get up early for a food distribution program with SCI Bhaktapur to the village Sindupalchok, one of the most severely hit areas of the earthquake, 75km from Kathmandu.

How are you after the earthquake?We are all fine from SCI Bhaktapur. But everyone has a destroyed house in Bhaktapur.

Where were you at the time of the earthquake and what were you doing?That time I was at home. Just near of my home I was smoking a cigarette inside of a shop. I fell the earthquake and came outside. Suddenly sound like pulling a chariot. And everything fell down, house destroyed.

You weren’t hurt or injured?No, because at that time I was at an open place. And I just stayed down the street

What did you do?Nothing , I just watched all around, I sat down in the street and looking at all the houses, which were destroyed in front of my house.

Do/did you live with family/friends?Family, they managed to leave the building in time, when I saw them, they already came down to the ground from the 3rd floor

Where did you sleep that night? And how did you arrange that?We slept in a street, where its little more space and nothing that time just make a fire and stay near of fire. We didn’t sleep that day, because the whole day and night there were atershocks sometimes small and sometimes big. Even today (this morning) also aftershocks. Since 25th of April everyday earthquake till today, small ones but still….

When did you move to Kathmandu?After 3 days. Because I didn’t feel safe there in bhaktapur. Till 56 hour I didn’t sleep and I didn’t eat anything so I decided to go kathmandu with my family

At the end, can you tell more about SCI Bhaktapur?SCI Bhaktapur is just branch, but it is always active, especially now. And in this respect, sorry, i have to sleep now…..

Prajwol Vaidya is active in the SCI Bhaktapur group. Bhaktapur is a city what was quite damaged by the earthquake at 25th of April and a second time at 12th of May.

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A Report on the Nepal Earthquake (SCI Bhaktapur branch.)

On the 25th April 2015, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Nepal.Bhaktapur is a town 15km from Kathmandu. An ancient town of outstanding beauty, it had held a UNESCO World Heritage site award, since 1975.

Since the earthquake, the landscape has changed dramatically. The very old buildings couldn’t stand the strain of the earthquake and cracked, crumbled and shook to the ground. Whole streets disappeared and their inhabitants, perished too.

The main committee members of SCI Nepal (Bhaktapur) had all lost their homes. One was injured, whilst heroically trying to save a family in the rubble of a collapsed house. He was thrown from the rubble, when a violent aftershock shook the town. Unfortunately the family were lost.

Of those houses, (especially in the ‘Old town’) that didn’t collapse immediately, most were so badly cracked and damaged, that they will eventually, have to be demolished. The Nepalese army is now in charge, of demolishing, unsafe buildings.

Families moved into make shift temporary abodes, which formed camps, made of bamboo and tarpaulin. The Chinese Red Cross delivered tents but there were so many people and only a few got tents.

SCI Bhaktapur began almost immediately to distribute Food and Water to communities on the outskirts of Bhaktapur, which had also suffered badly during the earthquake.

I arrived in Bhaktapur ten days after the earthquake and attended meetings at the UN House in Kathmandu. The major NGOs were struggling to reach the widespread, small, communities and their distant locations. We were told, that delivery of services was more important than assessments, which meant the assessments contingency, couldn’t cope and normal planning. This was not suitable because of the unusual circumstances. It became SCI’s duty to deliver, rather than to wait for major NGOs.

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There was a second large earthquake on the 12th May. I was with another member of the SCI team at the tent school when the ground began to shake and the earth beneath me began to move and sway, The children were very frightened but we ushered them to safety. It was difficult to stand because of the movement of the ground .

People whose homes were damaged, slept outside that night, fearing their houses would fall, while they slept.

On a very limited budget, provided by donations, the branch agreed to build latrines for the children of the Kamalbinayak camp, situated across the road, from the temporary SCI head quarters.

Items of books, crayons and sports materials were also presented to the tent school. The latrines are now in the finishing stages.

One evening, we gave out 44 Health hygiene kits comprising of a large plastic bowl, a plastic measuring jug, washing soap, clothes soap, tooth paste, tooth brushes, baby powder, shampoo and sanitary towels.

We began three more latrines and we are holding a health hygiene poster competition, for the children at the tent school, in which, the winners have their paintings digitally transferred to large, acrylic, vinyl, posters for health promotion.SCI Bhaktapur has proposed an international work camp in mid/late August.

This is a unique opportunity for those interested in disaster relief, to gather an insight of disaster mitigation. There is plenty of varied work, for skilled and unskilled volunteers, covering many aspects of work, helping the full range of people, within the community.

Please, keep checking your branch website for details of the camp.

In Solidarity, Peter

The photographs above are copy written to SCI Nepal Bhaktapur but permission to copy is granted, for non commercial use only.

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Location: Bhaktapur. Many people were left homeless after the earthquake, (including some of the local volunteers you will work with.) If their homes were not completely destroyed, then they were to badly damaged, to ever live in again. Work A whole spectrum of work is already under way, so work could involve, Food and water distribution, sanitation, shelter, rubble clearance, health hygiene projects, children programs and working on refugee camps.

Qualifications: No academic qualifications are needed, just motivation, enthusiasm and the will to help others in need.

Personal qualification: The ability to work as a team, remaining impartial and understanding other people’s needs and problems. Physically fit and able to undertake manual tasks. Good mental health and an ability to react well to stress and hard ships.

Talents such as art work, music and drama are welcome and encouraged. You may be asked to make a show for the children or promote hygiene.

Accommodation and food: Accomodation will be very basic, but safe. As you can imagine rooms are expensive now and very difficult to find. Food is in short supply too so, Rice, vegetables and dhal and maybe occasionally meat which the volunteers will cook for themselves.

Extra camp fee 200 euros. The camp is reliant upon the camp fee to operate. If you have fund raised this will be very gratefully accepted and utilized within the camp.

Please check out the various websites for cultural do’s and don’t’s. This is a drug and alcohol free camp

Workcamp for Disaster Relief Bhakdapura District Nepal18-29th of August 12 vol.

This is a disaster relief work camp (only open to experienced volunteers).

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23.37 Thursday 14 May.SCI Nepal (Bhakdupur) Office,

Dear Sarah and committee,Here is my report regarding SCI Nepal Bhakdupur branch.

In short the branch has run out of resource to aid the local community. The area is very badly damaged with whole streets demolished by the Earthquake. There is very little support from the major organizations except for absolute basics from the Red Cross and Save the Children. These basics have now gone beyond capacity and the camp next door to the SCI office is deteriorating rapidly.

The branch still wants to carry on its work, further of the food and water distribution it carried out immediately after the Earthquake.I attended a meeting with Raju (Operations

manager) for SCI at the UN House today.

There were nearly 60 UN vehicles standing Idly in the car park. This is because, we presume, that the terrain in Nepal is so difficult to cross. SCI’s Field assessment and coordinating team, are busy making assessments in town and across the rural district.

SCI Nepal Bhakdupur would very much appreciate the I.S. coordinating an appeal on their behalf and humbly ask for help at this time.

Yours Sincerely,Peter Pollard, Volunteer, International Voluntary Services GB Acting International Coordinator for SCI Nepal Bhakdupur

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06/05“I was at work and heard about the earthquake at the radio. I decided I think Wednesday last week (29/4, ed) to take leave from work and they gave me till the 27th of May. They were very understanding and kind at work in arranging my time off.

I am 14km from Kathmandu, high in the hills, where they carve the hillside to grow maize. at the hills now around Kathmandu to make tents for the victims of the earthquake. Working with Volunteer Initiative Nepal(VIN). Meg from VFP-USA mixed me up with them.

But I also met with Hari (SCI Nepal) at the airport. The work what I am doing now consists of making temporary shelter ie cutting bamboo for poles and clearing an area to make a flat surface on the hillside to place a makeshift tent.

I am living with a host-family and two other volunteers from France, a long term volunteer within VIN and a short term volunteer. A day working starts with breakfast, with host families and volunteers, then dependent on circumstance 5 or 6 hours a day hard work. Besides cutting bamboo, also carrying bamboo to construction sites. Measuring out the ground for size of shelter placing of three poles for structure sides. The set up at VIN is very similar to SCI Sri Lanka. I can’t compare yet with SCI Nepal. A local volunteer is at the same time groups- and workcoordinator. The organization is brilliantly set up and has a doctor who leads a community health program.

(SCI) Volunteers are welcome and the planes are only one third full so they don’t have to worry. The scale is very urgent. There is food and water. I also read “The Guardian”, in which a commentator warned people to rush to Nepal. We as volunteers at VIN discussed this and it made us very angry that she halted the good intentions when volunteers are very much needed.

22/05I was first introduced to VIN, but only realized later they were not the SCI branch. At Sunday 10th of May I liaised with SCI Nepal (Bhaktapur team). I like this branch, they are independent but nice people. They have lost everything –even family-members- and needs a little reorganization. Main achievements of SCI Bhaktapur until now are providing latrines, health hygiene and school distribution, but I will write a more detailed report (see page …)

There is still a need for volunteers. Things may change but at the moment manual workers willing to promote a clean environment. Litter pickers and latrine makers. Basically it is manual work. English teachers for school. Not necessarily qualified as a teacher.

Drama and musicians to promote health and to make people happy. Besides people bring a lot to the camp besides themselves, in skills i mean. Personally i contributed to the work to be done and learned a lot. I gave some dimension to thinking about the children latrines and health security.

At the 27th of May I will return to UK, I will leave some technology behind and a little bit of love….”

“Volunteers? Very welcome and needed” Interview with Peter Pollard

Recall a major disaster in the word, and a big chance that Peter Pollard was there to help out. The activist from IVS-GB volunteered in Sri Lanka, Japan, Haiti (amongst others). Now he is active and present in Nepal. The interview with him took mainly place at two moments.

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Can you tell me when –and how- you were active in SCI (Nepal)?I joined SCI Nepal as a member in 2006. I left for Australia in February 2007 and continued my involvement with SCI in Australia through IVP Australia. However, I was based in Newcastle at that time and the IVP office was in Sydney, which led to a slowdown in my involvement over time.

Some of my involvements are listed as follows:

Aug 2006 Member of SCI Nepal and contact person for the SCI women’s working committee NepalOct 2006 Participated in the Asia Summer University 2006, an SCI Asia Pacific capacity building training program held in Banepa, Nepal, 17 - 21 October 2006Nov 2006 Participated in the international peace seminar, Pacifists Voluntary Projects – Striving towards Quality Standards in Peace Education, Sophia, Bulgaria, 7 – 11 November 2006Dec 2006 Participant in and minute taker of the SCI International Committee Meet held at Dhulikhel Lodge Resort, Nepal, 14 - 17 December 2006Mar 2007 Member of International Volunteers for Peace Australia (IVP) Women’s working group Australia contact person Pacifists Voluntary Projects contact personApr 2007 Executive Member of IVP AustraliaAug 2007 International Liaison Officer of IVP AustraliaJan 2008 Prep team member for the Service Civil International Asian Summer University II

What did Clean-up Nepal do before the earthquake? The idea behind Clean up Nepal began in 2011 when I saw first-hand the positive impact community mobilization can have on the improvement of surroundings in Sydney during the Clean up Australia campaigns. Reflecting on the rubbish accumulated along the sides of the road on my bus trips from Bhaktapur to Kathmandu, and realizing the need for a program like Clean up Australia in Nepal, I set up Clean up Nepal in 2013.

Clean up Nepal works to provide an enabling environment to improve solid waste management in Nepal by working

closely with local communities and relevant stakeholders. We connect, educate and empower people on improved solid waste management through a people-centred, strength based approach to improve community health, well-being and opportunity.

Post-earthquake, we are working to provide immediate relief in the form of shelter, food, water and medical supplies in the most heavily affected regions of Nepal. We have now provided basic relief supplies to 14 150 people in Sindhupalchowk, Gorkha and Rasuwa districts. In Sindhupalchowk, we have provided relief to over nine districts with some of these quite remote, only accessible via dirt-track roads and some areas such as Gumba village development committee requiring transportation of supplies by porters to the villages. Clean up Nepal will continue to send relief supplies till the end of this week after which our focus will be on mid and long-term rebuilding projects.

Where were you when the earthquake happened? I was working on a proposal that was due a follow days after when the earthquake struck. Our team was pretty sleep deprived, so it took us a few moments to register the tremors. Once we did though, we fled out of the building bare foot. A massive tile missed me by seconds on my way out. I was pretty shaken. The full extent of the impact of the earthquake was unknown to us at that point but we knew it wasn’t going to be good. Boundary walls collapsed around us and the apartment we were staying in started to develop major cracks. People around us were slightly hysterical and we started to get news

One of the most active Nepalese NGO’s in the aftermath of the earthquake, is Clean Up Nepal, led by an old SCI volunteer: Neelam Pradhananga. An interview with her, held with her around 10th of May about the way of working of Clean Up and possibilities with cooperation with SCI

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coming in that Dharahara had collapsed, heritage monuments and apartments had collapsed. We were very lucky that the earthquake occurred on a Saturday afternoon when no students were at school or college. Otherwise the causalities would have been much greater.

Can you tell why Clean-up Nepal got fully active after the earthquake?Clean up Nepal has always been active but waste management is not exactly a topic of interest to most. We remained under the radar for the most part and still do to a certain extent. Perhaps it is because we are fairly unconventional in our approach. Clean up Nepal is run entirely by volunteers from the board members right to our individuals on-the-ground. And as a Nepali run NGO, this is unusual. We maximize our funds to deliver the greatest impact, and strive to reach communities on-the-ground through our trainings and awareness raising programs.

Post-earthquake, there was no set plan. Like thousands of other individuals and organizations located in Nepal and globally, we wanted to help in any way we could. Personally, I felt the need to utilize the fact that I was in Nepal- I had planned to be back in Australia by November 2014 but had stayed on to strengthen Clean up Nepal- to contribute as much as I could.

And how?I haven’t travelled all that much outside the capital of Nepal, Kathmandu and so my understanding of the geography of these badly affected regions was limited. Yet some of our volunteers said they wanted to distribute relief to some of these areas and this was how it all started. We learnt about the challenges of distributing of relief supplies along the way as we simultaneously reached out to our friends and family networks to line up funds for subsequent consignments. Our first consignment to Dabachaur was tough. Our volunteers had to carry 5 tons of supplies to the village well into the night as the roads were not fully accessible. After completing this task at 3am, they worked out the distribution mechanism throughout the night and starting distribution at 8am. We learnt a lot from this first consignment and we built on our experience, one consignment after the other. We have now sent out ten consignments and have well-established procurement and distribution channels.

What are the biggest achievements till now of Clean-up Nepal?Clean up Nepal exercises value for money. We consist of a diverse group of individuals located globally from all professional backgrounds. We work closely with communities keeping in mind long-term, sustainable solutions that have minimal impact on the environment. We strive to reach out to and bring together a team of volunteers who excel at what they do, have a passion for community-driven solutions and ground-up change.

We have mobilized over 500 organizations and 45 000 individuals to undertake cleanup programs to-date. We started the first nationwide cleanup in 2013 in which 20 cities took part. Our focus is now on working closely with communities from three peri-urban settlements to develop sustainable waste management systems. Once this model is developed, we can replicate this to benefit the almost 3000 village development committees in Nepal that have no waste management systems in place. Our work post-earthquake has been swift and timely, and transparent. We have also ensured 99% of all funds received go directly to support communities on-the-ground. Approximately 1% of funds go towards volunteers’ food and travel.

What can be the role of SCI in the short-term?The monsoons will be starting in Nepal in the next few weeks. The urgency to therefore, provide basic relief, particularly temporary shelter such as tents and tarpaulin, mosquito nets, soaps and water purifiers is high. For this, SCI can assist by raising much needed funds to enable us to purchase these relief supplies and distribute them to areas where they are needed urgently.

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What can be the role of SCI in the long term?Having been involved with SCI for a number of years and being a firm believer of the SCI model of promoting a culture of peace, tolerance and cooperation through international voluntary projects, I believe that there is considerable space for SCI to be involved in the rebuilding of Nepal. Towards this, opportunities exist for SCI to develop short, mid and long-term volunteering opportunities in assisting to re-building community infrastructure at a grassroots level, in promoting hygiene and sanitation through awareness raising and training, in supporting children with adjusting to the changes in their learning environment, and so much more. These workshops can also be a vehicle for SCI to continue driving support for Nepal beyond the relief period and well into the rehabilitation and rebuilding phase.

Do you foresee cooperation with SCI?As the monsoon nears and Clean up Nepal winds down its relief operations, we are working to develop a mid and long-term strategy that builds on our core working areas of sustainable waste management, environmental education, and research and advocacy. We will also build on our experience working in close cooperation and collaboration with local communities and other like-minded stakeholders such as the Nepali government, INGOs, NGOs, CBOs and other informal groups. Clean up Nepal intends to focus on water, hygiene and sanitation, and intends to complement the efforts of other NGOs who will be working on building community infrastructure such as schools and shelter for families. We will work to (i) facilitate the construction of community, location and gender-sensitive toilets that serve the needs of the community (ii) raise awareness and train the local community to manage their household and community waste (iii) develop waste management systems in local village development committees (iv) raise awareness about hygiene and sanitation and (v) ensure water used by households are free of contaminants and pure. Clean up Nepal and SCI could work together on the above outlined areas through the development of location-specific short, mid and long term volunteering projects.

(SCI-) activists can –if they want- financially support the work of Clean Up Nepal. The editorial team possesses the details how to transfer. Please send an e-mail to the editorial address: [email protected]

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This is the time we need the most volunteers to HELP people. I think as a humanitarian organization our role is to help people in need. The volunteers will be placed only in safe houses. So no need to worry. I know the government advisory against the travel to Nepal might have affected you to to promote our projects but why can people not help / volunteer when people need immediate help? So please at least communicate our message to the interested volunteers.

VIN works for over 5000 families and at least 4000 families’ houses were fully destroyed. VIN is hiring 90 local volunteers for two weeks to install temporary houses for over 500 families in the first lot. The monsoon is very near and all other families need the safe shelter. The tents we have distributed before are not enough during monsoon. So we kindly request your organization to promote the projects.

VIN started immediate relief work from the next day of the earthquake. Major activities we have started immediately are - Support to fitting tents, support in getting stuffs out from the destroyed houses safely; help people to build temporary houses, toilets; make people aware on hygiene and sanitation and support soaps for not to spread communicable diseases; teach techniques on how to purify water; spray disinfectant in surrounding environment, make people aware on diarrheal diseases and epidemic of infectious diseases; conduct mobile health camp in communities.

Despite of the massive earthquake destruction, the life is slowly becoming normal. Offices and business are open as normal hours. Electricity, communication, and means of transportation have been in system. Now people need help rebuild their houses, schools and other public entities. So we would like to invite international communities to consider volunteering with us for hands on and educational activities like reconstruction, renovation, health & sanitation. People in the cities and villages are living outside in the rain due to broken houses.

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Appeals from other voluntary organizations:Volunteer Initiative Nepal (VIN): (through mailinglist CCIVS, Alliance and NVDA)

Please find below relief work projects. Workcamp and LMTV almost have the same project description as the work more or less will be the same.

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Post Disaster Relief LMTV Projects List 2015

Code Name of Project Location Date Duration Type Vols Male Female Age

VINLMTVEQR Post Jitpur Starts Minimum MANU, 12 6 6 18+-01 Relief Project Disaster 1 and 15 on each 1 to 4 weeks ENVI, each 2015 of the EDU, intake month HEALTH

Please note that the participationfee is 500 euro for 4 weeks, and each extra week 60 euro extra…. You will receive fundraising tips from VIN if you apply.

WORKCAMPSTo be held:05/06- 17/0618/06- 01/0705/07-17/0718/07- 31/0705/08 -17/0818/08-31/0805/09-17/0918/09-1/10

All workcamps take place in Jitpur/Okharpauwa community, can host max 14 vol, and have a placementfee from 230 Euros

Work/activities• Help local people construct temporary houses and toilets.• Reconstruction and renovation of the old buildings, houses, schools, classrooms and public properties.• Reconstruct and renovate temples and cultural heritage sites. • Renovate, reconstruct and improve the irrigation channel, drinking water supply, roads, schools, houses or any public or private properties.• Help conduct health camps with local doctors and nurses. • Conduct awareness campaigns, Training on basic health and hygiene, Garbage collection & management• Work with local women/farmers to support in their farm in order to improve their economy and living. • Conduct psychological and some life skills sessions to the local children, youths, women and farmers. (Note: The volunteers will conduct some of these activities on the need base of the community. VIN will orient each group on arrival which of those activities will be available)

For more info about volunteering and ways to donate: www.volunteerinitiativenepal.org, + 977 1 4362560, [email protected]

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VOLUNTEER WORKCAMP PROGRAMME NEPALNowadays the situation here in Nepal is desperate! Over 8000 deaths, thousands of people injured and around 200,000 people were homeless, earthquake disaster hit day by day, People in the cities and villages are living outside due to fear of damaged homes. Almost all houses are destroyed and people have nowhere to live. Their food, clothes and cooking resources are all buried under the broken houses; People need instant help and kind support for basic things food, water, medicine, shelter or tent because rainy season is coming.Earthquake in Nepal is getting more and more competitive every day, people are having fear of it, we were lose our family, houses, infrastructure, pet animal, environmental structure, it affects many area such as transportation, Hospital, village area, city area, Electricity area and communication infrastructure and world heritage site of Kathmandu, during the earthquake

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We are organizing “Volunteer Camp- Active- Program (VCAP) for Earthquake victim in Nepal” to build house with tunnel structure provide with food and water and mat. We will involve and participate people and organization .So that we need good collaboration, economical help as well as co-operation work from all over the world. The most useful way you can help us now is to raise funds and volunteer work. People and organization donate us or volunteer by sending an email on following address: [email protected] or you can directly add us by face book link: https://www.facebook.com/VWPNepal

The workcamp starts 29th of May and has an ongoing basis. We have every reason to be optimistic of the current situation “Earthquake in Nepal” being able to add people volunteer, organization to our Volunteer Camp- Active- Program (VCAP) for earthquake victim in Nepal. We would like to thank you for giving such opportunity. I extend my best wishes in all it’s endeavors.

Friendship Foundation Nepal (FFN)Making 100 House Project:Title: Making 100 family houses project. Location: Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Sindhupalchok, Nuwakot and Gorkha districts.How to Support: To reconstruct their damaged house(using earthquake proof materials) International workcamp to support construction/reconstruction projects.Support procedure: Provide them construction materials and skill manpower to build house.Supervision/Monitaring: by a team of expert and international volunteers

Making 25 school buildings Project:Title: Making 25 school buildings project.Location: Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Sindhupalchok, Nuwakot and Gorkha districts.How to Support: To reconstruct damaged public schools (using earthquake proof materials) International workcamp to support construction/reconstruction projects.Support procedure: To provide them construction materials and skill manpower to build house.Supervision/Monitoring: by a team of expert and international volunteersWorkcamps started 22nd of May and will continue on an onging basis, for more info: [email protected]

Dear friends,For those of you in Nepal, we hope you are safe. We have lived through a crazy few days here. The days to come will be challenging in so many ways. We have so many scars to heal and rebuilding to do. Here’s how you can help:

VOLUNTEER: We need volunteers to coordinate fundraising, coordinate volunteers, document, strategise and then of course get out there and distribute relief material. If you are interested to volunteer or if you know friends interested, please contact us at [email protected]

SHARE:A group of photographer friends have set up the following social media feeds to share photos, stories and updates from the ground: https://www.facebook.com/nepalphotoprojecthttps://instagram.com/nepalphotoproject/Please share all this widely. Any/all contributions you can make will make a great difference on the ground right now! www.photocircle.com.npwww.nepalpicturelibrary.org

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SCI Sri Lanka announced not very late after the earthquake (6th of May) that they were in principle ready to send 4-5 experienced volunteers for reliefwork to Nepal. They were looking for consent from SCI Nepal, who is supposed to host them. Another request was partial funding for travel costs, if possible. Some donations were collected, but rather not transferred to private accounts

SCI Malaysia held – right after the earthquake - the two-weeks action ‘Help Nepal’. The amount of 20.000 Malaysian ringit (about 5550 USD) has been collected from private donators. It is especially meant for SCI-activists in Nepal themselves, who lost valuable matters because of the earthquake.

SCI Hongkong, SCI Bangladesh and IVP Indonesia didn’t collect money, but are just looking into volunteer-options. They might send volunteers to workcamps to be organized in Nepal.

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Initiatives from other branches

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Life goes on, they say. That is at least the expression. The expression does not state what kind of life. For many Nepali people the disaster was worse than their worst nightmare. Because it was reality. Because it brought destruction and damage.

A blessing in disguise is that people got active, as IF they wake up from a nightmare. The willingness of Nepali people to help others in Nepal is overwhelming, despite the fact that the some of the same people lost almost everything themselves.

Nepali voices tried to give those people a voice. A cry maybe. At the same time we tried to bring you news, upon which you as reader can react. We hope at least we raised awareness….

Life goes on, they say. Nepali voices will soon turn into a regular Asian Voices again, with news and reports of SCI from the whole Asian region. Nepal is hereby not out of the picture! The hardest time after a natural disaster or a war is maybe when most of the international humanitarian circus-crew leaves the country on the way towards another struck region. SCI, based locally will stay and will prove its effectiveness also on the long term.

Asian Voices will keep you updated, also in the future!

Amities,Wilbert