First survey report of the gravity of destruction at the school buildings

New school material and uniforms

Two months have passed since the severe earthquake in Nepal. Nearly 9,0000 people died, thousands were injured and an uncountable number of victims lost their possessions and housing. One of the epicentres was Sindhupalchok District, about 80 km north-east of the Nepali capital Kathmandu, the region in which a majority of NHB schools were located. This region itself accounted for 4,0000 deaths and approximately 70,000 destroyed homes.

Over the first couple of weeks following the disaster NHB’s major aim was to provide first aid by handing out food and tarpaulins for provisional accommodation. At the same time the NHB-schools needed to be inspected to find out about their conditions, especially considering lessons had been going on since the beginning of June. Quickly, provisions like tents and bamboo huts with tarpaulins were built for the pupils. These should provide shelter in the times of heavy rain during the up-coming monsoon season.

Survey report of the school buildings

An engineering company from Bhaktapur has inspected all school buildings during the last couple of weeks and graded their state of repair according to a “traffic light system”.

Red: four schools, among them NHB’s first school (Michl-Dacher-School in Kadambas). 2000 pupils and their teachers are affected, after the buildings couldn’t stand the repeated heavy earthquakes and fell down. At least 500,000 Euro will be needed to reconstruct those schools.

Yellow: thirteen further building were damaged, where reparations will be possible. These will require pillars, walls and steel constructions including rails and reinforcements.

Green: Twelve schools, either completely or mainly financed by NHB – for example Mary Ward and Don Bosco Order – have survived without damages. The same goes for Shaligram Children’s Home, the Siddhi Memorial Hospital and the neighbouring elderly home.

School materials and uniforms

As most homes have been destroyed and with them almost all belongings, pupils needed new school materials and uniforms, which will probably be the only clothes they will possess in the near future. 

Representatives of the various communities came pleading for financial support, which Sunil Shresta and Shyam Pandit realized promptly. They bought rolls of cloth and took them to the villages, where tailors made the needed clothes. Wearing school uniform will surely enhance the self-confidence of the children. In addition, they even received new school bags with the logo of NHB, writing materials, exercise books and books. All these will help make school attendance a little easier despite the negative conditions.

Thanks to all donors

Last, but not least some words of thanks to all those who have committed themselves in various ways – Zumba courses, selling cakes, choir evenings, charity runs and so on – and who have contributed to such a pleasing result. All the donations will be urgently needed in the next months and years to reconstruct the schools. Thousand thanks to all donors!

The bank account is as followed:

Nepalhilfe Beilngries e.V., Volksbank Bayern Mitte eG, keyword „earthquake“ 

IBAN:  DE05 7216 0818 0004 6227 07 BIC: GENODEF1INP