Nepal: earthquake resistant reconstruction programme well under way

The Monaco Red Cross immediately responded to the series of earthquakes which first struck Nepal on 25th April 2015. It launched an appeal to Monaco’s population, who once again demonstrated great generosity.

Today, despite several aftershocks in the months following the initial deadly earthquake and the torrential monsoon rains, which caused landslides and massive floods resulting in a great deal of damage and further victims, the project conducted by the Monaco Red Cross, in partnership with the Luxembourg Red Cross, the Liechtenstein Red Cross and the Nepal Red Cross, is actively ongoing.

Currently, work has resumed and 80% of the project activities are scheduled to be completed by the end of December 2017.

The overall budget for this programme amounting to one million Euros, 470,000 Euros of which was provided by the Monaco Red Cross thanks to the many donations received and a financial contribution of 224,000 Euros from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, has enabled the following to be carried out in the Dhading district:

• Training for 60 bricklayers/carpenters in earthquake resistant construction techniques using local materials;
• Reconstruction of three schools incorporating these standards;
• Creation of eight drinking water stations (a ninth will be created by the end of the year) and a sewage system: latrines currently being built;
• Community health awareness campaign;
• Construction of four vaccination centres (under way);
• Construction of four irrigation channels – a total of nine will be built by the end of the year;
• But also activities to promote the recovery of economic activities for families, such as producing goat fodder and buying billy goats or seeds.

Consequently, thousands of people have already benefitted from the programme, which will be completed by the end of 2017.