Scottish Catholic Observer

Our brothers and sisters in Nepal continue to suffer following the deadly earthquakes which struck their country in April and May.

Hundreds of thousands of people, already homeless, hungry and grieving the loss of their loved ones, are living under temporary shelters with little protection from the rain and cold. Heavy monsoon rains will make their lives even harder.

Your kindness and generosity in the immediate aftermath the disaster meant that thousands of survivors got the help they need. Working as part of our global family of international Caritas aid charities, we were on the ground helping people in the hours, days and weeks that followed. As the story fades from the attention of the world’s media, it remains incredibly important that we continue to keep the people of Nepal in our thoughts and prayers.

When big disasters like this happen people are always very generous. Bound by solidarity and compassion, we want to do everything we can to save lives and help the survivors as quickly as possible. However, with the colossal damage to homes, businesses, roads, water and electricity supplies, and communications, there’s never a quick fix. That’s why it’s so important that we continue to work with the survivors for the long-term. Recovery takes years, not weeks or months.

In Nepal, more than eight million people have been affected by the earthquakes, with over 365,000 homes either destroyed or badly damaged (above). Many people have also lost their businesses, jobs and ability to earn money, making it extremely difficult to support themselves and their families. In Kathmandu Valley alone, tens of

thousands of families are sleeping outside and need shelter and protection from the cold and rain. Safe water, food, medical care and counselling are all needed.

The aftershocks have damaged more houses, and

reinforced the fear people have about moving back into their homes. Many, many more houses than usual will have to be built in the next two to three years, and the planning authorities, architects, construction workers and building materials suppliers will be far overstretched for years to come. If a disaster on this scale were to strike Scotland it would take many years to rebuild our homes and begin to heal.

Working together as part of our global Caritas family we’re pooling our resources and channelling them through Caritas Nepal. We’ve already given 22,000 families

tarpaulins to make temporary shelters and will be helping 39,000 families in total in the next few months. Over 11,000 of these families will get corrugated iron sheeting so they can build stronger shelters to stay dry during the heavy monsoon rains. Tarpaulins are also being given to 100 schools so they can provide shelter and restart their classes.

Over 2000 families most at risk including children and old people have been given food, and over 20,000 will be given pots, pans and utensils so they can cook, mattresses and blankets to sleep on and keep warm, as well as jerry-cans, buckets and water purification tablets so they can wash and keep themselves clean. In the next two months we aim to help over 175,000 people.

Your support makes all of this happen. Caritas Nepal Director Fr Pius Perumana witnessed the earthquakes and has praised the global support they’ve received.

“I’m truly humbled by the generosity and support of our whole global family in Nepal’s time of need,” Fr Perumana said. “I would like to thank our community for their prayers, support and gifts. This is the true expression of Christian spirit—‘What you do to the least of my brothers and sisters you do unto me.’ I am really overwhelmed by the generosity and commitment of our brothers and sisters from across the world.

“Nepalese people have received a lot of sympathy from all across the world. Still I feel what they need most is

support, not only for their immediate needs, but for long-term rehabilitation and reconstruction.

“We are shaken but not beaten. We shall rise as one stronger Nepal. It may take a little longer but rise we shall.”

However, the challenges in the short-term remain considerable. Rural communities are difficult to reach in Nepal at the best of the times. Extra hazards such as the increase in heavy trucks on poor roads, potential landslides and damaged infrastructure make getting aid to those in need in isolated areas even more difficult. With 80 per cent of people in Nepal living in rural areas, it will take time to give them permanent shelter and the help they need to recover in the months and years to come.

Caritas teams are now reaching areas so remote that communities living there have largely been left without any help. In some areas we’re working closely with the World Food Programme and using their helicopters to get help to people. The basic dirt tracks linking their villages to the rest of the country could be washed away before Caritas or other humanitarian agencies could reach them. For many villages, the threat of being totally cut off is very real.

“Villagers were urging us to hurry up. Otherwise once it rains, all the supplies will be out of reach for them as flash floods and landslides could block the roads,” Nagdev Yadev, a local volunteer in a Caritas response team, said.

In one remote village, Kanchimaya Rumba needs to feed her family. But since the earthquake it has been nearly impossible to get food. Like most women in her village, Rumba now has to make an all-day journey to reach the nearest market—four hours on foot and another four with the local bus. She’s very grateful for the food and shelter she has been given by Caritas.

“Every needy family is receiving help. We are all treated equally,” she said.

We also need to remember the human suffering that a disaster like this brings and help people to heal. Over 8700 people have died, leaving many thousands of people mourning the loss of their family, friends and neighbours. Counselling is an important part of helping people to recover from disaster. Enabling those who have lost loved ones and witnessed terrible scenes of destruction to share their experiences is an important first step in helping them to grieve, move on and pick up the pieces.

The major response to the earthquakes in Nepal is only possible because of your extraordinary generosity. We’ve received overwhelming support for our Nepal Earthquake Appeal and been deeply touched by people’s willingness to help. Patience, perseverance and solidarity will ensure the suffering people of Nepal can recover and rebuild their lives in the weeks, months and years ahead. I hope you’ll walk with us along Nepal’s long road to recovery.

— To make a donation to SCIAF’s Nepal Earthquake Appeal visit www.sciaf.org.uk/nepal or call them on 0141 354 5555