Monsoon Season Furthers Shelter Crisis in Nepal

It is monsoon season in Nepal—and this year, the heavy rain and cold weather are a cause for particular worry.

Many families started living outside following the two catastrophic earthquakes that hit Nepal earlier this year.

Some were forced outside because their houses had been destroyed and they had nowhere else to go. Others, while their homes remained standing, could not bear the thought of sleeping or living in a damaged building they feared could come crashing down in the aftershocks.

As of July, experts estimate that there are 598,400 houses that were completely destroyed; and 283,600 homes that were severely damaged.

In these months of torrential downpours and harsh winds, typically June through August, families without shelter are especially vulnerable.

World Renew has set up an office in Kathmandu and has established a Nepal Disaster Response Team to work directly with communities.

In addition to an initial distribution of emergency items including vital food assistance, hygiene kits, tarps, and other emergency materials to quake survivors, World Renew has been implementing an early recovery response to help families in two
target areas with temporary shelter.

In preparation for the monsoon season, 1825 households received shelter kits consisting of 16 sheets of corrugated galvanized iron sheets, a claw hammer, tie wire, and nails to erect a temporary shelter with salvage that would provide immediate shelter until more permanent homes could be built.

Shelter continues to be a high priority in this next phase. While some families may be able to build their own homes once the monsoon season is over, many are not in a financial place to do so.

While World Renew has substantial experience in building earthquake-resistant shelters, it is consulting with various experts to design an appropriate solution for a permanent shelter that uses materials that are available locally and takes into account the slope of the landscape.

World Renew hopes to build 200 houses in its target communities and is aiming to begin construction this fall, once designs are finalized, government permissions are secured, and staff is hired.

At the same time, World Renew has a Water and Sanitation Project on its way, repairing broken water sources and constructing sanitary latrines.

Across the country, more than 180,000 household latrines were destroyed in the earthquakes, leaving 1,138,565 people without access to sanitation facilities, and 1,049,859 without access to water facilities. World Renew is planning to construct at least 250 temporary toilets for families in need in its target communities.

To assist with these efforts, Dwayne Nienhuis from Holland, Mich., set off for Nepal on Aug. 11 to serve as an International Relief Manager (IRM) volunteer for World Renew.

Nienhuis will help oversee the latrine project, the opening of a field base, and explore the potential future projects in food security work, and permanent earthquake-resistant shelter construction.

“I believe in God with everything that is within me and desire to serve him by doing,” Nienhuis said. “We all have gifts or opportunity to serve—that is one of the beauties of the IRM program of World Renew."

To support World Renew in its work, visit here.