Nepal: Nepal Earthquake

This is the first in a multi-part overview of RMF's relief activities in Nepal by Cindy Stein. Check back for additional updates!

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RMF assisted with logistics, sourced and procured supplies, and provided funding to local partners in order to bring relief to areas of Sindhupalchuk, Dahding, Chagam, Kavre, and Dolkha. In addition, we supported Kathmandu based programs in need such as the Bal Mandir Orphanage and Kanti Children’s Hospital.
We did this by:

• Procuring items locally such as water, tarps, tent stakes, utensils, rice, lentils, dahl, salt, oil, blankets, ground mats, and medication.
• Hand carrying items from the US such as water filtration systems, medication, and solar lighting.
• Bringing items by land from India such as candles, grains, water, dry food items, and medication.
• Partnering with local organizations such as Mercy Medical, Lumbini Social Services Organization/ Global Karuna, Bibeksheel Nepali, Nepal National Mountain Biking Team efforts, and Global Cultural Net Nepal.
• Arranging and funding helicopter and ground transportation for relief missions.

Distribution was done via helicopter, vehicle, and walking on foot to remote locations collaboratively with RMF staff, partner organization youth volunteers, and partner staff.
Next steps in emergency relief phase include:

• Continued financial and logistic support of local partner efforts to procure and distribute aid to areas in need.
• Import and distribution of a large amount of goods such as hygiene kits, medical supplies, water filtration systems and tents from the US.
• Distribution of d.light solar lighting units donated by Omidyar Network to rural areas in need.
• Continued procurement of items from Bihar, India as needed and transport by land to Kathmandu for distribution.

Sawyer water filtration systems ready for distribution.

Some of the water supply at the Global Karuna relief camp who distributes water (among other things) within Kathmandu and outlying areas in need.

Volunteers packaging medication kits to be brought to areas in need. Currently, diarrhea and flu have become serious problems in many areas. Seeing all volunteers working so hard around the clock was inspiring. They came from all walks of life — students, teachers, professionals and shopkeepers — everyone pitched in.

Sewing volunteers working on creating tarps out of available materials for distribution to areas in desperate need of shelter. There is a serious lack of tents and tarps with monsoon almost here. The seamstress group cleverly sourced anything waterproof they could find to come up with makeshift tarps.

Volunteers loading trucks for distribution to areas outside of Kathmandu.

Supply sorting and inventory areas at Bibeksheel Nepali. The community kept bringing all kinds of donations and volunteering to help with manpower.

Youth volunteers hard at work. These are amazing people. It was really like watching leaders being born before your very eyes to see the efficient relief delivery system they developed in a matter of days.

Organizational chart created by Bibeksheel Nepali volunteer team

Bike shop that the Nepali Mounting Biking Team is running their relief efforts out of. RMF supplied them with a GoPro to document their efforts. These guys stopped everything to help their country; true heroes and just the nicest guys. Here they are having a late night team meeting to plan for the next day's efforts.

National champion Ajay Pandit Chettry and other cyclists taking a dinner break before preparing for another mission to Sindhupalchuk.

Map showing relief mission to a nunnery in Dolkha.

Metteyya signing the forms to board a helicopter to bring aid and rescue to people in the Bigu region, as well as recover some Buddhist relics in a destroyed monastery there.