Practical training with stone mason
It has been the year of rebuilding remote village infrastructure following the devastating earthquakes in 2015. NAFA allocated $448,000 to earthquake related projects in five districts of Nepal: Dhading (Tawal, Kutal, Ladap and Richet), Solu Khumbu (Kophu), Okhaldhunga (Patale and Dhurpisurki), Dolakha (Shyama) and Sindulpulchowk (Jitpur). Additionally NAFA allocated $27,000 for earthquake training and for two engineers to oversee construction in eastern Nepal and in the Ri VDC, Dhading District.
Infrastructure rebuilt or substantially repaired includes 40 classrooms in nine remote villages (located in five districts), agricultural cooperative infrastructure for farming households from four villages, and a gabion wall aimed at protecting a school and village from landslide risk.
Tawal-Casting of Lintel Beam
NAFA has allocated funds to ensure the quality of construction. This has included:
- contracting a local Nepali architect in Kathmandu to prepare classroom designs and site plans;
- funding of two seven day earthquake resistant training programs for local builders; and
- contracting two engineers for five months to live up in the rebuild areas to oversee construction of the first classroom blocks.
It has been a challenging process, requiring approvals from three government departments (Department of Education, Department of Urban Development, Building Construction and the Central Level Planning Implementation Unit, both at a central office and district level, as well as the Social Welfare Council in Nepal. However, this means that NAFA supporters can be assured that the new classrooms meet Nepalese government building requirements. The design and building techniques used will resist damage and
Shyama classrooms built to lintel band level
hopefully prevent deaths from potential earthquakes in the future. Our overseeing engineers in the field are impressed with the high quality of construction.
We hope to raise an additional $50,000 to complete the rebuild in 2017. Allocations for NAFA’s rebuild/repair commitments in the Solu Khumbu, Okhaldunga, Dolakha and Sindulpulchowk districts have been made. Our focus now will be on completing the rebuild commitments in the four villages in the Dhading district.
Donations to help us complete the rebuild would be greatly appreciated, go to Donations