Our previous communiqué outlined how NAFA intends to allocate the funds raised. We will follow our long-standing community development framework: understand the context, consult local leaders, identify needs and priorities, assess proposals, and agree on practical projects that communities support and available funds can deliver.

Update on Consultations with Local Communities to Identify Unmet Needs and Priorities

Unlike before and after the 2015 earthquake, NAFA committee members do not have direct relationships with the affected communities. Three Nepal-based NAFA volunteers—with strong links to mayors and other community leaders in the affected areas—will therefore work together to identify/develop proposals and negotiate solutions from a range of sources for NAFA to consider before allocating appeal funds.

The three volunteers leading NAFA’s response—Bijaya Rajbhandari, Chandra Tamang and Kanchha Tamang—have held two online meetings with NAFA President Rod Setterlund and Secretary Russ Waller to review progress and discuss:

• the situation in Nepal and progress of NAFA’s landslide flood appeal;
• timelines for identifying, developing and assessing prospective proposals;
• NAFA’s priorities and the process for considering proposals;
• a field visit to the affected areas by Bijaya, Chandra and Kanchha; and
• the implications of visits to Nepal by NAFA executive officers in November 2026 (Russ) and January 2027 (Rod and Deb).

Key points from the meetings included:

• A late monsoon continues to make access difficult for all INGOs working in the affected areas.
• Other INGOs face the same challenge and similar timelines as NAFA in consulting community leaders and identifying priority infrastructure and other needs.
• The Dashain (11–25 October) and Tihar (7–15 November) holidays will affect the timing of field visits by any INGO.
• Bijaya, Chandra and Kanchha have strong contacts in the affected areas, including: a Nepal Army General overseeing coordination among INGOs, the UN and government agencies; mayors of rural municipalities; local leaders and government officials who can help navigate the significant approvals required for infrastructure projects, such as the Ministry of Infrastructure Development and the Social Welfare Council (SWC).

Agreed actions and next steps:

• Before Russ arrives in mid-November, Bijaya, Chandra and Kanchha will consult/meet with their contacts and potential funding partners in Kathmandu.
• After these consultations, they will prepare a contact list to guide a field visit beginning the week after Russ arrives in Kathmandu.
• Following the field visit, proposals for allocating appeal funds will be submitted to the NAFA committee—ideally before the end of November.
• Strong proposals developed sooner may be considered. NAFA could approve one or more proposal and, if appropriate, seek further donations through December’s Christmas Appeal.

Mayors have advised that they cannot approve infrastructure proposals until the Nepalese Government releases its geotechnical assessment of the affected areas. Some villages may need to be resettled in safer locations.  So as not to be caught up in an undue delay waiting for the release of the technical report, NAFA may need to focus on “softer” projects that can move through the approval process more readily, while still making a meaningful difference—for example, repairing and refurnishing flood-damaged schools or providing microfinance for new income-generating initiatives for women who have lost their partner in the flood.

Identifying and developing proposals, negotiating solutions and securing approvals may take three to six months. We are committed to getting it right. We again ask our loyal donors for patience as we follow the community development process that has guided NAFA successfully for nearly 20 years, including our response to the 2015 earthquake.

Thank you and Kind Regards,

Rod Setterlund OAM, NAFA President

International and Australian Response Efforts
Nepal has mobilised its national forces, disaster agencies and provincial and local authorities, supported by a large international response. Specialist tunnel rescue teams from India, China and South Korea are working alongside the Nepali Army. The US, UK, Japan, UAE, Qatar, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia and other countries have also provided equipment, relief supplies or technical assistance, together with international organisations. India has a particularly large operation, providing around 95 tonnes of relief supplies already as well as tunnel rescue and medical specialists.
Australia has increased its assistance with the Australian Government committing $11 million in humanitarian support so far. An RAAF C-17 arrived in Kathmandu on 2 September carrying almost 24 tonnes of humanitarian supplies, including hygiene and menstrual hygiene kits, solar lights and phone chargers, shelter toolkits, tarpaulins and community lighting equipment. Australia also sent a 15-person Disaster Assistance Response Team, including specialist drone operators from Fire and Rescue NSW and the Queensland Fire Department. According to the latest Australian Government update, 38 Australians remained unaccounted for, with Australian officials working with Nepalese and Chinese authorities to help find them.
Search and rescue remains a major priority. Attention is being given to hydropower projects and other facilities where workers were trapped in tunnels by floodwater, mud and debris. There have also been some incredible rescues. On 4 September, two Nepali workers were rescued alive from the Upper Trishuli 3A tunnel. By 5 September, a Chinese national had also been recovered alive from a tunnel at Upper Trishuli 1, while a Nepali woman was rescued from a house at Betrawati.
The disaster has caused widespread damage to roads, bridges, villages, government facilities, telecommunications and hydropower infrastructure. This lines up with NCE Nepal’s initial assessment, which reported markets, hydropower facilities, residential areas and government buildings being swept away in Rasuwa, along with major damage to roads and bridges further downstream. The Nepalese Government’s early assessment puts losses across sectors at approximately NPR 387.5 billion, or AUD$3.57 billion, and growing.

Impact on Education
The impact on education, where much of NAFA’s focus is for its development projects, is also becoming clearer. The disaster has significantly disrupted children’s education. UNICEF reports at least 20 schools damaged, affecting around 7,000 children, while eight schools are being used as temporary shelters, affecting learning for another 1,300 children. Save the Children reports 69 schools damaged or destroyed and nearly 19,000 students affected. Beyond damage to buildings, flooding has destroyed textbooks, furniture and other learning materials, while displacement has prevented many children from returning to school.

Education agencies are working to restore safe learning as quickly as possible. UNICEF is providing education supplies, supporting assessments and establishing temporary learning spaces. Save the Children has established Temporary Learning Centres alongside Child-Friendly Spaces, while World Vision is providing child protection and psychosocial support. These supports recognise that getting education back on track quickly after disasters provides children with learning opportunities, but also important things like routine, protection, social connection and psychological support.

NCE Nepal also reports that Tribhuwan Trisul Secondary School in Nuwakot had been completely swept away and warned that damaged schools, inaccessible roads and the difficult mountainous terrain could continue to disrupt education for a long period. More temporary learning centres and other alternatives are likely to be needed. This will become more important as the response moves from immediate rescue and relief towards recovery and the restoration of basic services.
For NGOs, rescue and immediate relief are the main priority, but are already starting to think about long-term recovery. The NCE Nepal report highlights some key recommendations:

• Prioritise life-saving emergency response, including rescue, relief and safe evacuation of affected communities.
• Ensure coordinated rescue and relief operations through close collaboration among government agencies, local authorities, security forces, humanitarian actors and civil society organisations.
• Ensure child- and gender-responsive emergency response, giving particular attention to children, women, persons with disabilities, older people and other vulnerable groups.
• Initiate a rapid damage and needs assessment and begin planning for early recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction.
• Ensure continuity of learning for affected and evacuated students through temporary learning arrangements and other appropriate measures.
• Provide mental health and psychosocial support to affected children, teachers, families and communities.
• Immediately convene the Provincial Education Cluster to assess the impact of the disaster on students, teachers and schools and to coordinate an appropriate education-sector response.

For the Tawal region, being higher up the mountains has protected it from many of the direct impacts of the floods and landslides. However, the area remains isolated with key bridges and roads washed out affecting access to food and other resources, and impacting power and communications. Access to education in the mountainous and hilly regions is already precarious with some students walking many hours to get to schools with limited support, now magnified by the disaster. Given the scale of the damage and the large number of people still missing throughout the affected areas, humanitarian assistance and support for education and community recovery are likely to be needed for some time, supporting NCE Nepal’s appeal for help.

Not surprisingly, we are already receiving queries on how the funds raised in the appeal will be allocated. This communique will be the first of many as the allocation process develops. That process will be determined in accordance with NAFA’s long-standing community development practice framework. Key phases in that process following disasters include understanding the context, connecting with local leaders, identifying needs and priorities, assessing applications for support and agreeing on solutions (projects) that meet the needs identified by the community.

Post Landslide & Flood Context.
The landslide flood tore through the Trishuli River system, carrying mud, rock and water through Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading districts. The impacted area is to the east of six villages in the Gangajamuna Rural Municipality that are assisted by NAFA’s community development activities. The landslide flood has not caused any damage to dwellings or community infrastructure in those villages.

Initial recovery efforts have focussed on rescue, recovery, medical treatment, restoring communications and reopening access to the affected areas. International assistance has rapidly increased with many countries and large non-profit organisations offering financial assistance, essential personal items, food, temporary shelter, medical supplies, equipment and specialist support. Our contacts in Nepal believe this phase will continue for at least the next few weeks and perhaps longer to allow time for burial ceremonies.

NAFA’s mandate and experience focus on remote community infrastructure. Meaningful consultation with local communities to identify the needs and priorities for rebuilding community infrastructure, NAFA’s core work, cannot begin until the death ceremonies are complete. In the meantime, if informal consultation through our Nepalese contacts identifies remote villages that have missed out on immediate relief support, NAFA will consider requests for immediate relief assistance, as we did after the devastating 2015 earthquake.

Connecting with Local Leaders to Identify Community Infrastructure Reconstruction Needs and Priorities.
The impacted area faces a huge reconstruction challenge. NAFA will look to play its part in the reconstruction phase, allocating funds raised in the appeal to rebuild community infrastructure such as a school or health post. We will rely on our Nepalese partners and committee members in Nepal to consult with leaders of impacted areas to identify needs, priorities and possible funding partners for prospective projects that will make a real difference to flood affected communities. The NAFA committee has expressed an interest in supporting a project that supports children impacted by the landslide flood.

NAFA will consider the option of working with a funding partner with whom we can combine efforts for a community infrastructure rebuild project. This will depend on the overall budget for the preferred project and the funds available. NAFA executive officers are planning to visit Nepal in November and January, providing opportunities to be involved in consultation and solution negotiation processes.

Future communiques will provide details on projects approved by the NAFA Management Committee. As always, we guarantee that 100% of your donations will go directly to those projects. The communiques will also provide information on how implementation will be monitored. We trust our loyal donors will be patient as we work through the community development process that NAFA has used with success for nearly 20 years, including guiding our response to the 2015 earthquake.

Kind Regards,

Rod Setterlund OAM
NAFA President

The human cost has been enormous. At the time of writing, more than 600 people have been confirmed dead and more than 2,000 people are reported missing, meaning the final death toll could rise substantially. Among the victims are the local village communities, international trekkers and pilgrims travelling towards Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar. The International Red Cross has estimated that approximately 93,000 people have been directly affected and urgently require humanitarian assistance.

Initial recovery efforts have been focussed on finding and rescuing survivors, recovering bodies, providing medical treatment, restoring communications and reopening access to the affected areas. International assistance has rapidly increased with many countries offering financial assistance, equipment and specialist support. The Australian Government has committed $5 million AUD in humanitarian assistance to support disaster response and recovery efforts.

Looking beyond the immediate emergency, Nepal faces a huge reconstruction challenge. The long-term priorities will include rebuilding communities, infrastructure and restoring transport, communication and energy networks.

NAFA will look to play its part in the recovery efforts in line with our commitment to support communities in Nepal through village infrastructure projects. As always we ensure that 100% of donations and fundraising proceeds will go directly to appropriate NAFA supported projects.

Many of our supporters have already asked how they can donate towards NAFA’s recovery efforts. As we work to identify exactly how NAFA will help, NAFA representatives based in Nepal are already reaching out to communities in the affected areas. In anticipation, we are opening dedicated fundraising channels which are available on the Fundraising page. We thank you for your generous support, welcome all donations and commit to keeping everyone informed as recovery efforts take shape.

Rod Setterlund OAM
NAFA President

Donations totalling nearly $170,000 were received from three like-minded philanthropists and a network of loyal NAFA supporters. NAFA donors are undoubtedly attracted by the spread and depth of NAFA’s program/project portfolio, the tax deductibility of donations to NAFA and our guarantee that 100% of donations go directly to Nepal. That guarantee can be provided as we have no paid staff or office, spend no money marketing and executive officers visit Nepal, at their own expense, at least once a year (twice a year for many years after the devastating 2015 earthquake).

Read the 2025 President’s Report for a full update on the year’s progress : 2025 NAFA President’s Report

Donations totalling over $170,000 were received from three like-minded philanthropists and a network of loyal NAFA supporters. NAFA donors are undoubtedly attracted by the spread and depth of NAFA’s program/project portfolio, the tax deductibility of donations to NAFA and our guarantee that 100% of donations go directly to Nepal. That guarantee can be provided as we have no paid staff or office and executive officers visit Nepal, at their own expense, once or twice a year to assess funding applications, monitor project implementation and evaluate outcomes achieved.

Read the 2024 President’s Report for a full update on the year’s progress : 2024 NAFA President’s Report

Our priorities in 2021 included further provision of personal protective equipment and supplies, as well as additional allocations to Surendra in Thimi and Govinda in Pokhara to support their efforts to provide additional Covid-19 related assistance to the most disadvantaged in their respective communities.  Another priority was to ensure we met our ongoing education, childcare and health program commitments. We were able to achieve both these priorities through the continued generosity of NAFA supporters and our guarantee that 100% of donations go directly to Nepal.

Read the 2021 President’s Report for a full update on the year’s progress : 2021 NAFA President’s Report