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| A year on from the earthquake, we volunteers are rebuilding Nepal | A year on from the earthquake, we volunteers are rebuilding Nepal |
| (4 months later) | |
| When the earthquake struck I was at home. My mum was at work and my brothers and sisters were at college. I came out of my room, where I had been hiding under the bed, went into the kitchen and saw water falling down the walls, and everything was on the floor. People were crying and gathering together. I called my sister, but the phone rang once and then went off. I was so worried. | When the earthquake struck I was at home. My mum was at work and my brothers and sisters were at college. I came out of my room, where I had been hiding under the bed, went into the kitchen and saw water falling down the walls, and everything was on the floor. People were crying and gathering together. I called my sister, but the phone rang once and then went off. I was so worried. |
| After that I was traumatised. I was recently on a bus and fell asleep. When I woke up the bus was shaking, and I started screaming: “Earthquake! Everyone get out!” Of course, everyone was confused – there was no earthquake. | After that I was traumatised. I was recently on a bus and fell asleep. When I woke up the bus was shaking, and I started screaming: “Earthquake! Everyone get out!” Of course, everyone was confused – there was no earthquake. |
| At the beginning we didn’t have strong support from the government, so we just started to help each other. My family helped to rebuild our neighbour’s house. We also cleaned up our village and helped people who were injured out of their homes. I saw people working for each other instead of waiting for someone to come and help them. | At the beginning we didn’t have strong support from the government, so we just started to help each other. My family helped to rebuild our neighbour’s house. We also cleaned up our village and helped people who were injured out of their homes. I saw people working for each other instead of waiting for someone to come and help them. |
| At the same time, many women and poor families are still unable to help themselves and to see them in that condition is very painful. Some families are not economically strong enough to help themselves. Other people have capacity but they don’t know what to do with it. | At the same time, many women and poor families are still unable to help themselves and to see them in that condition is very painful. Some families are not economically strong enough to help themselves. Other people have capacity but they don’t know what to do with it. |
| That’s why projects like the one I’m volunteering with are so vital for rebuilding my community. I work in the rural community of Bhalu Khola, in Makwanpur district, on a programme funded by the UK Department for International Development and run by Raleigh International. | That’s why projects like the one I’m volunteering with are so vital for rebuilding my community. I work in the rural community of Bhalu Khola, in Makwanpur district, on a programme funded by the UK Department for International Development and run by Raleigh International. |
| The team, who are a mix of Nepali and UK volunteers, are supporting people to generate an income by training young people on how to diversify their income and establish small enterprises. The majority of rural communities in Nepal still rely on agriculture as their sole source of income, which is increasingly risky due to the effects of natural disasters and climate change. | The team, who are a mix of Nepali and UK volunteers, are supporting people to generate an income by training young people on how to diversify their income and establish small enterprises. The majority of rural communities in Nepal still rely on agriculture as their sole source of income, which is increasingly risky due to the effects of natural disasters and climate change. |
| We initially set up TED-style talks and invited successful entrepreneurs from nearby towns to talk to community members about what it takes to establish a business. These conversations, along with our training on how to identify market need, build a business plan and pitch for funding, are helping these young entrepreneurs to develop their business ideas and giving them confidence to act on them. | We initially set up TED-style talks and invited successful entrepreneurs from nearby towns to talk to community members about what it takes to establish a business. These conversations, along with our training on how to identify market need, build a business plan and pitch for funding, are helping these young entrepreneurs to develop their business ideas and giving them confidence to act on them. |
| Rabinara Tiwari is one of these entrepreneurs. His family live in the poorest area of the community and he has a young wife and baby boy. He and his family used to work in a sweet shop but now, since he’s had more training, he’s planning to launch a sweet shop/factory at a time of year when it is traditional to give sweets as gifts. Enterprises are in the early stages, and do not yet have an online presence, but real progress is being made in the community. | Rabinara Tiwari is one of these entrepreneurs. His family live in the poorest area of the community and he has a young wife and baby boy. He and his family used to work in a sweet shop but now, since he’s had more training, he’s planning to launch a sweet shop/factory at a time of year when it is traditional to give sweets as gifts. Enterprises are in the early stages, and do not yet have an online presence, but real progress is being made in the community. |
| It vital that younger people are part of this rebuilding process. Most young Nepali people are migrant workers – they go abroad to find a job – but if we can give them opportunities to work here eventually that will help my country to become economically independent. As we deliver training on business planning and income diversification, we are seeing young people come up with brilliant ideas for businesses, and creating opportunities for themselves and each other. | It vital that younger people are part of this rebuilding process. Most young Nepali people are migrant workers – they go abroad to find a job – but if we can give them opportunities to work here eventually that will help my country to become economically independent. As we deliver training on business planning and income diversification, we are seeing young people come up with brilliant ideas for businesses, and creating opportunities for themselves and each other. |
| We can already see changes. The community is now in the process of setting up a youth club. Here in Bhalu Khola there is no rubbish collection. But since our arrival, the youth here have been collecting signatures for a petition, and the local government have now agreed to provide dustbins and a landfill site. We are also helping the community to become more resilient to natural disasters and climate change by giving them training on crop diversification and coping strategies. | We can already see changes. The community is now in the process of setting up a youth club. Here in Bhalu Khola there is no rubbish collection. But since our arrival, the youth here have been collecting signatures for a petition, and the local government have now agreed to provide dustbins and a landfill site. We are also helping the community to become more resilient to natural disasters and climate change by giving them training on crop diversification and coping strategies. |
| As someone from a marginalised community in rural Nepal, I have witnessed so many inequalities in society. My hope for the future is to see my country rebuilt as a place where girls will be treated equally, and that doesn’t have a caste system or a huge gap between the poor and rich. I’m hopeful: there are a huge number of young Nepali people working for local and global change. Nepal’s young people are buzzing with energy, and if anyone can change and do something good for Nepal, it’s us. | As someone from a marginalised community in rural Nepal, I have witnessed so many inequalities in society. My hope for the future is to see my country rebuilt as a place where girls will be treated equally, and that doesn’t have a caste system or a huge gap between the poor and rich. I’m hopeful: there are a huge number of young Nepali people working for local and global change. Nepal’s young people are buzzing with energy, and if anyone can change and do something good for Nepal, it’s us. |
| Asha Budha Magar is a volunteer working with Raleigh International, from Kirtipur in the Kathmandu valley, Nepal | Asha Budha Magar is a volunteer working with Raleigh International, from Kirtipur in the Kathmandu valley, Nepal |
| For more news, opinions and ideas about the voluntary sector, join our community. | For more news, opinions and ideas about the voluntary sector, join our community. |
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