Habitat for Humanity completes distribution of temporary shelter kits to earthquake-hit families in Nepal

More than 5,000 kits have been given out in five worst-affected districts

MANILA (September 11, 2015) Four months after the devastating April and May earthquakes in Nepal, Habitat for Humanity has completed the distribution of more than 5,000 temporary shelter kits with the help of local volunteers and community members.

By September 4, a total of 5,065 temporary shelter kits have been distributed to families in worst-affected Sindhupalchowk, Gorkha, Dhading, Kavre and Lalitpur districts. The kits included items such as corrugated iron roofing sheets, iron rods and coiled wire. The items can be re-used in the construction of permanent houses.

In contrast to the panic he experienced after the earthquake, Bikash Deshar, a 29-year-old daily wage laborer, felt great relief. “This might be a temporary shelter. But it’s a strong one. Rainwater doesn’t come in and my baby’s health has improved,” he said.

With hired help, Bikash built a temporary shelter in two days after receiving one of 1,000 temporary shelter kits distributed by Habitat in Chapagaon, Lalitpur district, on August 5 and August 6.

When the earthquake struck on April 25, Bikash was working in the capital Kathmandu, about 15 kilometers away from Chapagaon. He was alarmed when he could not get through to his heavily pregnant wife Bidhya, 20, on his mobile phone. “I walked all the way home because there was no public or private transport,” he recalled.

His house was nearly reduced to rubble but he managed to locate his wife some distance away, in the open, with hundreds of other people. Bikash and his wife Bidhya shared a tent with 10 other people after the earthquake. Bidhya gave birth soon after the earthquake. With nowhere to go, they lived in the tent for four months. Whenever it rained, they would get wet and his newborn baby Birsha was often down with a cold or a fever.

For 39-year-old Sumita Gautam, it is the feeling of security that makes all the difference. Living in a temporary shelter means that her family does not have to share limited space in a tent with several other people. “As a woman, I felt very unsafe sleeping out in the open. I was also worried about the danger it could pose to my young daughter and my mother,” she added.

Under the guidance of a skilled carpenter, local community members helped Sumita to build her temporary shelter four days after she received the kit from Habitat for Humanity Nepal. She also built a door that could be locked from the inside.

With a roof over their heads, Sumita’s children find it easier to concentrate on their studies. “Now I can study at night, with the door locked and not worry about feeling unsafe,” said Sushila, 22, a management studies student at Tribhuvan University in Kathmandu.

Her brother, Dipesh, 13, was worried about failing his term examinations if he continued living in a tent. “I found it very difficult to study when it rained because my books would get soaking wet,” he said. “Now things are so much better. Like my sister, I can study late into the night without worrying about the rain and at the same time, I feel safe,” added Dipesh with a smile.

The earthquakes that struck Nepal on April 25 and May 12 respectively have badly affected two million people in 14 districts. According to Nepal’s government and the United Nations, more than 602,000 houses have been destroyed and an additional 285,000-plus houses damaged.

Since the earthquakes, Habitat for Humanity Nepal has helped affected families by removing rubble and debris, and through distribution of temporary shelter kits, among others. With support from donors and volunteers, Habitat for Humanity Nepal continues to work with earthquake survivors to rebuild their homes and lives.