Getting help to people as soon as disaster strikes
The geography of Nepal makes it prone to unpredictable disasters – earthquakes, storms, floods and landslides. People may lose homes, livelihoods, or loved ones. So, when the worst happens, we want to be able to respond quickly to help people in need. The Disaster Relief Fund enables INF and our partners in Nepal to save precious time and get help where it’s most needed straight away.
HELPING PEOPLE REBUILD THEIR LIVES
Thanks to people like you, we have been able to respond immediately to crises, sending medical teams, food and hygiene packs to communities hardest hit. Your support means we can help people get back to normality as soon as possible – then work with them to rebuild lives and forge better futures.
£15 could fund vital shelter for a family, keeping them safe and warm.
£30 could provide crucial food, hygiene and sanitation supplies for a family, helping to protect them from water-borne diseases.
£50 could buy a disaster relief pack for one family to keep them safe, warm and fed.
EXAMPLES OF HOW DISASTER RELIEF FUNDS HAVE HELPED in the past
Monsoon 2022
Monsoon season caused widespread devastation in Nepal. More than 200 people died , most of whom perished in landslides. Thousands of families have had their homes or livelihoods damaged.
Asal Chhimekee Nepal (ACN), the social action arm of the Pokhara Christian Community, distributed 1,000 relief packages to families across various districts. They also gave materials for temporary shelters to people who have lost their homes.
Monsoon 2021
With Nepal still reeling from the devastation caused by Covid, floods and landslides destroyed homes, communities, and livelihoods in many districts. All 11 districts of the western Gandaki province were affected by floods or landslides. Incidents have also been reported in far-western INF working areas, such as Kalikot and Bajura.
Our partners responded inn various districts, including 800 of the most vulnerable people in Manang where emergency supplies had to be flown in by helicopter as many roads were blocked.
Monsoon 2020
Widespread flooding in several districts affected more than 15,000 families, 7,000 of whom had been displaced. Landslides killed ore than 150 people including 18 in Kalikot where INF Nepal started a community development programme last year.
Help was provided for more than 1,200 people across Kalikot and several other districts including Lamjung, Myagdi and Jajarkot. Communities affected by landslides in Myagdi and floods in Nawalparasi were also supported in their time of need.
July 2019
Exceptional monsoon rains caused landslides in the hills and massive floods in the terai (plains), killing dozens of people, destroying thousands of homes and laying to waste 80% of crops in some areas. Farmers waded through swollen rivers submerged to their necks to try and direct their cattle to safety but hundreds of animals were swept away by the torrent, which also disrupted healthcare services and interrupted water supplies. INF’s partners in Nepal reached hundreds of families.
March 2019
Nepal’s first Tornado destroys homes and kills at least 35 people. The storm swept across the Bara and Parsa districts on 31 March. The whirlwind razed rows of buildings, trees and electricity poles. It blocked roads and left villages without electricity or means of communication. Homes of those who could afford to build with concrete have survived. But families who were only able to build with stone, mud, and bamboo have lost everything.
July 2018
A landslide in the middle of the night swept away a Dalit village leaving one child dead and many homes destroyed. Money from the Disaster Relief Fund was released so that a local church organisation could provide emergency food rations, hygiene materials, mattresses and blankets straight away, showing the love of God in a very practical way.
July 2017
Severe monsoon rains caused flooding across many parts of Nepal including areas where there are INF projects. Dozens of people were killed and thousands left homeless. INF’s disaster response team coordinated with the Nepal Government, churches and other local organisations to provide emergency relief, including food for over 600 families. Supporters’ donations meant INF could respond immediately to keep people safe, warm and well-fed.
November 2015
In a remote part of Kapilvastu 15 families [88 people], lost their homes in a fire. They not only lost the roofs over their heads but also their food, clothing, cooking equipment, and money. INF stepped in. Staff replaced the supplies lost in the disaster. INF/UK was immediately able to commit to funding whatever help was needed, from the Disaster Relief Fund because of previous donations from supporters.
April 2015
A massive earthquake shook Nepal, killing thousands of people and causing devastation across large parts of the country. Within a few hours, INF had flown doctors into the affected regions. But it was clear that long term help would be needed. Over the past four years INF has funded the rebuilding of homes and health posts, as well as providing emergency relief supplies.
There for the long term
In the aftermath of the 2015 earthquake, we continued to work with communities for the next four years, helping them rebuild their lives and forge better futures.
Many schools, health posts and government offices were obliterated; rebuilding them with better facilities and making them disability-friendly, accessible for all, meant that communities are now more inclusive.
We trained hundreds of men and women in stone masonry, plumbing and as electricians so that they were able to repair or rebuild their homes. We also gave practical and financial support to the poorest and most vulnerable families to ensure that they could participate in the government’s house reconstruction scheme and weren’t left out.
Families lost their possessions and saw their farms destroyed. To help people make a new start, our partners offered a whole range of training – from tailoring, beekeeping to better farming techniques that would yield more nutritious, resilient crops.
Your support can help get emergency relief and supplies to families and communities
Whether that’s food, shelter or medical care. But our help doesn’t stop there. Often it takes a long time for communities to rebuild, and INF is committed to walking with people every step of the way. Your support makes the vital long-term rehabilitation work possible. INF works in areas for as long as is needed to see individuals and families living safe and healthy lives.
Through training and equipping, the Disaster Relief Fund also helps communities to be better prepared to face future disasters.
