The Betrayal of Nepal’s Children? (source Nepal Schools Aid)

Make them accountable, end the betrayal

The earthquake which hit Nepal in April 2015 cost the lives of 9000 people and injured many more. It also rendered homeless tens of thousands too, as well as destroying businesses and schools. As usual the international community rallied round with immediate aid in the form of food, shelter and rescue expertise. This was rapidly followed with donations and grants totalling $billions.

So why are the people of Barpak having to take matters into their own hands now 8 months after the disaster? Barpak earthquake report

“The earthquake victims of Barpak village in Gorkha, the epicentre of the April 25 earthquake, have started building houses on their own as the government has not initiated the reconstruction works more than seven months after the disaster. Locals say they cannot wait for the government’s help any longer. Winter has already started, and they want to complete the construction of their houses before it gets colder.“We waited for more than seven months already. At this point we are not even sure if the help will ever arrive,” says Ram Gurung. Thousands of earthquake victims are facing hardship as the formation of the National Reconstruction Authority, the body authorised to oversee the post-earthquake reconstruction and its budget mobilisation, is in limbo.”

This story is being repeated all over Nepal, even in the capital, Kathmandu. The funding is there, but the competence and the commitment are not.

read full article here: http://nepalschoolsaid.org/2015/12/12/make-them-accountable-end-the-betrayal/