On April 25th, 2015, a 7.6-magnitude earthquake hit Nepal. It caused a death toll of over 10,000 people, injured over 30,000 people, and destroyed thousands of homes and buildings. Three weeks later, a 7.3-magnitude earthquake killed at least sixty-five people in Nepal and seventeen people in India, injured thousands, and brought down buildings that were weakened by the first quake. The United Nations estimates that the earthquakes have affected approximately eight million people. Cultural Survival is working to ensure that relief efforts reach the Indigenous Peoples of Nepal, who make up forty percent of the national population.
Cultural Survival has been assisting our Indigenous partners in Nepal who have experienced great loss. A special fund was setup, where $9,464 has been raised thus far from generous supportors of Cultural Survival as well as Hindenburg Systems. Dev Kumar Sunwar, a Cultural Survival community radio partner from the Indigenous Media Foundation and Radio Kairan in Kubu-Kasthali,who lives in the village of Ramechhap, reported every house in his village has been turned into rubble. Two community radio stations were also destroyed in the quakes, making communication difficult in rural areas. Dev has used the funding provided by Cultural Survival to purchase steel roofing for thirty families. “Tents can only last fifteen days since there is a monsoon starting soon and right after the monsoon they will build houses. They can use the corrugated steel roofing sheets now and later as well.” June is the start of the rainy season and the heavy rains can result in monsoons, creating more landslides and floods. One of the largest rivers in Nepal, the Kali Gandaki River, has been blocked by a landslide. Dev sends his thanks on behalf of the people in his village. "Thanks to Cultural Survival and all the funders for such immense support... I will never forget such great support in my life."
Cultural Survival Bazaar artist Ujjwal Shrestha has been working on distributing chlorine to help provide clean drinking water in his village. “The water is now getting polluted due to dead bodies,” he said. Ujjwal makes masks papier mache masks and participates in Cultural Survival Bazaars. He also helps run Crafted in Kathmandu, where he and other artisans teach others how to craft for a living. Ujjwal and his fellow artisans lost their homes in Sandhu to the quakes. They have been living under the tarps that have been provided for the villagers. Due to the quakes, tourism has been badly affected, making it hard for Ujjwal and the other artisans to make money for their families. “At this time we really want international support to sustain the artisans and their families,” he claimed. Ujjwal also expressed thanks for the amount of support they have received and said they are doing the best they can with what they have.
“Every day we are confronted with some new accident,” says Cultural Survival board member Stella Tamang, whose organization Bikalpa Gyan Kedra is helping with the earthquake relief in Nepal. She continued on to say that “our elders have wisely said that ‘trouble always comes in a bundle,’ you live with hope, hope for a better tomorrow.” As strong aftershocks continue, Cultural Survival continues to send funding to the people of Nepal. “I assure you that all your funds go to those who are victim and are waiting for support. I am thanking you from me and from all Nepalease people,” said Ujjwal. As those in Nepal face the rainy season, all donations that are made continue to go to our friends in Nepal to help them make progress in their communities and provide assistance to those who have suffered greatly.
There is still time to give to the special fund to assist our Indigenous contacts in Nepal. With your help, we can provide some limited assistance to our friends in desperate need. Please give what you can. Thank you.
