The survivors of the flash flood in Nepal are left facing the ruins of their lives. Thousands have lost their homes, their livelihoods and access to clean water. Following such a disaster, the risk of disease rises particularly rapidly. That is why our emergency aid focuses on areas where support directly saves lives and preserves people’s dignity: access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene. As an immediate measure, we have allocated 10,000 euros from our emergency aid fund. We are using this sum, along with all donations received, for the following activities:
- Distributing clean drinking water to survivors
- Provide hygiene products such as soap, disinfectant, sanitary products and water purification tablets
- Pump out and clean flooded sanitary facilities
- Repair the main pipes and water supply points
To ensure our aid is as tailored to local needs as possible, we work closely with local partner organisations and the affected communities. Together, we identify where support is most urgently needed and how aid can have a lasting impact on local people.
Many years of experience and well-established structures enable targeted emergency aid
The affected region is not unfamiliar territory for arche nova. For many years, our team has been active there in the field of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). Following the severe earthquake in 2015, we supported the affected population in their reconstruction efforts and in improving basic services, most recently through the construction of a school.
This long-standing relationship, our knowledge of local structures and our collaboration with local partners are particularly valuable for the planned emergency relief operation, as the challenges are considerable: the affected areas are situated in terrain that is difficult to access, and the destruction has affected key transport routes and supply networks. This makes it all the more important that we are able to act flexibly and in partnership with the local people.
This disaster is a prime example of global injustice
Nepal is repeatedly hit by severe earthquakes and floods. The climate crisis is further exacerbating the situation – even though the Nepalese population itself contributes very little to global CO₂ emissions. According to figures from the Federal Statistical Office, a person in Nepal emits an average of around 0.5 tonnes of CO₂ per year. In Germany, the figure is around fourteen times that amount.
“The people of Nepal are among the most environmentally conscious in the world, yet they are also particularly hard hit by the effects of the climate crisis. This is a prime example of global injustice. All the more reason, then, for the international community to fulfil its duty to provide the people with all the support they need right now – both in the short term and the long term,” explains Sarah Kendziorra, acting head of international programmes at arche nova.
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