Building back better in Nepal

The two earthquakes that shook Nepal in 2015 caused massive and widespread damage to dwellings, infrastructure and cultural monuments, killing more than 8,000 people and leaving tens of thousands injured and without roof over their heads.

Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI) has been heavily involved in immediate disaster response in Nepal, and while this work is ongoing, the charity is now turning its attention to longer-term recovery programs.

In alignment with the reconstruction policy of the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA), the JTI Foundation will help support HFHI’s “Build Nepal” program in rural Kavre. The program’s focus is supporting earthquake affected households to build safe and decent homes. HBHI will help set-up a Housing Support Service Centre and train technical staff and social mobilizers, who will provide assistance to community members in the collaborative owner driven reconstruction efforts. Through the JTI Foundation’s support, three expert local construction engineers and at least 90 expert construction workers will be trained and deployed.

Once trained, the construction workers will help families ‘build back safer and better’, with a specific emphasis on earthquake resistant construction techniques. The overall aim is to assist nearly 850 households over the medium term through technical assistance and by promoting resilient build-back-better techniques. The JTI Foundation’s support will directly reach 145 very vulnerable households who will be helped with intensive support and an additional grant for construction materials and skilled labour to rebuild their dwellings.