NORTHBRIDGE SENDS EMERGENCY SHELTERS TO NEPAL

 

July 15 2015

 

 

Northbridge Rotary Club has donated around 100 corrugated iron permanent shelters to victims of the Nepal earthquake. The club’s donation was made possible mainly through a “bucket appeal” to Northbridge residents in May and subsequent donations which together raised more than $18,000.

 

The houses each hold from six to eight people, and in total will provide shelter for up to 800 people. Most of these houses will be overseen and organised through the Rotary Club of Banepa, Nepal.

 

Banepa Rotary Club will also arrange for some of the houses to be built at the Sheer Memorial Hospital in Kathmandu where many beds and wards have been destroyed.

 

The Rotary Club of Northbridge is also assisting with the rebuilding of damaged villages in the Solu Khumbu region and elsewhere. One such village is Ringmu, where the club helped upgrade a school two years ago, prior to the earthquake. Many of the houses in Ringmu are now in ruins.

 

Rotarian Derek Matz, who organised this project with fellow Northbridge Rotarians, said that a huge round of applause is due to the residents of Northbridge for their donations and incredible generosity. “Even kids gave us their pocket money. We thank you, Northbridge”, he said.

 

Derek said that thanks must also go to the people and the Rotary clubs for the roles they played in this project.

 

“It’s an understatement to say that this was one of the most devastating earthquakes in Nepal’s history” Derek said. “Every town, village and Kathmandu itself has been devastated. Many of the buildings that were left standing cannot be used as they are unstable - hospitals, homes, market places and wells - the enormity of the tragedy unimaginable.”

 

 As with any Rotary project, all labour is voluntary and 100% of any appeal goes to the victims.

 

 

 

 

A hospital in ruins in a village near Kathmandu, Nepal, following the devastating earthquake.