Nepal Appeal Team - Back to rebuild
So its the afternoon here in my second home Nepal. As I sit in Thamel, Kathmandu the normal colour and vibrancy is interspersed with building sites as hotels and restaurants desperately try to rebuild their premises in the hope tourism will get back to normal.
In a way thats why I’m here, to rebuild and support tourism. I’ve got 24 hours in the capital to get things ready before the 14 people that will make up our ‘Nepal Appeal’ team arrive tomorrow. Then on Sunday we will all make our way up to the Sindupolchok District and the area that was most affected by the earthquake.
Children at Kodari back at school.
Its already 11 months since the tragic devastation took place across Nepal and after my visit directly after it at the end of April - its the reason we started the UK charity ‘Nepal Appeal’. What I did not expect is the support and response from all of you that to date has raised nearly £60,000. Amazing! In September I came back again to complete the homes that the charity had funded and see the start of the school rebuild at Kodari. This trip we see us handing over this school to the community before the team accompanying me to complete the second school at Siranchour. Our week will encompass painting, plumbing and planting as well as spending time with the children in this rural hill top community and the hand over and training of a computer to the teachers. Each day we will leave our river side camp to get into the back of the open back jeep and head up the hillside to spend the day with the local community.
In September I committed to rebuilding the school at Siranchour. next week we complete it and hand it over to the community.
Once this work is complete I am then taking the team further west to the Annapurna region to complete a circular 5 day trek to 3100m before dropping down to the Kali Gandaki river and a 3 day white water rafting trip. With Tourism down for obvious reasons, its an opportunity to highlight the fact that Nepal is open for ‘Business As Usual’ and that their main income, tourism, is back up and running.
My favourite barber for over 25 years, in Kathmandu! The 3 brothers are desperately concerned by the affect of the drop in numbers on there livelihood.
I spent time with long time Nepalese friends this morning who described the future as:
2016 - the year of Survival, 2017 - the year of recovery and rebuild and 2018 - the year numbers get back to what they should be.
However, its the public perception that will dictate the numbers, and as Prince Harry has demonstrated, its open as usual. In fact having been due to depart yesterday and then making the last minute decision to stay a further 6 days - its just what Nepal needs - public support. They love him here and many look back in sadness at the loss of their own much loved royal family 10 years ago.
So my aim is to highlight the still much needed rural support and funding following the earthquake, specifically the schools and education in those areas, and the work that you have supported and funded through the Charity. In addition to this the importance of the rebuild of its main industry - Tourism. You’ll be able to follow the team over both parts of our trip with regular Facebook and blog entries before we return home, where we’ll continue to raise awareness and financial support through events you can get involved with and further trips later in the year.
Nameste from Nepal, until the next blog
Ant