Netherlands GV 23-28 March 2014 - Jhapa

Facts about Nepal Earthquake

A strong (7.8) earthquake hit Nepal in the area near Barpak, a mountain village between capital Kathmandu and tourist town Pokhara. The earthquake was followed by many powerful aftershocks and a very powerful one (6.7) hit Nepal on Sunday April 26.

The earthquakes caused extensive damage to buildings and thousands of deaths and injuries and was even felt in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh.

Many (historic) buildings collapsed, temples have been ruined, roads destroyed. Nearly 8000 deaths in Nepal and tens of deaths in India & Tibet. The quake was followed by more than 430 aftershocks and another huge earthquake (6.8) on May 12.

New Experimental at GV House while hosting Namaste Team, Netherlands GV at Jhapa

Home Partner Kamala Pulami with GV Team

I feel glad that I succeed to build a house from my small business, selling bananas. I had really worked hard to sell the bananas and invest the income in the construction of house. Moreover, I am thankful to the volunteers from Netherland who contributed their sweat in building my house of dream into reality.”- Kamala Pulami (Home partner)

“We would be staying in same shack if there were no GV teams to help us. I am grateful to the Netherland GV team who assisted to construct our home. Thank you volunteers, HFH Nepal and Aviyan Nepal M. C. for helping us to build my shelter.” – Ranjana Magar (Home partner)

Summary of GV

Name of Team: Namaste Team, Netherlands GV

Date: 23-28 March 2014

Team Leader: Jacco Van Bennekom, 15 member in a team

Home Partners: Mrs. Kamala Pulami and

Mrs. Ranjana Magar

No. of house built: 2 (Bamboo)

Local Partner: Aviyan Nepal Multipurpose Cooperative Ltd.

Host Coordinator: Rajesh Rai (Habitat for Humanity Nepal)

Some facts from GV Host:

The GV team named Namaste from Netherland is a unique team consisting all male members who succeeded to build the house on their own, without any assistance of local mason. Though the pre-building structure of a house initiates from framing and roofing, the volunteers initiated their task from drilling, putting vertical post, cutting, cleaning, weaving bamboo, plastering wall and finishing along with partition of rooms by bamboo. As a host coordinator, I must say that the build was the first time where we were not assisted by any local mason for concrete plastering on wall and finishing task. And it was experimental.

Team Activities:

Contribution from the team:

the Namaste GV team donated some tools which might cost around NRs. 50,000 (Fifty thousands). They brought small bamboo cutters, shovel and other tools that were useful as well as helpful for the construction work.

Constructional tools contributed by
Netherland GV team, Namaste.

Post build house visit:

Finally, about 3 years later the team got an opportunity to visit the house that was once constructed by them. And to their findings they were cheerful to see a clean complete house along with the accessibility to water facility. Previously, there was no water facility. The families had to walk long distance for water.

Hence, the outcome made the team believe that after having a house there is always a gradual change, development in the lives of people. They shared about the visit as an inspiring experience for them.