Background and Need

On 12 May, an earthquake measuring 7.3 in magnitude struck Nepal at 12:50 p.m. local time near Chilankha Village in Dolakha District. A total of 32 districts were affected, including those still recovering from the 25 April 7.8 magnitude earthquake.

According to Jamie McGoldrick, Humanitarian Coordinator with the UN in Nepal, “If we don’t act quickly, the implications will be severe. We can only expect misery, a crippling loss of dignity and the real potential for more deaths especially in the rural and remote areas”.  According to the UN, the window of opportunity to provide vital relief to people in Nepal affected by the recent earthquakes is closing quickly, as urgent funding requirements remain unmet. To date, barely US$ 59.5 million, or 14 per cent, was received against the $423 million humanitarian appeal, launched by the United Nations and partners on 29 April.

http://un.org.np/sites/default/files/OCHANepalEarthquakeSituationReportNo.14(13May2015)_0.pdf for further information

It is vital, therefore, to keep the plight of Nepali people in the forefront of peoples’ minds and try to do more as soon as possible. While the news cameras find new stories from around the world and move on, for the people of Nepal there will be no “moving on” from their misery for months or years to come.

The need is great, ranging from food and medical treatment to shelter and safe spaces for children. It’s so hard for anyone, whether in Nepal experiencing this first hand or sitting at home reading about it on the internet and in newspapers, to know where to start.

Emergency Responses

Thankfully, there are organisations, NGOs, groups, and communities who are tackling different aspects of this humanitarian crises. And I would like to introduce you to two.

I am supporting these linked organisations – To Da Loo and Helter Shelter – and would ask you to do the same.

To Da Loo has been building latrines and toilets in temporary camps and in communities where many (or all) homes have been destroyed or make inhabitable. This is particularly vital for girls and women who find it hard to relieve themselves in open spaces.

Helter Shelter has provided tarpaulins and tents to families who are homeless for immediate shelter from the sun and rain. With the monsoon imminent, Helter Shelter is about to upscale its effort into something more permanent. .

The Way Forward

The needs of women will be met by the expansion of the latrine/toilet building projects of To Da Loo, particularly relevant in a patriarchal culture where women’s needs are very often ignored or not even realised. What I want to do is link the distribution of sanitary napkins and underpants to women and girls who have lost their homes and the ability to have access to water for washing the cloth napkins used in the majority of the country during menstruation.

The needs of families will be met by the introduction of earthbag technology in rebuilding people’s homes. Earthbag buildings have proven to be more resistant to damage during an earthquake and are simple, cost effective and easy to construct. The Helter Shelter team is undergoing training in this technology, which they will pass on to the communities they are working in.

What Your Money Can Achieve

£12 – two months supply of sanitary napkins and one pair of underpants each for four girls or women (the average extended family size in Nepal)

£400 – one family earth bag house (size and materials will vary from area to area and family to family)

£95 – one set of hardware tools (such as shovel, saws etc) for one community to work together building earth bag houses

£75 – to outfit one small earth bag house with bedding, a mosquito net and cooking facilities

http://www.gofundme.com/usv8jd5

About the Organisations

I’m a Scottish woman and have lived in Nepal for 20 years. I’m a freelance writer/editor for NGOs as well as the owner of a small training company. In the past I have worked in tourism running a small jungle safari hotel in the west of the country. I have travelled extensively around Nepal, including several remote areas.

Both To Da Loo (www.facebook.com/todaloo) and Helter Shelter (www.facebook.com/heltershelter) have been formed by proactive people living in Nepal. In their team, they have a film maker, a hotelier, IT people, social activists and lovers of Nepal coming from as far afield as Denmark, UK and of course, Nepal itself. All of the To Da Loo and Helter Shelter core team are personal friends of mine who I have known over a period of years.

I am devastated and deeply saddened by what has happened but overwhelmed and grateful of the hard work of the To Da Loo and Helter Shelter teams, as well as the countless of other teams of rescuers and rebuilders brought together by this terrible event. Please give whatever you can and together we can help build a safer Nepal.

Thank you.

Jackie Taylor

http://www.gofundme.com/usv8jd5

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Nepal is very close to my heart.  Through Jackie, I sponsor a wonderful girl and a few years back OH and I went to meet them in person.

I want to share with you a few of my photos from that time so you can see the magic of what Nepal was.  I will return there. I have promised myself this.  Nepal and its people have a place in my heart.  I have always wanted to help a real project rather than a nameless faceless charity and that is how I met Jackie and can personally vouch for her.

Lyra’s best friend is finally home.

Daisy has finished at St Snotter’s University and came home on the boat arriving this morning.

After saying hello to her Bimble (aka Iacs) who was loafing in his field by the house, we drove to Sandness to see Lyra who was thrilled to see her.  Lyra tolerates other people but she loves Daisy.  She always has.

I don’t know what it is or why it is but that is the way it has always been.

Lyra and Daisy are the best of friends and this uncomplicated relationship is based entirely on trust in each other.

Ever since she was a foal, Lyra has always chosen Daisy and vice versa.

Meanwhile, Lyra’s mother, Vitamin looked on, happy that her daughter has someone who loves her as much as she does.

Vitamin is a wise old mare.  She has always known what is best for her little girl.

I have spent the day cleaning the house and making chocolate brownies in preparation for Daisy’s, my elder daughter, return so here are some more photos from yesterday.  I know, cheap cop-out, but the house is filthy and I must look at least like I made an effort.

This is Lambie’s spot in the garden. He doesn’t like the coarse wind (still cold here) but he loves sitting in the sunshine. This fish box is perfect Lambie size and he sits outside for hours, unless it rains and them he comes scuttling into the kitchen bleating his complaint.

If you are worrying about little Storm (of not dissimilar in colour), he is fine and enjoying life.

I even think he has put on a bit of weight and I am very pleased about this.

He is still, and I think will always be, a Mummy’s boy.  He is so earnest and honest.

But behind this Cuthbert Fotherington-Thomas exterior is a terror who has very lovely and effective teeth!

I love this picture – Storm is determined to bite the Waffle bottom if it would just stop running away.

I haven’t forgotten about Silver.  He is staying away from me as he hates having his winter coat brushed out.  He has never forgiven me for trying to pull his foal-tats off.

Anyway, everyone plays endlessly and they never stop trying to find ways to annoy each other.  It is a full-time job and one they are totally committed too.

Anyway, it is fun watching them all galloping about, kicking up their heels.

Little Tiddles always looks all innocent, delicious and cuddly-wuddly.  Not a bad thought, never a bad word, always a sweetheart.

Oh yes.

He is darling little boy with a lovely hair-do.

He moves beautifully, in a lovely outline and pointing toe-toes, giving Totilas a run for his money.

He would make a superb jousting pony, if we could find a jockey small enough!  Why am I suddenly thinking of Sir Didymus and Ambrosius?  I can see BeAnne doing this….

https://youtu.be/Jm29QHaRyuY

And what is the buzz-word at the moment in the horse world? – ah, yes, scopey! (bleugh)  

Tiddles is scopey.

“The word can be used in relation to movement or conformation. If a horse moves fluidly,lightly and with good reach and suspension that can mean “scopey””.

As one of the boys, Tiddles gives as good as he gets now.  Silver was in the field with Kappi being a grown-up.

Tiddles’ BFF (best friend forever) is still Storm.

Storm puts up with a great deal of aggro from this little midge and he is very nice about the endless torment.

Tiddles just has this wicked side that appears occasionally, ok most days!

Mwahahahaha!

Lambie went to see veterinary (Herriot speak) this morning.  Whilst trying his very best (he is such a little trooper), Lambie remains lame and grinding his teeth when he lies in my arms at night.  This means he is in pain and I hate that.

He was given more of antibiotics and painkillers and has put on 200g of weight (1.8kg now).  The vet reckoned his prognosis was good and although he might have an odd gait, he should make a good recovery and have a happy pain-free life ahead of him.

When we got home, he was already feeling better.  Ok, he is not gambolling quite yet but he is trip-trapping as well as running after BeAnne trying to follow her everywhere at quite some speed even when she is trying to escape.

Afterwards, I managed a nice ride on Haakon who was on happy tölting form.  Riding is the only time I can forget my spine so I like to have a potter whenever I can.

It has been a peaceful day and, leaving BeAnne with her charge, I went into the field to take photos of the Minions, etc.

Everyone is still hanging onto their winter-woollies and I don’t blame them as it can be cold, especially at night.

I think we will clip Tiddles when he is castrated later, like we did with the Minions last year.

Tiddles is getting a bit much for Storm and bounces up and down all over him.  Poor Storm is still at the bottom.  Maybe Lambie will be his new best friend when he is slightly bigger.

Oh yes, and I had a poached egg for lunch.  That is the true colour of our eggs.  Aren’t they beautiful?

It was delicious. Sometimes nothing beats a poached egg on toast.