Hi all, just a quick update for you all.

I have been busy down in Sathikurya village where our school was damaged in the recent earthquake. It is quite remote and out of contact from Nagarkot, didn’t get any electricity at all for 3 weeks after the earthquake and is only intermittent at best even now, over 40 days later. Our school is due to open tommorrow Sunday 7th June. I myself had a two week stint down there with many other volunteers from around the globe, including Nepalese. We all camp out in tents and share food together, and spend our days shovelling, lifting, cutting trees and bamboo, tidying, resting, and every other -ing imaginable to get the school open in time. Our Nagarhope Nepal committee members have been up and down helping out and at the same time distributing rice, oil, salt, foam matting, tarpaulin sheets and other essentials to families in the Nagarkot areas and elsewhere.

I want to apologise for the lack of updates over the past two weeks, being cut off from electricity and mobile charging and internet facilities has made it harder for us over here to share our appreciation to those who are helping financially or in any other way that they can in Nepal, Ireland or across the globe.

Our schoolwork – admissions, sourcing books, making clothes, bags and shoes has been on the backfoot but will suddenly spring back in to the limelight as schools re-open, many in Kathmandu and the surrounding districts already have.

Some of the worst hit districts are still way behind, some of the statistics are frightening (Dolakha District had 70000 houses, 69000 have been fully or partially destroyed). The time for rebuilding is here, but the relief efforts are still very much ongoing in the hardest to reach areas.

Our office is gone, our school is gone, Dhurba’s house in Nagarkot is gone, as well as the houses of most of our committee. Good friends of mine have been sleeping under tents and tarpaulins with their families and neighbours, up to 30 people sharing a small space to cook and sleep in.

I got a facebook message earlier from somebody who told me that the Nepal story is out of the limelight, other things have grabbed the headlines, and that is normal. FIFA’s 5 million dollars or euros or whatever it was does not concern me in the slightest.

Just a quickie to let every one of you know that we, as an organisation have been trying our best with the little resources we have to get back on our own feet as well as help others get back on their feet. This will not be over after three months or six, this is a concerted long term effort on the part of those who have shown an interest.

I, and the Nagarhope committees in both Nepal and Ireland want to thank you all for the support and generosity you have shown to date.

I could attach more photos of destruction, but isn’t it nicer to see reconstruction shots, of our school, of life in general. As much of my time as i can give to keep you all updated over the coming months and years, i will do so, but just spare a thought for those of us who are stuck in the middle of the mire of rubble, and forgive us for not sending colourful texts and messages every five minutes.

We thank you from the bottom of our hearts, from the deepest darkest ravine, where the slightest little slit of light can bring hope and happiness and a way toward a brighter path. If i could only show you what i have seen and what i have heard, it would make this easier. For now, just know that your help is helping others, many others.

Mise le meas

Doc Clandillon

June 6th 2015