Food for people Nepal during Covid-19

UPDATED 11th June 2021
Nepal is in suffering in the second wave of the Covid crisis and they are struggling to deal with the impacts of the virus and the economic blow. They just don’t have the infrastructure. The country has been in strict lockdown for more than 4 weeks now which is bringing case numbers down but, of course, it is having a huge impact on the country’s most vulnerable people. Many are hungry.

As The Country That Shook is now registering as a UK charity we have to follow the guidelines that funds should not be sent to individual people, only to a recognised organisation for them to utilise the money to buy what is needed. It is a system put in place to protect people and ensure funds reach their intended destination, but it is not always very kind in situations like this.


The village that we have been supporting for more than 3 years (Baseri in Dhading district) does not currently have an NGO that we can transfer the money to, and people are not allowed to travel to reach there - and it risks more spread of the virus if they do so. I (Sophie) am intending to support them, separately from our charity for now until we have the correct channels in place. 

These are people and families who have welcomed me without question into their homes, offering me food, tea and shelter. Now I want to provide the basic necessities for them to survive and I ask you to help me do it.


My friend, Sabin Dhakal, has now co-ordinated five food distributions on TCTS’s behalf and a warm clothes and school jumper distribution too, within the pandemic. I would not hand over any money to him, mine or anyone else’s, if I did not trust him implicitly to get the food to where it is needed most.

We will again be distributing essential food packages consisting mainly of rice (25kg), lentils, oil and salt. For a family of 4/5 this will cost £20 and will last one month.



AN ESSENTIAL FOOD PACKAGE
The pack we are planning to provide will differ depending on the situation but will contain something like:
25kg Rice
4kg lentils
2kg soy beans
2l Oil
Reusable masks

THE HISTORY OF THIS CAMPAIGN

Nepal went into lockdown the day after the UK, Tuesday 24th March 2020, in response to the Covid-19 virus. The initial report was that it would be for one week, but it has now been extended for over a month and looks to be continuing.

While there were initially very few reported cases in the country, the healthcare system is not prepared for the spread of a respiratory virus such as this so the intention of protecting people through an enforced lockdown is understandable.



KATHMANDU
Many many people in the city do not own land, or a house, or have a stable job. They work day by day to buy the food that they need, food for their whole families. Spring 2021 is now the third busy tourist season that has been disrupted. People are unable to earn money.

In 2020 people assessed situations daily to find the best ways to reach the most in need. Food camps are being set up, and we were able to provide to people very locally we delivered food packages either at, or very close to their homes.
Going hungry, right now, is as much of a threat as Covid-19.

With our funds we focussed mainly around Boudha and Pashupati in Kathmandu, depending on other reports we received.


BASERI, DHADING
Many people returned to their home villages to wait out the effects of the virus. People who have land and stored food are alright, but those people who don’t own land and would normally work as manual labourers in construction, breaking stones and carrying loads on the mountain paths, are struggling now.
Therefore we continue to support a village called Baseri in Dhading district, which spans a large geographic area and around 1000 families, where The Country That Shook has worked on many projects to support the community, and they in turn have supported us back.


TOGETHER WE ARE STRONGER
This is a huge collaboration between so many people, coming together to ensure that we can reach the people who currently need it the most. Thank you to the awesome people on the ground who are working hard to make a difference in collaboration with the Office of Municipality, Office of local wards, and Nepal Police/APF.
And to our global supporters... whether it's through donations or sharing the campaign, you are a part of this, and we're in it together.

We will be sharing updates mainly on the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/thecountrythatshook/ 

Thank you. Let's do all that we can.