2021 Fundraiser and Silent Auction
Here is a video of our fundraising event taken by the talented Dave Van https://www.davevanphoto.com/Client/Another-Brick-In-Nepal/n-G48hxM/
And here are some photos taken on the night, also taken by Dave Van.
Where We Began
We have been very limited in our fundraising for more than a year, because of COVID, so we thought it would be useful to remind our readers of where (and why) we began. We will include further updates as we resume our range of events.
On April 25, 2015, lives were forever changed in Nepal by the devastating earthquake. Destruction was far and wide. Lives were lost and infrastructure was destroyed all over the country. The tragic incident was the catalyst for the formation of Another Brick in Nepal. Shortly after the earthquake, we formed with the goal of rebuilding some of the 9,000 schools destroyed or seriously damaged that day.
In October 2016, we made our first group trip to Aapchaur, a small remote village in the Nuwakot region. Walking up to the village was a powerful reminder of why we formed. The destruction was distressing to see. Over a year after the earthquake, homes and the school were in disrepair. That day we announced we would return to Canada to raise money to rebuild their school.
Our local business community and individual supporters helped fund this first school. It’s now almost four years since the new school building opened in Aapchaur. For four years, children in this region have been receiving an education at Bandhevi Primary School thanks to you. These children will have the chance of successful futures. This was and is a huge achievement and we cannot thank you enough for the support. You are helping change lives in Nepal.
Now, we are fundraising to build our fourth school in Nepal. The goal is to begin the project in October 2022. For more information on this project and how you can be part of it, please visit the project page.
The current state of Nepal
Over six years have passed since the 7.8 earthquake struck Nepal on April 25, 2015. The destruction was far and wide. Many world heritage sites were heavily damaged, in addition to hundreds of thousands of homes and some 9,000 schools. On top of the huge loss of infrastructure, thousands of people were killed or injured.
The process to rebuild after this amount of destruction is not easy for any country. This challenge is compounded by Nepal’s monsoon season that lasts from June until September. During this time, Nepal receives around 1,600 mm of rain inevitably leading to further damage in many regions from flooding and landslides. Construction projects are often delayed during the monsoon season.
COVID-19 has had a major impact on Nepal. As it is a developing country with limited resources, vaccines are not readily available. Many areas of Nepal are extremely remote, and vaccinating in these areas proves challenging. To date, approximately 21% of Nepal’s citizens have been fully vaccinated in comparison to Canada’s vaccine rate of 71%.
Tourism is one of Nepal’s main industries, and many people are employed directly or indirectly within Himalayan climbing and trekking. COVID-19 and the associated restrictions for the last eighteen months have limited the income of people all over the country. Restrictions have recently been lifted in Nepal allowing fully vaccinated travellers to enter the country for the upcoming trekking season. As we slowly move forward from COVID-19, more and more people will be able to enter Nepal, which will increase employment and have a positive impact on the economy.
At ABIN, we remain focused on our goal of providing education in Nepal. While there are significant challenges, we are able to change lives in Nepal by providing safe learning spaces for children.
Tell your family and friends about Another Brick in Nepal and help make a difference in Nepal!