March 1, 2016

Donate Your Skills to Rebuilding Nepal

Written By Leonardo Gubinelli

Dig deep and lend a hand to help get such a culturally significant and influential country back on its feet. You can help Nepal by pitching in to rebuild houses for people devastated by the earthquakes in 2015.

Nepal is a travellers dream, an adrenaline junkie’s rush and a Buddhist’s spiritual home. It is home to iconic and picturesque hikes; plenty of bungee jumping, rafting, kayaking and paragliding experiences against some of the world’s most beautiful landscapes; historically fascinating is the Buddhist religion and centuries-old stupas and temples you can visit. The country is home to a diversity of gentle and friendly-natured people.

Sadly, on the 25th April 2015 a 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck near the city of Kathmandu followed by two major aftershocks and hundreds of minor shocks. According to official statistics more than 8,600 people have died and more than 22,000 people have sustained injuries. Hundreds of thousands of houses and buildings have been devastated or destroyed, leaving many families homeless and stranded.

We are giving travellers the opportunity to be a part of the solution. Be a part of the rebuilding of this beautiful, spiritual nation – getting directly involved with local communities and be inspired by their resilience. 

Some of the families in the earthquake-affected areas have received tents, food, medicine and other relief materials. However, the plastic tents cannot withstand the downpour of the monsoons. This is the immediate threat to the people in the earthquake-affected villages. A coordinated initiative can provide shelter to many families who otherwise are very vulnerable. This initiative requires skilled and semi-skilled international volunteers who can provide technical and manual assistance to build shelters using the local resources. Volunteers will also be needed to provide health, safety and sanitation advice and to provide post-disaster consultations.

Inspired Escapes is looking for a group of volunteers consisting of at least one civil engineer or architect, a carpenter, one public health personnel and a few students or semi-skilled workers who are willing to do menial work and build the shelters. The minimum size of the volunteering group is ten people.

Volunteers will be treated to a real sense of real Nepalese culture and will feel like members of a truly amazing community project. For those travellers who want to make a real human difference in this world, this is the perfect opportunity for you. 

We recommend our volunteers contribute their work either in Gorkha, Dhading, Nuwakot, Rasuwa, Sindhupalchowk or Dolkha district because of the magnitude of the impact and need of the support in these locations.