Tearfund is celebrating the completion of 108 earthquake-resistant houses in Nepal.
The Christian aid and development agency was one of the first to start building permanent, earthquake-resistant shelters following the 2015 earthquake, which killed nearly 9,000 people, injured 22,000 and left millions homeless.
Nepal is in an area of high seismic activity. According to Tearfund's country director Douwe Dijkstra: 'It's impossible to predict when Nepal will experience another serious earthquake, but there's a lot that we can do to prepare for it and be ready. Over the past three years, we've been working with the most vulnerable in the community to fix the damage done to homes, water supplies, toilet facilities, and livelihoods. It's as much about reducing the risk of another earthquake hitting people so hard as it is about recovery.'
Working with local authorities and alongside partner organisations, the Tearfund-led project has included the design and distribution of blueprints for earthquake resistant housing, which can be replicated in other parts of the country.
Thuli Maya, a 78 year old widow whose original home collapsed in the 2015 earthquake, was one of the first people to move from a temporary shelter into her new home. She said: 'My old house was only made of mud and stone, but this house has layers of concrete reinforcements built in. I like this new home. Now that I am old, it is good to have a strong house to spend my days in.'
Tearfund has trained 150 government engineers in earthquake resistant construction technology, while 708 local masons have received hands-on training in the required practical techniques needed to build these safer homes. As well as the model homes, 567 households have received grants to support the reconstruction of damaged houses with improved reinforcements.
