Project Background:
Nepal has a largely rural population with 82% of the population living in rural areas. The country is at high risk of natural hazards such as earthquakes, floods, fires and landslides. In the last decade, more than 7.5 million people have been affected, and more than 10,000 people have been killed by disasters in Nepal. Nepal is also ranked 4th in the world as most at risk from climate change which may increase temperature and rainfall uncertainty, and exacerbate droughts and consequently food production.
Two severe earthquakes devastated parts of Nepal in 2015, killing thousands of people, injuring many more, destroying houses, damaging water supply schemes, and disrupting livelihoods. The country is still recovering from the destruction with many people still living in temporary shelters. The earthquakes highlighted gaps in capacity for disaster response in the country, the need to build disaster preparedness at all levels, and how vital integrating disaster risk reduction into developing planning is.
The project is being implemented in four of the districts most affected by the earthquakes in central Nepal, east of the capital Kathmandu; Okhaldhunga, Ramechhap, Sindhupalchowk and Dolakha. The primary focus is in 161 communities or ‘wards’ in the hilly region of Nepal; some of which are very remote and difficult to access, particularly in the monsoon season.
There is limited infrastructure in the working districts, with poor transport links, dangerous roads and unreliable electricity and phone signal. It is a difficult place to live with some communities two days walk from the nearest road. Their remoteness meant that many of these communities were forced to respond to the 2015 earthquakes themselves while they waited for external assistance. Therefore, reducing the risk of such disasters while building preparedness for the next one is vitally important.
