On February 8, HUMAN IN LOVE conducted the first emergency relief operation with an Israeli humanitarian aid organization IsraAID. The emergency relief operation, which is planned as a three-time operation, was to be carried out in Sindhupalchowk District, which suffered the most serious damage from the 7.9 magnitude earthquake on April 25 last year. Winter kits (one winter coat, one blanket, one fur hat, a set of gloves and socks) will be provided for around 800 children living in high altitude without an adequate house, heating equipment or clothing.
[Banskharka Relief items are put in sacks and delivered to Banskharka village.]
HUMAN IN LOVE and IsraAID conducted the first emergency relief operation in Banskharka village. Banskharka village is one of the villages that hit hard by the earthquake in Sindhupalchowk District. The earthquake took a total number of 142 people’s lives. After discussing with government officials and villagers, we decided to distribute winter kits to 233 children from Shree Bal Bikash Primary School, Shree BhimBidhyashram Secondary School and Shree Janahit Primary School in Banskharka village. At 6 am on February 8 2016, the HUMAN IN LOVE-IsraAID emergency rescue team left Kathmandu where IsraAID’s Nepal office is located and headed to Banskharka village to deliver winter kits and conduct the first emergency relief operation.It was not easy to go to Banskharka village. It started drizzling at 5 am when the emergency rescue team started to load winter kits on the truck, and the rain started to fall heavily. At first we thought it wouldn’t be a big problem because the tent was covering the truck so that the kits wouldn’t get wet, but we started to worry because an official from Banskharka village said “the road is not good enough so if the rain keeps falling, you can’t make it to the village”.
[After a struggle, the HUMAN IN LOVE-IsraAID emergency rescue team could arrive at Banskharka village.]
We decided to stop by Melamchi village, which is closest to Banskharka village, to hear about road conditions. However, the only thing we could hear was that they’re not sure whether it’s possible to go to Banskharka village because there’s a lot of rain and the road is unpaved. But we decided not to stop and keep going, thinking about children who would be shivering in freezing cold. Believing that delivering winter kits to those children will help a lot, we kicked off to the village again.Then…we were so lucky! The rain suddenly stopped a short time later!!! After driving an 18km-long unpaved road from Melamchi village, we arrived Shree Bal Bikash Primary School that we planned to visit first, and delivered winter kits to children.
[Children are waiting in a line to get a winter kit]
Children were shivering with cold so much that they hurriedly unpacked winter kits and started wearing a jacket, hat, socks and gloves. We were so heartbroken to see those kids, but at the same time we felt that it was very fortunate to deliver winter kits to them. Kids in winter clothes were so cute and adorable and we couldn’t stop smiling at them. But we had to hurry because there were other two schools waiting for our winter kits. The thing was that we were not sure whether we could deliver winter kits as we planned, because those schools were located at a height of over 2,000 meters, it could rain a lot again, the weather was so cold and sunshine hours were shortened.
[The HUMAN IN LOVE-IsraAID emergency rescue team is helping kids wear winter clothes. ]
The HUMAN IN LOVE-IsraAID emergency rescue team left the school again, thinking about kids who would be waiting for us from the early morning. Fortunately, we could arrive before the sunset and deliver winter kits to every one of them. We will never forget the moment children started smiling after getting our winter kit.
[“Thank you for giving us winter kits that will warm us.”]
It was 5 pm when we finished our schedule and it was too late to go back to Kathmandu since we were in a remote mountain. So, the team decided to sleep one night, which is unexpected. I met a boy while taking a walk next morning, and I was so happy and glad to see him wearing winter clothes that we delivered just yesterday and felt that our support was provided to those who really need it.
We will do our best preparing the next two emergency rescue operations, so that child victims of the Nepal earthquake can stay warm. We will appreciate your support.
