Standing together for Nepal.

At the time when we reached Kathmandu to prepare and plan, the information we were getting from the field was that there was sufficient food, sufficient clothing, and that it was advisable not to send more, as wastage was becoming a very real thing. We were advised to provide more tactical gear for the first responders, to provide solar gear for the holding centers, and to provide some basic day-to-day items, such as proper plates, utensils, and personal hygiene items.

Since the main highways were broken due to erosion caused by high flood waters, only back roads are available for reaching the higher villages. In monsoon season, these back roads become full-on offroad courses, where a 4x4 is compulsory to navigate. What should take 2–3 hours easily becomes a 10 hour journey.

We collaborated with Goldstar, a local Nepal footwear brand, and were able to source 300 pairs of gum boots for first responders. Additionally, we got rain gear, headlamps, solar lights, PPE, sanitary supplies, and medical supplies for these teams.

When we reached Trishuli and did our first drop-offs, we then went to the holding centers to see what the situation was. We spoke with the volunteer doctors and staff, and they confirmed that, in general, material supplies were sufficient and that the real lack was for psychological care. They expressed the difficulty in convincing trained psychologists to make the journey from Kathmandu, also stating that there was no immediate program set up to compensate them for their travel and for their lodging. Due to all these factors, it was almost impossible to convince anyone to come to the colony and treat the victims.

Interacting with those victims directly made us realize that a more sustainable, longer-term plan was needed for these families and individuals, and that was going to take more planning and, ultimately, will probably require the approval of local government.

In general, our organization tries to feel on the ground, directly with the victims, to see what they need. We are not interested in just getting supplies off a list and dropping them at a drop-off location. For us, we want to go see, talk, and feel the situation directly, as sometimes what is needed is just giving time and lending an ear. We definitely felt that the time with these locals was fruitful.

We also spent some time with the children in the holding centers, and we learned that they're mostly just bored. They might not be able to make so much sense of what's happening, but they all were willing to have more activities. We provided them with toys, sports equipment, as well as drawing and writing materials, so that they might be able to express themselves through writing and pictures.

A few more families came in later, and we were able to add them to the list and provide everyone with:

• 30 kg of rice
• 2 kg of dal
• 2 kg of mixed beans
• sugar
• tea leaves
• salt
• electrolytes

When we finally made it to the actual riverbank in Trishuli and in Tupuche, we saw the real extent of the damage. It looked more like the area had been hit by a tornado than by a flood. Aside from some buildings which remained partially intact, the majority of the riverbed was wiped completely flat with mud. A local guide showed us where the old market had been, and we talked with some local boys who, although their family was totally safe and their main house was intact, had lost their cars and their businesses in the lower sections.

We realize that this disaster has many categories of victims, and there's no easy way to quantify who needs what and who should get what. The speed at which the relief should come is just another factor that makes this situation so complex. We talked with the army in Tupuche, and they told us about the government's plans to relocate every house to higher ground into community housing. Of course, this will take a long time, so it seems clear that the relief effort is going to require a long-term, committed presence.

We can already see how traumatized the children and local people — the victims of this disaster — really are, carrying a real fear that something like this could happen to them again. Addressing that, too, is part of what a long-term rehabilitation means for these communities: not just rebuilding what was lost, but helping people feel safe again.