Patience! School Earthquake damage and then?

The post earthquake plans for our team in Lamjung is to work in 8 VDCs  (Parish equivalent), providing Temporary Learning Spaces, classrooms, psycho-social support and teacher training. Our task, that was set 3 weeks ago, was to visit the 58 schools, make photographic records and  write a report of the damage suffered. We split into 3 teams and I was delighted to be assigned to the "S" team with Sarita and Samjhana. Ann went with Anju and Muna with Manju. The S team and I had 3 VDCs and about 18 schools in our patch. We set off bright and early on a Monday morning, rucksacks and water bottles full and umbrellas packed. 

It is a challenge to walk in these conditions but we soon arrived at the first school and  worked out a good routine. The girls (well young ladies, but it is all relative - girls to me!!) interviewed the headteacher, collected data and explained our mission, while I asked another teacher to show me the damage and made a photographic record. The first two schools had lots of substantial cracks but we felt that they could carry on with lessons safely. The buildings are mainly constructed of stone and mud with most walls plastered and painted. 

Despite trying to plan our route on Sunday we seemed to then be heading up a steep incline. I was expecting to follow a track which went along the river side so I was rather surprised.  Normally we communicate very well in broken Nepali and English but my dear friends seemed to be plotting against me. This route would mean having to do a long detour later in our trip which was going to be tough enough without making life harder!! What followed next was a great surprise to me and an even bigger one to Samjhana and Sarita. I got really cross with them. Hard to imagine if you know how delightful they both are. Later that week I was relieved to know that I could put this down to post traumatic stress!!!! Something that I am not proud of but I am pleased that it has a label and to have given the girls something to laugh about for weeks to come!!!

Thankfully I had packed a picnic which made us all smile again!


The next school had been really badly damaged. We were met by the Headteacher and all of the children who had come to school that day. They were sitting in a little bit of shade outside the classrooms. It was soon obvious why they were not inside. We instantly decided that this school would welcome our support.

This school was definitely unsafe. 

This gable end wall was not hanging on by much.

There was considerable evidence that this wall wasn't being held on by much more than mud and paint. Upstairs was even less stable. I was very pleased that the children had been gathered outside. The strong tremor that happened the following day has caused more damage.

We walked on feeling that what we were doing was based on something very useful. I was later to be frustrated by bureaucracy but patience is a virtue I am told!!

We were to meet lots of lovely people on this 3 day adventure. This old man was working with strips of bamboo which is such a valuable and versatile material. This is destined to become a lovely hen coup which looks rather like a big cat basket. It wasn't until I saw an eagle circling around young chicks that I realised why a hen and her young are usually kept confined for a few days.

Several more schools and about 6 hours of walking later we arrived at the last for the day. We had deserved a dal bhaat and sleep. The places where we usually stay in villages are described as hotels. I want you to rethink any assumptions. Yes we had a room but shared it with bags of maize and rice and a lot of insects. It is also quite common for locals to wander in to have a look at the old bideshi (foreigner). No glass on the windows but luckily I had brought some mosquito coils which helped to keep some at bay. Thankfully I had also packed a sleeping bag liner. You are never sure how many people or creatures have shared the bedding. But we could have slept anywhere I think.

The next morning we set off at 6 am. The first 2 schools were easy to get to, a lovely start although a bit early for my travelling companions without breakfast of any kind and no dal bhaat in sight!

Sarita had found us some cucumber and chili which "hit the spot" on a hot day. 

After checking another school we follow a valley for 2 more hours and then climbed up to a village called Tap. The views were good but our legs were weary.

The climb up to Tap gave us a good view.

We had a good reception at Tap. Lots of damage but plenty of room to carry on.

Moments later, as we were leaving the village, and next to a near vertical drop, I noticed that some bundles of rice straw were wobbling. There were then 2 screams and Srijhana threw her arms around me. Not the best emergency procedure imaginable. I couldn't move away from the edge until she had loosened her grip. This was another earthquake. I thought it was another shock but was later told that it had caused considerable damage to the North East of Kathmandu. We soon recovered and, although the girls were very nervous, we carried on our way descending a steep hillside through some rough and wet terrain. The next scream was Sarita who had several leeches trying to get attached to her feet. Now these are not my favourite beasts but hopping around in near panic did not help my efforts to remove them, nor to prevent my little parasites from taking hold!!

Smiles soon returned as we found a path and cleared the jungle and leaches. While I wear walking boots you might notice the less robust footwear of my companions. 

These lovely ladies were taking a well deserved rest from carrying huge loads of wood. The two smiling sisters in the middle were profoundly deaf and mute although there giggles were infectious.

No easy climb with these hefty loads. Photo quality not helped by one of the sister's sticky finger prints!!

As we neared a village where we hoped to get a bed for the night, I checked my watch. 12 hours of difficult terrain, heat and lots of information gathered. We were all pleased to find the local head teacher who made us very welcome. We all tucked into a wonderful dal bhaat and slept very well.

Our third day started with our host's school. This had been affected by the previous day's quake. The wonderful position of these building means an excellent view but little protection from the elements and the monsoon which will soon arrive. It was good to see a house being rebuilt, using the traditional, relatively easily available materials of stone and mud. Such a pity that cement is both too expensive and not available in these remote villages.

Team work and a rebuild.

No sheepdogs here but stock is always tended to reduce the loss to tigers (or other big cats). 

At last, the one that we had been waiting for. After another 3 hours walk we came to our last school. Again considerable damage.

YES!! The last one!

3 days of tough walking and a hard task master had not taken the smiles away! Finished.

If I had seen the cracks and debris in a school in the UK I would have assumed a re-build essential. However, with the scale of the effect of the earthquakes this just won't be feasible. It is wonderful to know that thanks to donations from all over the world that we at VSO and GAN can do a little bit to help. Thank you all. Huge thanks also go to Sarita and Samjhana, as well as the other teams, who keep smiling despite aching legs.

Keep an eye out for the next installment of what is about to happen! Thank you for reading and supporting us both.