Nepal is a travellers dream, adrenaline junkie’s rush and a Buddhist’s spiritual home. Nepal is home to many iconic and picturesque hikes; plenty of bungee jumping, rafting, kayaking or paragliding experiences against some of the world’s most beautiful landscapes; historically fascinating is the Buddhist religion and centuries-old stupas and temples you can visit. The country is home to a diversity of gentle, friendly natured people.

Sadly, on the 25th April 2015 a 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck near the city of Kathmandu followed by two major aftershocks and hundreds of minor shocks. According to official statistics more than 8,600 people have died and more than 22,000 people have sustained injuries. Hundreds of thousands of houses and buildings have been devastated or destroyed, leaving families homeless and stranded. We want you to help rebuild Nepal!

 

What will you need to do?

Some of the families in the earthquake-affected areas have received tents, food, medicine and other relief materials. However, the plastic tents cannot withstand the downpour of monsoon. This is the immediate threat to the people in the earthquake-affected villages. A coordinated initiative can provide shelter to many families who otherwise are very vulnerable. This initiative requires skilled and semi-skilled volunteers from abroad, who can provide technical and manual assistance to build shelters using the local resources, provide health, safety and sanitation advice and provide post-disaster consultations.

 

Who is needed?

A group of volunteers consisting of at least one civil engineer or an architect, a carpenter, one public health personnel and a few students or semi skilled people who are willing to do menial work are needed to build the shelters. Minimum size of the volunteering group is 10.

 

Where in Nepal?

We recommend the volunteers to contribute their work either in Gorkha, Dhading, Nuwakot, Rasuwa, Sindhupalchowk or Dolkha district because of the magnitude of the impact and need of the support.

PLEASE NOTE: You can also opt for a 15 day itinerary instead of 21 days, please enquire for more details.

 

Projects your trip suports

Your trip includes a £50 donation to the Rebuild Nepal Foundation project. The donation will arrive at the project before you travel and you have the opportunity to vist the people and communities you have funded during your trip. Should you wish to contribute further to the goals of the project you can opt to fundraise on your own personalised fundraising page which will be available when you book. There is no obligation to fundraise, no minimum amount and you can set up your fundraising page at any point before, during or after your trip.

 

Highlights

  • Help contribute to rebuilding Nepal after one of 2015’s worst natural disasters
  • Work directly with the community and directly experience the impact you are making
  • Use your skills and passion to help the local community
  • Free time to immerse yourself with Nepalese people post disaster
  • Enjoy the geographically outstanding scenery
  • Accommodation 


For the most part you will be staying in a tented community. Sleeping in high quality 2 man tents equip with a mosquito net, snow-in ground sheet and beds. You can request to have your own tent. There will be toilet and shower tents provided. Whilst in Kathmandu and Pokhara you will stay at comfortable 3 star hotels fit with standard western amenities.

 

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Kathmandu
You will arrive at Kathmandu Airport where you'll be greeted by a member of the Inspired Escapes team. We will transfer to our hotel.

Day 2: Briefing and Exploring
After breakfast we will have a briefing from the local staff where we will go through safety procedures, the work you will undergo and answer any questions you may have. You have the afternoon free to explore Kathmandu city, ask our team for ideas for places to visit. Overnight at hotel.

Day 3: Travel to Camp
After breakfast we will depart to one of the earthquake affected villages of Nuwakot District. The journey from Kathmandu to the villages takes between 5 and 6 hours and involves a drive and walk. Our focus is on six villages: Sundaradevi, Thaprek, Samundratar, Ramati, Dhandkharka and Rautbesi. Depending upon the size of group, we will decide whether your group will go to one village or two more. We will reach where we will be staying for the new 2 weeks, a tented camp.

Day 4-16: Help Rebuild a Community
Our work at the village will start today and will continue for the next 13 days. Some of the activities you will partake in are: drafting of an action plan, holding meetings, designing buildings, carrying building materials like timber, stone, sand, cement, iron rods, corrugated tin sheets etc, mixing sand and cement and painting the walls of the houses. For activities needing technical skills, we will seek help from local masons, carpenters and other technicians. But those of you having these skills, you can help them with their work and make things easier.

We will be focusing mainly on re-using the local resources like wood, bamboo, stones, iron rods, corrugated tin sheets especially from the damaged houses which will reduce the cost of building new houses and the fund can be utilised in buying other materials. For this we will work with the locals to re-use what resources we can. The new houses will be more eco-friendly by utilising the local materials so the homeowners can repair their houses themselves in future . We will draft a plan of action in consultation with the local bodies and people. Innovative and environmentally friendly ideas are most welcome. Once the plan is developed, building can begin. You will spend nights in the tented camps and eat meals prepared by cooks.

Day 17 - Thank You Ceremony
Today, after all your hard work it will be time to hand over the homes made to families. Firstly, we will monitoring and evaluate the houses. Later you will be part of a small ceremony between volunteers and the local community to thank you for your hard work. This will be your last night in a tent.

Day 18 - Say Goodbye to the Locals
Today will be your final meeting with the locals and time to say your goodbyes. We will make our way to Pokhara and check into our Hotel.

Day 19 - Free Day
Today you will have a free day in Pokhara to explore the city.

Day 20 - Nepalese Dinner
Transfer to Kathmandu for final evening. Tonight we will have a traditional Nepalese dinner at a restaurant. Overnight at hotel.

Day 21 - Final Goodbyes
Today at a time that suits you we will transfer to the airport for your onward flight.