Two months after the earthquake and deadly aftershocks which hit Nepal, the association SOS Villages d'Enfants is still providing urgent aid to affected children in the region.

The earthquake took place on 25 April 2015, killing over 8,800 people, with several subsequent aftershocks killing hundreds more. The material toll was similarly extensive, with hundreds of thousands of people left homeless and in need of emergency care. SOS Villages d'Enfants Nepal has been active in the region since the late 1960s and was able to intervene, with some 300 voluntary and social workers present in the area today.  

More than 4,300 people in 12 districts have been helped by the international development agency, which seeks to provide those in need with food, water and shelter but the NGO is now dealing with further issues such as food shortages through agricultural instability.

SOS Children Village's Nepal, working with local authorities and other non-governmental organisations, has provided emergency aid to the country since 26 April 2015. Reception areas were opened to welcome unaccompanied children traumatised by the earthquake, enlisting the help of Luxembourg's SOS Villages d'Enfants Monde and its generous donors.

In early June, Siddhartha Kaul, President of SOS Villages d'Enfants, and Shubha Murthi, International Director of SOS Asia, visited the site where the SOS team had put its rehabilitation programme into effect, with the aim of rebuilding communities and developing their resilience. This has been achieved through the provision of 'home in box' kits containing basic supplies such as household products and perishable items, as well as meals, medical care, psychosocial support, various forms of therapy and recreational activities.

"The children need this support because there is a big risk of child trafficking and other serious issues," said Murthi. "We ensure that there is a real protective environment here for vulnerable children. They can paint, play, sing. Here they can forget their trauma. It comes back at night but during the day we see them play and run around the camp".

Countless children have found themselves left on their own while one or both parents have perished under the rubble. The SOS team has therefore been attempting to reunite families and support those separated from their parents.

 

Photo Credit: SOS Villages d'Enfants Monde (Reception Area for Children in Bhaktapur, Nepal)