December 2017
Langtang Valley School Build Phase I Begins
We are really excited about the growing community involvement for the Komin Shyamey Wangphel Secondary School build at the gateway of Langtang Valley!! Buddha Gurung, our architect and earthquake-safe specialist, met with local officials, various political party leaders, the VDC chairman, school principal, and the school management committee this week in Syabrubesi to finalize the building contract. We have signed and stamped a document agreeing to sponsor the school build, while our architect provides technical supervision as the community manages the project within our budget to ensure quality construction. This is the best case scenario - we are funding a community-powered solution and allowing the local people to take ownership!
We've come a long way since we discovered this school 9 months ago. After months of back and forth over time zones, language barriers, construction designs and budgets, we are happy to announce that phase I construction of the school has officially started!!
Thank you to all our wonderful participants and supporters who have made this miracle a reality. HAPPY HOLIDAYS from the Trek Relief team.
Meeting with local officials and school board
Signing of the building contract
Clearing way for the sewage drain
Removing debris and weeds
Breaking the existing foundation
Measuring elevation
November 2017
The Season of Giving
Namaste friends! If you don’t have the time in the near future to go on a 2-3 week trek through Nepal or Mongolia with Trek Relief, but still want to get involved or contribute in some way, shape, form? We are now holding an Educational Materials Drive for schools in Nepal. We have asked local school boards what their classrooms and students need, and they’ve listed the following materials: educational posters, maps, projectors, science teaching materials (magnifying glasses, rulers, stopwatches, etc.), notebooks, pens, pencils, old laptops.
If you’d like to donate any of the above, please let us know by emailing hello@trekrelief.org. Don’t feel limited to what is listed above — globes, inspirational educational decor, and more are welcome... anything you think would be of value in a classroom would be deeply appreciated by the educators, parents, and children of Nepal. Thank you!!
October 2017
School Build Architectural Plans
We have been working with our Nepalese architect in preparation for the upcoming school build as we are just nearly done with clearing the rubble from site. We will be building the school in four phases. Stay tuned for more updates!!
August 2017
Update: Rebuilds After Earthquakes
Some of these buildings were rebuilt this year with the help of Trek Relief funds and volunteers. Thank you to everyone that contributed to these builds!! We appreciate every single donation and trek that made this all possible.
Family home rebuilt with the help of Trek Relief volunteers
Orphanage for children who lost parents to the earthquake rebuilt with the help of Trek Relief volunteers
May 2017
Blueprints for Upcoming School Build
Our architect from Kathmandu came out to the school site in Syabru Besi earlier this month to meet with us and some key school officials in Langtang Valley. After a series of meetings, the District Education officer Shukadev has agreed to grant us permission on condition that we enlist the help of the school committee to do the application for us. The school committee members have agreed to submit the paperwork for us after learning of the needs and requirements.
By next year, the rubble should be cleared away and the site will be ready for building. We're starting a slow but steady construction progress with 3-4 workers. Labor costs about $10 per day. We also have to keep in mind that the summer monsoon season will put a little hamper on construction progress. We are currently in search of a long-term site manager who will translate the architectural blueprints into reality and direct the labor. In the next couple weeks, our architect will be giving us an overall budget for the school build with a detailed line-by-line breakdown of how much everything will cost.
Our architect has agreed to be in charge of obtaining all the necessary paperwork, providing all architectural plans, and providing detailed costs for everything. He has agreed to find the best price for construction materials between Syabru Besi and Kathmandu, while school committee member Rishang has offered to help us find local labor. Binoy will be taking care of all payments and on-ground logistics while the site construction manager takes care of the actual school build. We will raise funds and bring volunteers!!
March 2017
Rebuilding a School at the Bottom of Langtang Valley
Before
After
On the latest trek, the unexpected snow led us to a new project that needs our help - a school rebuild at the bottom of Langtang Valley, at the trek starting point in Syabru Besi. We discovered this completely ruined school through the detour and learned that children as young as 3 years old are having to walk an hour uphill to the next closest school. We are beyond excited to help piece this school back together and provide a space for these children to learn!! Below are before and after photos after just one day of volunteer work. Our volunteers removed a lot of the rubble, and we will likely have to demolish the remaining walls and foundation before rebuilding on the site again. We are currently meeting with the school principal, District Education Officer, local village officials and engineering consultants in order to complete the necessary permitting process required by the Nepalese government to meet earthquake-resistant standards before we translate the design into reality.
January 2017
Updates from Langtang Valley
Thanks to the donations for our wonderful supporters, we have been able to donate $15,000 to the Langtang Management Reconstruction Committee (LMRC) so far. Here is the latest news from them:
"LMRC has provided:
32.5 sacks of cement to all 116 families with transportation costs
250kg of iron bar to all 116 families
50 pieces of plywood to all 116 families
6 pieces of floor plywood, glasses for the windows to all 116 families
Cash Rs. 150000 was distributed to all 116 families. and soon Rs. 30000 will be distributed to all 116 families within the next few weeks.
Rebuild progress:
Kyanjin Gumba 17 lodges are rebuilt and one community hall rebuilt
Sindum 1 lodges and 2 tea shops are rebuilt
Yamphu 2 teashops are rebuilt
Nepali 2 teashops are rebuilt
Mundu 5 lodges, 3 orphan homes, and one community hall rebuilt
Langtang 12 lodges, three orphans home, and one community building rebuilt
Gumba 5 teashops with few rooms rebuilt”
