Nepal Education Relief in August 2016, second visit to schools in Nepal
June 24, 2016
Nepal Earth Quake, 2015
Even though a little over one year has passed since the deadly earthquake struck Nepal in April 2015, many schools in remote, mountainous areas are still not completely rebuilt. Due to lack of funding, some schools still do not have the proper, required infrastructure to provide a safe learning environment for the students.
One such school is Namuna Evergreen English Boarding School, located in the remote, mountainous area of Nepal near the Tibetan border. Access to this school from the capital of Kathmandu is extremely difficult, challenging and dangerous as many parts of the roads are badly or completely damaged by the earthquake along with many landslides and floods due to heavy rainfalls. This school has nine classrooms and has around 200 students. Sadly, all classrooms don’t have doors and at least one to three windows are broken. Without doors and windows, there is no protection from the cold air or strong wind. On any given day with bad weather, particularly on many rainy days and cold days in the winter, students have to endure sitting in the classroom feeling cold. This adversely affects the students’ physical and psychological well-beings and their ability to stay focused and do all the writing in class. Moreover, the surrounding fence of the school where the playground is located is half damaged and was still not repaired since the earthquake. This fence is critical and extremely necessary as it provides protection and safety to the students. Without it, students can seriously and fatally injured if they fall down as the school is located on the slope of the mountain.
The school was extremely thankful to Tu Bi Foundation. Now there are proper windows and doors in all classrooms, as well as a durable metal fence surrounding the back of the school overlooking the mountain slope. This is like a dream comes true to the school and to all the students. The foundation has played a major role in helping the school’s reconstruction. For the coming winter, students will not be terribly affected by the cold air. Overall, the learning and safety environments of the school have improved significantly with the support of Tu Bi Foundation. Students are definitely benefiting from this as they now feel the school is so much safer and more comfortable, and they are more eager to come to school as their classrooms now have doors and glass windows that can be opened and closed.
Essential stationery items were also provided to all students of this school as well as a large public school (400 students) in this same mountainous town. Pencils, pens, erasers, pencil sharpeners, crayons, color pencils, and plastic folders were given to these students. Some footballs and small balls were also given to the schools so that students can have something to play with during recess.
Attached are pictures taken at the school, before and after the construction of the fence, doors and windows. Since this reconstruction is taking place during school time and that school is in session, it takes about two more weeks for the school to finish all the windows and doors. The school will provide more updated pictures once everything is complete.
Sincerely yours,
Jason Tran
Due to the remote, isolated mountainous area, it took much more time and resources to get the school supplies and materials for the school’s reconstruction. Materials in this remote area are limited. Road conditions from Kathmandu to remote area of these schools were extremely bad, damaged, and challenging (see attached pictures). Landslides are common due to heavy rainfalls. Driving to this area was very dangerous, exhausting, and painstakingly slow.
Expenditure for the Schools
1. School supplies for 600 students $1,050
2. Sport supplies for two schools (footballs, softballs, pumps) $ 50
3. Doors for nine classrooms (including painting and installation) $1,215
4. Windows for nine classrooms (including frames, glass, installation) $ 585
5. Metal fence for playground $ 600
TOTAL $3,500
Nepal Earthquake Relief Report 2015
(Từ Bi Foundation – Chùa Việt Nam, Houston, Texas)
We sincerely appreciate your contribution. If there are any oversight, please contact office. The money raised will be sent to the American Red Cross (International). So far Từ Bi Foundation have sent $ 45,318 to the American Red Cross Association.
7/2015 Contribution List for Nepal
6/2015 RedCross Thank you letter
5/2015 Virginia fundraising for Nepal
5/2015 Fundraising letter for Nepal
Nepal EarthQuake Relief, July 2015
August 17, 2015
Dear Huyen,
I wanted to take a moment to provide you with an update about the work the American Red Cross has been able to do in Nepal thanks to the generosity of our donors like the Tu Bi Foundation. To date, the American Red Cross has raised over $35 million for the people of Nepal. We are so grateful for your generosity without which, our work would not be possible.
More than 36 American Red Cross disaster specialists have already deployed to Nepal to help with response activities ranging from emergency relief to distributing cash to victims to helping the country plan its recovery to providing IT and telecommunications support and remote mapping and information management giving relief workers on the ground the information they need to target where help is needed.
With monsoon season underway, people whose homes were destroyed are sleeping outside in the rain under tarps or in tents. The American Red Cross and the Red Cross global network are providing thousands of families with shelter toolkits – containing saws, nails, hammers, shovels and other items – as well as cash grants to help. In addition to sheltering materials, the American Red Cross continues to deliver vital relief items including hygiene kits, drinking water, blankets and health care supplies.
I’ve included below a link to view our Three Month Nepal Update so you can read more about the work the American Red Cross is doing in Nepal to recover and rebuild.
Three Month Nepal Update
I wanted to be sure to share with you our Facebook post from yesterday that features Francis and her paper crane project. We were so excited to have the outlet to share Francis’ beautiful gesture, the meaning of the cranes, and the impact it had upon the children of Nepal. If you have a moment, please visit the link I’ve included below.
https://www.facebook.com/RedCrossNationalCapitalRegion?fref=ts
Thank you so much for your overwhelming generosity, and I look forward to speaking with you again soon,
Nell
Nell Nutaitis
Major Gift Officer
American Red Cross
National Capital Region
8550 Arlington Blvd
Fairfax, VA 22031
(703) 713-2303 (p)
Dear Huyen,
ere are no words to express my gratitude for your continued support of our relief and recovery efforts in Nepal. Thank you so much for your incredible generosity as we continue to rebuild from the devastation of not one, but two major earthquakes.
Much has happened in the first month since the earthquake occurred. I’ve included below some links to provide you with an update on the work we’ve been doing, a brief slideshow with images from Nepal, and an interview with one of our disaster specialists who deployed a few days after the earthquake took place.
We could not do any of this work without the support of our donors like you. The generosity of the American public has been overwhelming, raising over $25 million to support relief efforts in Nepal. These funds are being used to provide earthquake survivors with essential relief supplies, such as water containers, tarps and kitchen sets and will continue to be distributed as future needs are determined.
Thank you so much for everything you’ve assist our efforts in Nepal,
Nell
Nell Nutaitis
Major Gift Officer
American Red Cross
National Capital Region
8550 Arlington Blvd
Fairfax, VA 22031
Dear Benefactors,
On behalf of the victims in peril by the earthquake in Nepal, Tu Bi Foundation would like to express our sincere appreciation to our teachers and benefactors for their contributions to “Nepal Earthquake Relief”. We have 1 more week before fundraising end. The money raised will be sent to the American Red Cross (International). Just when lives have not stabilized, 3 weeks later Nepal suffers a second earthquake, a 7.3 magnitude on 05.12.2015. To date over 8,200 people have died … I remember the earthquake and tsunami that happened to Japan in 2011. Tu Bi Foundation was grace with the opportunity to visit the refugee camp and live there for a few days, everyday there were after shock.
Currently in Nepal, hundreds of thousands of families are living in makeshift camps not knowing what will happen in the future, because Nepal was constantly experiencing shock the day after. Hunger, disease, homelessness … people are suffering endlessly!
So far, Tu Bi Foundation has sent $11,000 to the Red Cross, the total amount will be calculated on 05/20/2015. Fortunately, the money we raise will be match by the Red Cross 100%. This morning we received news from Red Cross of the current situation and that the money sent be distributed for tents to cover from the rain and sun, food, water … help victims settle into a centralize camps.
Tu Bi Foundation in Houston has donated $15,000. In Virginia, many supporters have promise to help and Tu Bi is waiting to receive their checks. The money we will raise is $ 5,851. We predict the total donation raise will be approximately $21,000 + Red Cross matching 100%, the final total will be $42,000. Thanks to the contributions of our benefactors, hundreds of families will be comforted and care for …
Names of Benefactors in Virginia
Venerable Viên Trí | 100.00 |
Nguyễn Thị Huệ | 50.00 |
SC Lệ Châu | 50.00 |
Vân Anh Bùi | 20.00 |
Duong Hoa | 100.00 |
Lê Văn Anh | 100.00 |
Hội Gia Long | 1,000.00 |
Lê Kim Tuyến | 1,000.00 |
Hội Pháp Hoa | 500.00 |
Lê Bích Huyền | 1,000.00 |
Nguyen Phuong Khanh | 250.00 |
Doan Thanh Thuy | 300.00 |
Huong Brewster | 100.00 |
Thầy Lý Phước Lộc và đệ tử | 500.00 |
Tai Eden | 51.00 |
Hoang Thị Thái | 100.00 |
Chúc Giới | 100.00 |
Miss Kim | 20.00 |
Phạm Hải | 100.00 |
Huong Mai Thi Parham | 60.00 |
Loan Anh Tran | 100.00 |
Khue My Nguyen | 50.00 |
Huyen Chau Nguyen | 200.00 |
Tổng cộng | 5,851.00 |
Tu Bi Foundation will continue to receive donation.
Tax send your tax deductible to:
Tu Bi Foundation
4901 Powell Road
Fairfax, VA 22032
Please sincerely pray for Nepal quick recovery, their lives stabilized, receive assistance from people all over the world, and the world will send material assistance as well as direct help to the people. (According to the News, all the parcels sent were subject to government review, while the people are hungry the supplies are stuck in one area. This is a form taking supply distributions from the people). So each of us need to remember to acquire merit in order to receive help from those around us.
We pray for peace to world and all living beings. Please burn incense and direct your prayer for the deceased and rebirth to a peaceful world. That the family and relatives of the deceased will have energy to overcome this difficulty.
2015 Nepal VirginiaTBF RedCross.pdf
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Vietnam Buddhist Center
Announcement
Houston, May 1, 2015
Dear friends,
On April 25, 2015, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Nepal killing 7,250 people and the body count could reach 10,000. Over 14,325 people are homeless and living in the open air unable to return to their destroyed or unstable home.
In the face of such devastation, we ask you to open your compassionate heart and financially help the earthquake victims of Nepal.
Please send your tax-deductible donation to either of the address below:
1) Từ Bi Foundation
10002 Synott Rd
Sugar Land, TX 77498
Tel/ 281 – 575 – 0910
Memo: Nepal Relief
2) Từ Bi Foundation
4901 Powell Rd
Fairfax, VA 22032
Tel/ 571 – 437 – 6997
Memo: Nepal Relief
The fundraising will end on May 20, 2015, so we can total the amount and forward to organization(s) that have the ability to help the victims in Nepal.
Much appreciation,
Venerable Nguyên Đạt
Vietnam Buddhist Center
10002 Synott Rd
Sugar Land, Texas 77498
(281) 575-0910