Basic need supplies are offered to the worst hit areas by Kopan monks and nuns, May 2015

Ven. Roger Kunsang released this recent update:

First, I would like to extend a very big THANK YOU to everyone for moving on this emergency relief effort so quickly by offering to the Nepal Earthquake Support Fund, which we set up through FPMT International Office. It has already meant a lot to so many villages. This has made a HUGE difference. When you are freezing cold, have no home, are out in the open, in the mountains with hardly any food and water left – even for these very hearty people – it is too much.

Villagers are doing their best to survive under extremely difficult circumstances, May 2105. Photo by Cherok Lama.

Young girl stands next to a collapsed home in Thame, Solu Khumbu district, Nepal, April 28, 2015. Photo by Jimmy Grant.

There are dead people around you: people you once knew, some close relatives, your mother, etc. Then having to deal with the ground still shaking from time to time and not knowing if it will get stronger or just pass. There was always the rumor that another big earthquake was coming, which freaked people out even more. They couldn’t be convinced that this can’t be predicted. And then, no one knows what’s happening about anything.

Even as we were leaving from the Kathmandu Airport, Rinpoche met a friend who worked there. The man explained to Rinpoche that his whole village had been destroyed. His family and home – gone. He said his family has nothing; no food, no shelter, and it is very cold. The look on his face, the tone of his voice … it is difficult not to cry at yet again another heavy story and desperate plea for help coming Rinpoche’s way. Rinpoche said immediately he would help! No hesitation.

Today, the Kopan Relief Team is in this man’s village, doing what they can. This time there are Kopan nuns helping also. It is reported over 10,000 people a day are leaving Kathmandu Valley for their villages. They say they have to go back to help their elders as in most villages iIt is only the elderly and the young who remain. Those who can work are in Kathmandu or the Middle East. Working people have to go back to take care of the elderly and the children.

Emergency relief supplies arriving in Thame, Solu Khumbu district, Nepal, May 1, 2015. Photo courtesy of Tara Melwani on Facebook.

They say it will take another 10 to 20 years to earn enough money to rebuild as none have any hope the government will help them. And of course, there is no such thing as insurance, so all is lost. One stone in the mountains averages 2,000 Nepalese rupees (about 19 US dollars) or could go as high as 3,000 to 4,000 rupees. Very expensive! All the houses are built with local stone that is hand-chipped into shape.

A collapsed house in Thame, Solu Khumbu district, Nepal, April 28, 2015. Photo by Jimmy Grant.

Talking to some of these people really breaks your heart. They had very little before, and now, a lot less. So on a mundane level, you are really helping immensely. Thank you!

Regarding the Nepal Earthquake Support Fund this is the short- and long-term strategy of how we can help.

Short-term efforts involve getting basic needs to as many people as possible.

Short-Term and Immediate Need

We have the short-term and immediate urgent needs of the people in mind. This is food, water, medicine, and shelter. We are trying to support the efforts of the local people to look after themselves as the aid coming in from overseas isn’t reaching  them in the short-term.

Kopan Monastery monks help distribute drinking water, Kathmandu, Nepal, April 2015. Photo via Facbook, Kopan Monastery School.

They have to depend on their own efforts. So we are supporting Kopan monks and nuns going out every day with basic necessities for the worst hit areas. We are also supporting Losang Namgyal Rinpoche (one of the Kopan monks) who is the head lama of the Tamang people. (Tamang is the largest ethnic group in Nepal, farmers scattered across the hills throughout Nepal.) Losang Namgyal Rinpoche is organizing and improvising in many ways to get the essentials to these villages that have been damaged badly.

Emergency aid for Thame waiting to be flown to Lukla and then helicoptered to Thame, Nepal, May 1, 2015. Photo courtesy of Tara Melwani on Facebook.

It is really hard getting this done, so we are supporting his efforts by giving some funds to buy essentials.  Then, there is the area where Lama Zopa Rinpoche was born, Thame, and some very small communities in the same area. The budget for this is estimated at US$46,000. This could change depending on helicopter costs associated with getting the food up there. 

FPMT is helping Losang Namgyal Rinpoche get basic needs to villagers.

Long-Term Needs and Rebuilding

And then there are the long-term needs of rebuilding homes and nunneries/monasteries. This will be where most of the funds the will go as the damage is extensive, but we can only commit to those who we are immediately responsible for: Kopan Nunnery and Monastery, Tsum Nunnery and Monastery, Himalayan Buddhist Meditation Centre, Thubten Shedrup Ling Monastery in Chailsa, and Lawudo Retreat Centre.

Damage to the house where Lama Zopa Rinpoche was born in Thame. Photo by Cherok Lama.

The Chenrezig Gompa at Kopan Monastery was badly damaged. Photo by Ng Yi Zhen.

This is the plan so far as best as we can know. It could change as we hear more. These are the areas that we have been able to immediately help:

• Thame: Providing shelter and food as emergency relief, US$30,595.
• Helping the Tamang people across the affected regions with Losang Namgyal Rinpoche, US$10,000
• Kopan Monastery Emergency Relief Team: assisting the monastery provide relief (tents, food, clothing) to local and rural areas affected by the earthquake, US$5,000

All the above aid has come from the Nepal Earthquake Support Fund. Rinpoche has received many requests for help, but we have not accepted long-term requests outside of the above. We are trying to fulfill all requests for the short-term needs as they are a matter of life or death.

Delivering food and essentials can be quite difficult as everyone is in need and people come from everywhere when they hear of food and supplies are being offered.

Cherok Lama is also helping and he is in Thame area now, directly giving aid and helping organize relief efforts.

Thame Emergency Relief

We are also providing emergency relief to the people of Thame and surrounding villages. With the majority of homes destroyed or unsafe in Thame and the surrounding areas, people are sleeping in the open air, getting wet and cold. The immediate concern was to supply shelter to those who need it and food to ensure people’s safety in the short-term before helping them rebuild their community in the long- term. Other villages in the area are not in such dire need with respect to housing, as most homes are still standing and safe, but they will also struggle with food due to the normal supplies being affected and food not arriving as usual.

Food will therefore be provided to the following villages in the Upper Solu Khumbu area: Phurte, Samsing, Theso, Thamo, Mende, Thamtyong, Samde, Thomde, Pare, Humgo, Thame, Thame Gompa, Thameteng, Ytazang, Taranga and Chyanyakpa.

Each food package includes: 30 kg (66 pounds) rice, 5 kg (11 pounds) dahl, 5 kg (11 pounds) sugar, milk powder, 2 liters oil, 1 kg (2 pounds) tea, 2.5 kg (5.5 pounds) tsampa, 5 kg (11 pounds) flour.

FPMT, through the Nepal Earthquake Support Fund is offering US$30,595; Cherok Lama: US$10,000; and Himalayan Peoples Project: US$5,000, for a total amount of US$45,595.

Delivering food and the essentials is quite difficult as everyone is in need and people come from everywhere when they hear of food and supplies are being handed out. So managing that is hard as people go crazy sometimes due to hunger and cold.

Many are in need of medical attention in addition to basic necessities for survival.

Thank you again, EVERYONE!

If you would like to contribute to these efforts, you may offer to the Nepal Earthquake Support Fund.