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Aid was offered to the 11 most affected districts in Nepal following the initial earthquake, aftershocks, and second earthquake.
Immediately following the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Nepal on April 25, 2015, causing extensive devastation, the monks and nuns of Kopan Monastery and Nunnery (which were both badly damaged) did not hesitate to spring into action by establishing Kopan Helping Hands to help those in need with emergency aid. Here we share Geshe Thubten Jinpa’s recent report about the highlights of the relief offered since the time of the earthquake, subsequent aftershocks, and second large earthquake on May 12.
5,385 families have been offered food and temporary housing through Kopan Helping Hands.
Kopan Helping Hands Relief Work Highlights
- A blood donation program was conducted immediately following the first earthquake by Kopan Sangha in cooperation with local hospital and a blood bank in Kathmandu.
- Sangha members cleared the debris and blocked road around Kopan so that the rescue operations could be performed.
- Cooked meals were served to the patients and the families in the local hospitals who were affected by the quake.
- Drinking water was supplied to the various parts of the city where the normal water supply had been disrupted.
- Sangha members kept the surroundings free of garbage in order to eliminated post-earthquake health hazards.
- Special prayer sessions were held every evening at the monastery for those who had lost their lives and for the grieving family members. The first week of prayer was led by Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
- Aid was able to reach the 11 most affected districts in Nepal despite all the challenges and the risk of their own lives as there were constant landslides and the roads were misshapen. In addition, heavy rain poured throughout the journeys and the volunteers had to travel on the back of fully loaded trucks to reach 45 Village Development Committees outside the Kathmandu Valley.
- 5,385 families were directly benefited with shelter, blankets, rice, dahl, cooking oil and other staples.
- 100 large tarpaulin tents were given to the Gompa Preservation and Development Committee of the Nepal Government to be handed out to damaged gompas in rural areas.
- Blankets were given to 580 families.
- Clothing was distributed to more than 1,800 individuals.
- Three days of free medical camps were organized in the five most affected rural areas. They were helped by Kopan Sangha with medical training and other experienced volunteers.
- An emergency medial team was airlifted 2.6 miles (4,180 meters) above sea level to treat patients under critical circumstances.
This aid is ongoing and will continue. Please rejoice in this tremendous effort and kindness! FPMT International Office established the Nepal Earthquake Support Fund to help with efforts such as this and will continue to support the work of Kopan’s Helping Hands. Thanks to all donors who have offered to this fund as it enables us to contribute in this way.
Kopan Monastery is accepting donations directly for their relief work, mention “Kopan Helping Hands” in the comments.
To learn more and offer support to FPMT’s Nepal Earthquake Support Fund, which will be used for immediate relief and rebuilding: https://fpmt.org/support/socialservices/
For “Prayers and Practice for Earthquake in Nepal,” see:
https://fpmt.org/edu-news/prayers-and-practices-for-earthquake-in-nepal/
For continuing updates and news from Kopan Monastery and other FPMT centers and projects in Nepal affected by the earthquake, please visit our “Updates from Nepal after the Earthquake” page:
https://fpmt.org/nepal-earthquake/