September 3 Today marks the ninth day of the Nepal flash flood response effort — and nine days of non‑stop engagement for Engage Nepal. What follows is a detailed update on what we’re doing now and what we hope to do in the days ahead. There is far more happening than I can capture here, but your extraordinary generosity deserves a clear picture of how your kindness is being put to work. I also wanted to let you know that I’m going to shift my regular updates out of your inboxes. I don’t want to wear out my welcome. Beginning tomorrow, I hope to have a blog up on our newly redesigned website at www.engagenepal.org. I had planned a more polished rollout for the new site and for our new logo, which we’ll unveil soon. As we enter our second decade, we realized that we are no longer the tiny fledgling non‑profit that set out to “engage Nepal” ten years ago, and that we needed to tell our story with greater focus and care. The updates were meant to be part of that. But rollouts can wait. The new site doesn’t yet list all the projects we’re proud of — I’ll add them as time permits — but right now, we have more urgent concerns. The blog, however, will be there for you to follow our journey as we launch the Bhote Koshi Flash Flood Relief and Recovery Program. We’ll also try to post updates on our Engage Nepal Facebook page, which I’ve admittedly neglected. Now, to today’s update. First, I am overwhelmed by the extraordinary surge of support for this relief and recovery effort. I’m still adding donations to our platform and linking them to the project, but we are now well over $400,000, and the number continues to grow. That is remarkable — but before you say “wow” and conclude that we’re all set, please read on. This will be a multi‑year effort. It will take sustained commitment to help thousands upon thousands of displaced people find a path back to something resembling normal life — if normal life is even possible for them again. The funds raised so far give us a strong foundation. But are they enough? No. This effort goes far beyond emergency relief supplies. Much more. But those supplies are a good place to begin today’s update. This morning, our intrepid partners on the ground made a difficult and at times harrowing trip to Nuwakot. Many vehicles turned back. Our three SUV jeeps, loaded with $25,000 worth of relief materials, pressed on. Those supplies were coordinated with local officials and affected communities to ensure we brought what was truly needed — not what we assumed would be needed. That coordination takes time, but it is time well spent. Before setting out, we also secured approval from the Municipality leaders, the CDO, and the Social Welfare Council. Our goal is to complement government efforts and work with their blessing. This is not about headlines or recognition. It is about doing the job the right way. Upon arrival, our team found that distribution challenges had left many families with little or no assistance so far. Tomorrow, they will take time to identify the most vulnerable families before beginning distribution — which our team will oversee personally — over the coming days. While there, they will also conduct a more in‑depth assessment to better understand ground realities and guide our next steps. We will continue responding to urgent needs, and that may remain the primary focus for a while. No one yet knows what rebuilding will look like, so providing stable interim living situations will be essential. And the numbers may grow as displaced families currently sheltering with relatives seek alternatives. Complicating everything are reports of unstable blockages on the river that could release new surges of water. No one has yet been able to assess risks from upstream dams or glacial lakes. It is an uncertain time. Other critical issues are emerging as well. Health and sanitation may be among the most urgent. The risk of disease is real, especially with thousands of animal carcasses left by the flood. Safe drinking water, waste management, nutritious food for infants, lactating mothers, the elderly, and people with chronic conditions — all require sustained funding. On that front, I spoke today with our partner Châine de l’Espoir, with whom we’re working on a pediatric health program. We agreed to partner closely and draw on their considerable expertise. We are also fortunate to have the Binaytara Foundation, which brings deep experience in health care. Together, we will share knowledge, skills, and resources to support those in need. This alone is a major undertaking. And it is far from the only one. Children are another urgent concern. Early reports suggest at least 6,000 children are among the affected population. These numbers are rough estimates, but they give us a starting point. Children living in such unsettled conditions face risks on many fronts — health, of course, but also sexual violence, trafficking, and more. Keeping kids safe is a central part of our ongoing conversations with partners. Mental health is another priority. We, Châine de l’Espoir, the Gorkha Foundation, and others are thinking through what meaningful psycho‑social support might look like. Funding such a program will be yet another challenge. Education also weighs heavily. Yesterday we brainstormed with youth leaders from the Institute for Rural Development, a youth‑created and youth‑led non‑profit we hope to welcome into our partner network. We can learn from them, and they from us. Together, we will be stronger. My wife just read a story about a school with 900 students who were rushed to safety. The school itself is gone. So we’re already exploring how modern technology might help keep kids learning, and whether the community learning centers we modeled during COVID could work here. We’ll see. A decade of experience helps. Whatever approach we take, it will not be cheap — especially in an area where physical infrastructure has been devastated. Suddenly, the funds we’ve raised feel less robust than they did a few minutes ago. Preliminary numbers also suggest at least 1,200 young people have lost their sources of income as hotels, resorts, restaurants, and other businesses were washed away. And it’s not just young people. Workers at destroyed hydro plants are asking how they will support their families. Even those whose homes still stand may face a sudden collapse in household income — in some cases, to zero. We, along with many others, are helping provide basic needs for families who have lost everything. But how long can that support continue, and at what cost? Many agencies leading the response will drift away as new disasters demand their attention. We, however, will stay. We are already exploring interventions that might help. Our partner Trans‑Himalayan Women’s Environment and Livelihoods Project (T‑HELP) can assist with livelihood training to help families develop new income streams until the local economy recovers. T‑HELP is deeply experienced, and together we’ve done livelihood projects in several municipalities. Our track record gives us confidence. But this too will take time, determination — and funding. I offer all of this to give you — our partners, donors, and friends — a glimpse of the road ahead. The challenges will be broader and deeper than what we can yet see, and the unexpected is certain to appear. But we have begun. Thank you to all who have given so generously. You have provided a foundation on which we can build, and your compassion is already having a direct impact on those you cared enough to help. But this will be a sustained effort, and I hope you will stay with us in the months ahead as we help those so deeply affected by this climate‑driven disaster look toward the future with confidence and hope. More to come.
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